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Wake up bitches, it’s melt game day

For the first time this season we do away with intraclubs and play against an actual opposition. It doesn’t count for anything but we do get a look at how all the work done over a long, hot summer translates into performance

The game itself starts at 4.45pm and will consist of 6 segments of match play with seemingly no restrictions on how many play across the night

Fremantle have named almost their entire squad with a team sheet of 40. Missing are injured players Cox, Chapman, Murphy, Kuek and Corbett

We can only dream of such luxuries

For their part, West Coast have named a squad of 27 to play the first 4 quarters with other players not named to be given time in the final two segments

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McGovern (groin) and Brockman (knee) were ruled out as a precaution and are expected to play next week

They join Ryan, Sheed, Hewett and Darling as likely best 22 players missing from the match

Burgiel, Barnett, Baker and Johnston are players not named but confirmed by the club via Twitter to join in later. It’s not known if any other players will join this quartet

My predicted starting line up is as follows:

FB: Hough Barrass Cole
HB: Reid Jamieson Duggan
C: Gaff Kelly Hunt
HF: Cripps B Williams Petruccelle
FF: Waterman Allen Long
R: Flynn Yeo Ginbey

L Edwards and Chesser as midfield rotations

Witherden and Jones as defensive rotations

Maric, Rawlinson and Dewar as forward rotations

J Williams and Livingstone as ruck/KPF support

With McGovern, H Edwards, Bazzo and Rotham all missing our tall defensive stocks look slim with Barrass our only recognised KPD with support from Jamieson. If Fremantle can get good supply into their F50 it could be another long day

Things to look forward to when the game begins :

• We get our first look at Harley Reid against an opposition
Elliot Yeo has had an impressive preseason showing signs of the dominant midfield force we grew to love. Can he sustain a full time midfield role
• New recruit Matt Flynn will ruck against Sean Darcy with support from Bailey Williams who is expected to spend more time up forward. How they go will be important not just in this match but as an indication of how viable the pairing will be this season
• Aside from Reid, we get to see how some of our other youngsters are developing- Ginbey, Hough, Long, Maric and Chesser will all be of particular interest
• Personally I’m keen to see how Petrucelle plays after a very promising preseason as a half forward rolling through the midfield
• From a more holistic viewpoint, there’s been a focus on contested ball and tackling pressure over summer so I’ll be looking for signs of us being more competitive in that part of the game

Overall the result isn’t important but it’d be nice to see a competitive match.

Finally, given the carnage endured in the corresponding match 2 years ago and in last year’s R3 derby, pray for no injuries

Danger game, Eagles by two fractured ankles

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