Call for five on bench is rejected by Croweaters
West Australian officials will make a last-ditch attempt this morning to convince their South Australian counterparts to allow an extra interchange player to take part in the clash at Lathlain Park today.
As the States prepare to break the deadlock of 46 wins apiece in 111 years of interstate rivalry, the Croweaters insisted that only 22 players would be used.
But WA will attempt to add another player to the interchange bench to mirror their recent games against representative sides from the VFL and the NEAFL. Interstate rules allow 23-man teams as long as both States agree.
“We want to play 23 players and we think if they bring an emergency over he should be allowed to play as well,” a WAFL spokesman said.
“We will talk to them again in the morning.
“Maybe once they have seen the ground and checked all their players they might come around.”
Former East Fremantle chief executive Adam Kelly, now the SANFL operations manager, is understood to be sympathetic to the WA view.
But SA coach Graham Cornes was adamant that both teams should field a maximum of 22 players.
The visitors last week asked that both teams use only 21 players with a three-man interchange bench — the same conditions used in the SANFL.
The Croweaters brought 23 players to Perth last night after tough midfielder Nick Liddle was ruled out with concussion.
Matthew Panos, the winner of the Jack Oatey Medal as the best player in last year’s SANFL grand final, was cleared to make his interstate debut after overcoming hamstring soreness.
Former Corrective Services Commissioner and WA Police assistant commissioner Ian Johnson has been appointed acting chief executive at Peel.
Johnson replaces Bill Kostandas, who ended a two-year tenure at the club when he quit earlier this month.
