Hansen set for shock finals selection
Swan Districts are considering a shock recall for forward Ashley Hansen in the first semifinal against East Perth on Sunday despite the former West Coast spearhead not having lined up in the WAFL in 2013.
Hansen returned home to Victoria before the start of the season and has been working as a development coach and runner with the Western Bulldogs.
A member of premiership sides with the Eagles in 2006 and Swans in 2010, Hansen kicked 284 goals in 98 games for Swans between 2002 and 2012 and 95 goals in 78 games for the Eagles between 2002 and 2010.
The 30-year-old's last WAFL game was last year's preliminary final when Swan Districts lost to East Fremantle by 27 points.
Coach Greg Harding said Hansen would be in Perth this weekend and Swans were seriously considering playing him.
WAFL operations manager Cameron Knapton said Swans football manager Phil Smart had contacted him to confirm Hansen was a chance to play.
"Last week I got the request to add him to their 55 list, which we can do easily because he's never been cleared and is still a registered player," Knapton said yesterday.
"We just make him active, so they can play him if they want to pick him. Because he's moved interstate, they don't physically have to retain him on their list and he is still protected."
Hansen's availability will create further headaches for the Swan Districts match committee, with as many as three players set to lose their place in the side which beat West Perth by 18 points at Steel Blue Oval last Saturday.
Retired West Coast star Andrew Embley is certain to be recalled and reliable defender Justin Simpson is over the ankle injury that made him a late withdrawal against the Falcons.
East Perth are expected to make at least four changes to the side which defeated Subiaco by 19 points last weekend, making room for West Coast players Adam Selwood, Scott Lycett, Blayne Wilson and Jamie Cripps.
Wilson, Cripps, Selwood, Lycett and Embley played in the Eagles side which lost to Adelaide by 86 points at Patersons Stadium last Saturday.
·East Fremantle midfielder Jacob Green has won the Jack Clarke Medal for the WAFL's fairest-and-best colts player.
Green polled 45 votes, seven more than East Perth's Thomas Shanahan and 12 ahead of Claremont's Jordan Law.
