Pre-season snapshot
SUBIACO is back in full training after their festive season break. Check in with the boys with this pre-season snapshot.
Medical room
Subiaco’s injury list becomes significantly lighter post Christmas break. Clancy Wheeler returns to training following post-season shoulder surgery. Michael Genovese is close to full recovery from a shoulder injury after a pre-season mishap before Christmas. Chris Phelan and Ben Randall’s are progressing after both sustained injuries in the 2011 WAFL grand final. Josh Watson has rejoined the main group and is finalising some strength work on a troubled quadricep injury that he sustained in Darwin last year. Mark Re is increasing his training load after an injury-interrupted season in 2011.
Most valuable players
Subiaco’s tall forward line and strong ruck combination was key in the second half turnaround that culminated in a grand final appearance against Claremont. With the loss of Michael Rix to work commitments, 200cm recruit Callum Sinclair will again be invaluable for the Lions as they aim to stretch undersized WAFL defences and ruck combinationations.
Blake Broadhurst was the Lions 2010 Best and Fairest and the 2011 Bernie Naylor Medalist will remain the focal point up front for Subiaco this year.
Adam Cockie’s one-percenters are the stuff of coaches dreams. His attack on the footy and selfless approach lifts his teammates and will provide the barometer for Subiaco’s pressure and one-percenters in 2012.
Summer superstars
Captain Aidan Parker continues to set the standard for his teammates on the track this summer. Despite heading into his eleventh season of League football the 191-game veteran is continuously raising the bar.
Rhett Kerr will head into his fourth senior season at the peak of his powers with a full pre-season behind him as he looks to take his game up another peg in 2012 and become a key senior player on the list.
Reece Blechynden has spent two years on the senior list and is one of the players tipped to step up in the absence of the players lost from last season.
Pivotal match
After a slow start to 2011 having lost four of their first seven games by less than two goals, Subiaco headed to Esperance to face South Fremantle in a game that proved the catalyst for turning around their season. From that point eight wins in a row saw them head into finals as the WAFL’s form team. In 2012 consistent performances and putting together a string of results will remain important while as they did in 2011, hitting September with a healthy list and in-form team will decide how deep into the finals the Lions can go.
Draftee watch
Joey Daye joins the Lions after three years on the Gold Coast list and is looking to use an impressive WAFL season as a springboard back to the AFL.
Nathan Phillips had his 2011 season ruined with a knee-reconstruction but is looking to rediscover his 2010 South Fremantle Best and Fairest form and is likely to be used in Kyal Horsley’s half-forward/midfield role.
Callum Sinclai rarrives as the main replacement for Michael Rix and will be important to Waterman’s options of stretching undersized opposition defences and ruck rotations.
The Lions will have a good year if…
…They can minimise the damage of losing eight senior players after their 2011 grand final loss to Claremont, which is likely to be decided by three things; Firstly, the Lions will need their core senior group to remain fit throughout the season while young kids who have spent the past couple of seasons between reserves and League football need to stand up and become consistent performers at the League level. Finally, the Lions have recruited aggressively in the summer securing Joey Daye, Callum Sinclair and Nathan Phillips; if this trio can help cover eight outs then Subiaco will be a chance to return to the WAFL grand final.
Pre-season schedule
Round one (Friday, February 24): vs. East Perth @ Medibank Stadium
Saturday (Saturday, March 3): vs. Swan Districts @ Medibank Stadium
Saturday (Saturday, March 10) vs. Perth @ Brownes Stadium
The regular season gets underway on Saturday March 17 with Subiaco taking on West Perth at Medibank Stadium.
Ben Cameron is a reporter for subiacofc.com.au. This story was not subect to the approval of West Australia Football League (WAFL) or its clubs.
