List Changes, Partnership Rules and Coaching Appointments

With the playing group almost a month into pre-season and pre-season games a little over a month away, Football Operations Manager, Mark Winnett gives an insight into our list changes for 2015, explains the restrictions regarding recruiting and local development (due to the partnership with the West Coast Eagles) and gives us some news on coaching changes for the season ahead.

LIST CHANGES

“All the senior core group players have committed to next season, basically all the players who played in last year’s grand final, obviously minus Dean Cadwallader at present are all re-contracted and back training”, Winnett said.

Four players have been transferred to other WAFL clubs, including Steven Wityk (three league games) and Jackson Slater (one league game).

“Wityk and Slater have both joined Swan Districts and we’ve agreed on a transfer for those two players”.

“Julian Locantro has gone to East Fremantle and Jacob Payne at this stage is training at Perth and I’m still negotiating with Perth for his transfer.

“They’re the only guys that have gone to other WAFL clubs.

“There is probably another four or five players who played mainly Reserves last year who have either gone to the amateurs or due to work commitments can’t play WAFL footy again in 2015”, he said.

PARTNERSHIP RESTRICTIONS - RECRUITING

Some members and supporters have voiced confusion about the current partnership and the restrictions that it places on the club’s ability to recruit, with the focus instead to develop our local and country zones.

“Obviously, we’re not allowed to actively recruit any footballers who have played WAFL league football at another club and or from interstate, so whether that be from Victorian Amateurs or Country”, Winnett explained.

“Basically, how it’s set up is we can harvest our own local district players from our metropolitan and country zones and also add players who are 19 years or older from the Amateurs who are not tied to another WAFL club or haven’t played WAFL league football at another club.

“Really the focus is to develop our own players, blend them in with the young West Coast players and then try to target specific needs maybe out of the Amateurs competition to fill gaps within our list”.

Winnett also clarified speculation that suggested all West Coast Eagles players would be required to play League football as a part of the partnership.  Players, as it was in 2014, will be picked by the match committee on their merit, whether that is Reserves or League football, with both Eagles and East Perth players made to earn their position in the league team.

“Both parties are well aware that there will be stages this year where West Coast players will play Reserves football as we saw last year.

“Being on an AFL list doesn’t guarantee them an automatic walk-up in to our league side. Each player will be judged on their merit and where they’re at in their development, but there will definitely be a percentage of West Coast players that will play Reserves football and will have to earn their spot in the East Perth league side,” Winnett said.

“Obviously we discuss that on a weekly basis with our match committee and also keep West Coast informed of our selection policy. Our match committee pick the side for East Perth every week and we keep West Coast informed as to what our thoughts are in relation to which players play either grade.

“Rest assured there is no policy in place to say that (West Coast Eagles) players must play League footy, they’ll be picked on their merit”.

COACHING

The club have made a couple of changes to coaching staff in 2015, the most significant being the appointment of Colts coach, Pat Litherland, who is enjoying the challenge of a healthy crop of new Colts.

“Pat’s settling in really well, he’s had 10-12 years coaching inside the football club and the East Perth Junior District.  

“He’s had a number of roles from 14s, 15s, 16s development squad coach through to Colts assistant, Reserves assistant and spent some time around the league squad as well.

“Pat’s had a great amount of experience and he’s settling in really well with a young team of coaches who have all come out of the East Perth district and the Colts are training really well with a solid group of 55-60 players, which is really encouraging for the football club”, Winnett said.

The Reserves and League sides have also seen some changes in coaching personnel with a few known faces returning to the club along with the addition of former West Coast Eagles player, Mark Nicoski.

“Nicoski will play a role within the partnership this year with our Reserves and our League, obviously with some of the young players (West Coast) within the Reserves it’s early days, so he’ll play a role there.”

Another addition to East Perth is former Geelong VFL recruit, Danny Byrne, who played 56 games for the Royals between 2006 and 2009, along with, Michael Clark, who played 41 games between 2004 and 2007.

“Danny Byrne has come back to the footy club, he’s involved as a line coach for our Reserves with Adam Pickering and also Michael Clark, who some of the members might remember, was recruited from Melbourne Football Club, where he played one game in the mid 2000s. Michael’s come on board as well as a Reserves assistant coach.

“From a League point of view, Russell Thompson and Clint Rudd are back involved with Brian Dawson and Adam Selwood will still take control of the midfield group, alongside Jaymie Graham. Jaymie will probably pick up the role that Daniel Pratt had last year (Pratt has moved on to a different role at West Coast)".