A HOST of potential inclusions should strengthen the Warrack Eagles with their season on the line against the Horsham Saints at Ararat’s Alexandra Oval on Sunday.
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The side found it difficult to lock the ball in its forward line due to a lack of forward line pressure against in the qualifying final.
Coach Ryan McKenzie said the potential inclusion of Charlie Wilson, Phil Huebner and Brayden Walder would go a long way to addressing that issue.
“Charlie coming back will be a big boost because he is quick and a really good tackler,” he said.
“Phil is another one of those players that just applies a lot of pressure and when fit Brayden is one of the quickest guys in our team.
“Shannon (Argall) will also be moving around better this week, so we should be better placed.”
McKenzie played as a permanent forward in the qualifying final due to an niggling injury and is sweating on the result of tests to see whether or not he will be available.
The Eagles won both clashes against the Saints during the regular season but McKenzie knows his side can not read too much into that.
“I watched the Saints on Sunday and they are playing much better football than when we played them,” he said.
“We take some confidence out of our wins but the Saints certainly have some dangerous young players coming through that we will need to put some time into.”
Nicholas Caris played an important role for the Saints in the side’s elimination final win. McKenzie said one of his best defenders would likely go to him.
“The Saints have a bit of a different forward line to most other clubs,” he said.
“But different isn’t bad because they have still been effective.”
Warrack Eagles ruckman Scott Adams has had a big influence in both games between the sides this season, but centre clearances are not an area Saints coach Luke Fisher is concerned about.
“It’s about making sure they don’t get the quality centre clearances moving forward,” he said.
“Our backs have been really settled now, there are stages where we might let the opposition mids get on top but we don’t allow them to move the ball to good areas.
“We’ll be up against some quality key forwards so Xander McRae and Ryan Bird will have big roles to play again.”
After limping off early in the elimination final Sam Clyne will face fitness tests before being declared available.
“He is on of those guys that we would consider playing even if he is not 100 percent,” Fisher said.
“It will be all about having everyone across the ground contribute. We’ve built up a lot of confidence with six straight wins and think we are in a good position.”
