ROUND 9 PREVIEW V SUBIACO

WEST Perth got out of jail against the bottom-placed side last Sunday and now looks to topple the league-leaders this Saturday to consolidate fourth position on the WAFL ladder.

West Perth looked set to slip to a 2-5 record in its premiership defence last Sunday against Peel. The Falcons were 42 points down at half-time, 30 at three quarter-time and 18 heading into time-on in the fourth quarter, but they found a way to win by a point.

That result means that the Falcons improved to a 3-4 record to move back into fourth position on the ladder and they can further consolidate that spot with a win on Saturday over the top-of-the-table Subiaco.

Subiaco and West Perth meet for the first time in 2014 and first time in almost 12 full months with plenty at stake for both clubs.

The Lions lost that game by a point back in Round 14 last year at Arena Joondalup after being in control of the contest. From that point, Subiaco struggled for the rest of 2013 and West Perth went on to win the premiership, but things have been decidedly different so far in 2014.

Subiaco still sits on top of the ladder heading into Round 9 with a 6-1 record on the season to date with the only blemish a loss to the second-placed Swan Districts.

However, the Lions bounced back impressively last week with a 34-point win over Perth to maintain top position.

Both teams feature a bevy of players currently in the State squad and who are looking to represent the WAFL next Saturday against the best of the NEAFL at Sydney's Spotless Stadium.

West Perth is the reigning premiers with its coach Bill Monaghan in charge of the WA squad and as a result Jay van Berlo, Jordan Jones, Chris Keunen, Kody Manning, Shane Nelson and Laine Rasmussen are in the squad.

Rasmussen looks set to play for WA as a small defender with Keunen now looming to be the likely ruckman following the withdrawal of Paul Johnson.

Keunen's battle against his former teammate Frank Stockley will be fascinating on Saturday and not only potentially could decide the winner between West Perth and Subiaco, but also have a big say in who gets to be the ruckman for WA a week later.

Lachlan Delahunty, Chris Deluca, George Hampson, Chris Phelan and Wayde Twomey are all in the squad from Subiaco with Delahunty a good chance to play as a forward and back up ruckman, Deluca as a small forward and Hampson as a half-forward who can go through the midfield.

Then there is Phelan who has turned himself into a midfielder but can still play off half-back and the versatile Twomey coming off winning the State game Simpson Medal last year against Victoria in Northam.

Van Berlo could again play as a versatile midfielder with Manning a chance because of his enormous tackling pressure and Jones could play also as he returns to West Perth's line-up after missing the win over Peel following a best on ground performance in the Foxtel Cup against Box Hill.

Ray Bartholomew is out of the West Perth team after having surgery to repair fractures to his cheekbone and eye socket that he bravely soldiered through last Sunday to keep playing and ensure that the Falcons weren’t down a man against the Thunder as they tried to fight back.

Jordan Jones should be right to return for West Perth after missing the win over Peel with a minor ankle complaint.

Mitch McPhee, Kris Shannon and Jack Thrum are also in the mix to play with potentially one of the key defenders Shaun Marusic and Matt Spencer making way after having to play last week because of the Thunder's bevy of tall forwards and ruckmen.

Josh Deluca and Dylan Elliott are out of the Subiaco line-up that beat Perth by 34 points last week with Ray Daniels, Kyle Halligan, Aaron Heal, Joe Scafidi and Nathan Stewart all in the mix to come into the line-up.

RESERVES TEAM

B Antonio, J Batterham, C Branch, C Chalmers, J Embley, M Fowler, P Harvey, S Healy, M Johnson, B King, J Kirwen, A Lynch, S Martin, B McNamara, L Meadows, J Mills, S Money, J Morrow, B O'Regan, D Rohde, T Sutherland, M Van Berlo, B Walton, B Wilhelm, T Young

COLTS TEAM

A Allen, M Antonio, M Ashfield, L Beissel, N Beutel, M Douglas, K Egan, K Fullgrabe, A Innes, C Lynch, T Manners, W Michell, T Moulton, B Mountford, D Munns, S Nelson, J Nolan, M Peirce, S Rotham, J Ryder, J Sheehan-Nel, A Smith, J Turner, M Walley, A Wenn

BY CHRIS PIKE