The West Coast Eagles are holding on to eighth spot after a surprise home defeat to Adelaide last week. Last year’s grand finalists have a 7-5 win-loss record heading into this weekend’s clash against Brisbane at the Gabba.
Losing four of their last five matches on the road, the Eagles will need a win on Saturday to stay in contention for the premiership race.
The Eagles will be without ruckman Scott Lycett who was left out of West Coast’s side for disciplinary reasons.
Lycett was expected to carry the load in the absence of injured star Nic Naitanui. Lycett’s absence means that former GWS and Essendon ruckman Jonathan Giles will make his senior debut for the Eagles.
Giles has spent his first year playing with East Perth in the WAFL and will carry much of the ruck responsibility for the Eagles on Saturday.
“We are very disappointed that Scott has let the club down, but the behaviours we ignore are the behaviours we accept,” West Coast Eagles senior coach Adam Simpson said in a statement on the club’s website today.
“We have standards and values that we expect of each other and Scott, unfortunately, failed to meet them.”
East Perth’s has lost its last three WAFL games and only a few West Coast-listed players have produced consistent performances in recent fixtures.
The Eagles’ only remaining premiership player for 2006, Sam Butler (abductor) looms as a likely in.
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