ROUND 19 PREVIEW V EAST PERTH

WEST Perth can move a game clear in second position on the WAFL ladder with a win in Sunday's final derby of the 2015 against East Perth at Medibank Stadium.

Not that derbies between East Perth and West Perth require anything extra to make them heated contests, but Sunday's clash at Medibank Stadium has plenty at stake for both teams.

Both West Perth and East Perth occupy places inside the WAFL's top five coming into Round 19 and now the result of Sunday's standalone clash at Medibank Stadium could have significant ramifications for a win and loss for both.

East Perth returned to the top five with a thumping 106-point win over South Fremantle last Saturday at Fremantle Oval to improve to an 8-8 record and to now have the best percentage of all teams except for the ladder-leading Subiaco.

Now a win on Sunday for the Royals would go a long way to securing their place in a fourth straight finals series while a loss would potentially see them out of the top five altogether by Sunday night depending on other results.

West Perth, meanwhile, stormed home with the only five goals of the last quarter to come back from 21 points down at three quarter-time to beat Claremont by 10 points at HBF Arena last Saturday.

That win improved the Falcons to a 10-5 record to keep them percentage ahead of Peel Thunder in second place on the WAFL ladder.

A win now on Sunday would go a long way to West Perth securing that second position for the end of the season that would mean home ground advantage in the first weekend of the finals but a loss would leave them vulnerable to drop below Peel depending on percentage.

There have already been two Perth derbies this season with vastly contrasting results.

The first was in Round 8 at HBF Arena where East Perth looked in control during the third quarter but West Perth ended up kicking the last 12 goals of the game to end up winning by 38 points.

East Perth then turned the tide on WA Day at Medibank Stadium in front of over 4000 people by ending up recording an 18.11 (119) to 10.11 (71) victory.

West Perth will still be without premiership players Luke Tedesco and Kody Manning who are getting closer to a return, and Matt Guadagnin, Jordan Jones and Rohan Kerr who won't be back this year following respective surgeries on their knee, hamstring and back.

West Perth could potentially offer three more debutants a chance to prove themselves in the league side on Sunday as well with Callum Papertalk, Dean Munns and Tim Sutherland all in the mix.

Papertalk has been on West Coast's list previously, but is still yet to play league football but he's been close on several occasions throughout his first season at West Perth and now following seven goals last week against Claremont in the reserves he might get his opportunity.

Munns has put together some strong form in the reserves and had 28 possessions and 10 tackles last week against Claremont to continue to close in for a league debut, while Sutherland continues to work hard both in the ruck and in key position roles.

Brayden Antonio went back to the reserves last week against Claremont and played well with 27 possessions, eight inside 50s and a goal to give himself a good opportunity to come straight back into the league side on Sunday against East Perth at Medibank Stadium.

East Perth has suffered a big blow with West Coast big man Fraser McInnes ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury that he suffered late in last week's thumping win over South Fremantle after he had kicked a career-best four goals in that contest.

That means that the Royals will need Scott Lycett to stand up in his absence to provide a strong, marking option in attack and to support Paul Johnson in the ruck.

Jamie Bennell, Jackson Nelson and Sam Butler have all been named emergencies for West Coast to play the Gold Coast Suns on Saturday night, but unless the Eagles make a late change and time permitting, all three could still play for the Royals against the Falcons on Sunday.

West Coast small forwards Murray Newman and Malcolm Karpany both look set to come back into the East Perth team to face West Perth as well after the pair missed the win over South Fremantle last Saturday.

Tom Hodgson, Beau Chatley, Julian Ameduri, Clayton Giblett, Rowen Powell and Zac Dent are all in the mix for a place in the East Perth team as well on Sunday.

RESERVES SQUAD
M Ashfield, J Batterham, D Colbung, M Crisp, B Denysiuk, M Douglas, C Franklin, K Fullgrabe, M Geraghty, J Gray, M Hamilton, C Hinchcliffe, A Innes, J Kirwen, T Manners, B McGillivray, M Peirce, S Rotham, M Walley, B Walton, H Yarran

COLTS SQUAD
N Alexandre, A Allen, M Antonio, K Barnsley, J Bennett, A Corbett, R Dolman, E Hills, K Hindmarsh, J Horgan, J Jennings, E Larmett, C Lynch, N Marinovich, K Monaghan, B Mountford, E Mullane, S Nelson, T O'Brien, J Porter, J Romanelli, L Saunders, L Sherriffs, J Turner, L Ward