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Taste of defeat drives Royals

Taste of defeat drives Royals

East Perth will be out to atone for their 2013 grand final loss when they take on Subiaco at Patersons Stadium in the 2014 decider tomorrow, according to veteran co-captain Craig Wulff.

The Royals go into the grand final as dominant favourites with the TAB, having lost just four games all season and enjoying a week off after beating the Lions in the second semifinal a fortnight ago.

Wulff said he was still stewing on last year's shattering loss to West Perth, revealing it was a major reason he played on into a 13th season.

"It leaves a burning hole in your heart," he said. "It takes you 220-odd games to get there and then you lose at the end of it. It's devastating.

"We've got a squad that's very keen to right a wrong. We will be doing everything we can to try and rectify it."

Wulff, 31, said it had been impossible for him not to think about having the premiership medallion he has always dreamt of around his neck.

"As soon as the game finished last year you sort of think about what it takes to get back to that spot again," he said.

"I wish you could just get rid of the 20 home-and-away games and jump straight to it because at the end of the day they mean very little come grand final day.

"It's been a very long season for us now."

East Perth coach Brian Dawson said they were going in with the same squad of 26 - and possibly the same 22 - who beat the Lions by 32 points a fortnight ago.

Dawson said they didn't deserve overwhelming favouritism, especially given Subiaco were twice victorious against them in 2014.

"Subi have nailed us twice so we need to square the ledger on Sunday," he said. "The contests have been pretty even across the year so there hasn't been too much in it either way."

Subiaco coach Jarrad Schofield said his side would be boosted by the return of captain Kyal Horsley (quadriceps) and forwards Matt Boland (hamstring) and George Hampson (quadriceps) after the key trio missed last weekend's preliminary final win over East Fremantle.

"We're not content just to get to a grand final," Schofield said.

"Now that we've given ourselves a chance to be there, we've got to win it."

Wet conditions are forecast for tomorrow, but both sides believe it won't affect the result.