Assistant Coach Dean Wallis hinted that Rhys Palmer and Clayton Hinkley were a chance to start on the field and said he had no issue with seeing the duo put into the deep end early, echoing Senior Coach Mark Harvey’s sentiments from earlier in the week.
“I came from an environment where young kids got pushed in very early,” Dean said on Saturday morning prior to the team’s final session ahead of the match.
“I totally agree with it and I think Harves is a supporter of it as well. It’s a great way to learn and what a way to learn (in their) first game against the rival club up the road.
“Rhys obviously understands it, Clayton might be a bit new to it being a Victorian but I think he will relish in it as well.”
Dean will join Rhys and Clayton in experiencing his first derby tomorrow night since joining the club as an assistant to Mark in October last year. He said he was looking forward to the match and compared the anticipated atmosphere to those of the ANZAC Day clashes he was involved with during his time as a player and assistant coach at Essendon.
“We play the game for these sorts of games,” he said.
“It’s probably as close in the home and away season as you get to a final and that’s what motivates us as coaches and players. You want the big games.
“I don’t know whether it will be packed out tomorrow but generally derbies are and people step up for those games which is what you want.”
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Fremantle’s preliminary squad of 28 will be trimmed to 26 before bouncedown tomorrow. With only Andrew Browne and Brock O’Brien unavailable for selection while they continue their recovery from foot injuries the club had a near full strength list to choose from.
“We picked players that were available,” Dean said.
“Unfortunately the West Coast boys have got a few injuries and so forth. That’s something we can’t control, we can only control what we can and fortunately we have our players available.”
NAB Cup Round 1 – Sunday 17 February
Fremantle vs. West Coast
Subiaco Oval, 7:10pm (WDST)
Fremantle Squad v West Coast
2. Josh Carr
3. Byron Schammer
4. Paul Hasleby
6. Dean Solomon
7. Brett Peake
8. Shaun McManus
9. Matthew Carr
10. Rhys Palmer
11. Des Headland
14. Antoni Grover
15. Ryan Crowley
16. David Mundy
17. Mark Johnson
18. Luke McPharlin
19. Clayton Hinkley
20. Chris Tarrant
24. Adam Campbell
25. Steven Dodd
27. Daniel Gilmore
28. Ryan Murphy
29. Matthew Pavlich
30. Marcus Drum
31. Aaron Sandilands
33. Jeff Farmer
35. Garrick Ibbotson
37. Michael Johnson
41. Paul Duffield
43. Roger Hayden
