HEADED by a Brownlow medallist, two Sandover medallists and a bevy of players with AFL experience, the Carlton Draught WA State side is setting its sights on creating more winning WA State football history.
Shane Woewodin captains the Black Swans and will have Allistair Pickett (2002 and 2004 Sandover medallist) and Jaxon Crabb (2005) alongside him in the middle of the ground when the WA side runs out onto TEAC Oval.
While wins against Queensland, not a renowned Australian Rules State, came easily to WA in some of their most recent State encounters in 2002 and 2005, wins against more powerhouse States Victoria and South Australia have been harder to come by.
WA's last win against either Victoria or South Australia came back in 1994 when a WA side coached by Gerard Neesham beat the South Australians at Football Park by 14 points.
The last time the WAFL beat the VFA/VFL was in 1988.
The WA coaching hierarchy all know what it takes to prepare and play football at the highest level. Coach Ashley Prescott and his assistants Simon Eastaugh, Todd Curley and Chris Waterman all played AFL football.
They know the discipline it takes to play at that level and as such selected a number of players such as Woewodin, Troy Longmuir, Daniel Bandy, Anthony Jones, Jaxon Crabb, Daniel Haines, Adam Hay, Andrew Siegert, Todd Holmes and Adam Lange who have all played a significant amount of elite football.
Add to that list the likes of Chris Bossong, Darren Rumble, David Mapleston and Marc Webb and the WA side has some strong bodies to throw at the Victorians in this first clash between the two State-league sides since 2004 when Victoria emerged victorious by 11 points.
Pace and the ability to run is something WA sides like to claim as one of their strengths - and that's where players such as youngster Hayden Ballantyne and the more ‘aged' Pickett come in.
These players can clear a ball from the centre of the ground before you know it and they add plenty of excitement to any contest.
Chad Jones was a late call-up to the WA squad after the WA coaching staff lost its dream of adding Brad Smith to the side.
Prescott was forever hopeful that Smith, the current WAFL leading goal kicker, would be available for the State encounter. Smith, who spent the past to years on the sidelines with knee injuries while on West Coast's list, dominated the WAFL goal kicking in 2003 and 2004, winning the Bernie Naylor Medal.
While he has been holding down the full forward position with reigning premiers and league-leaders Subiaco since making his long-awaited return to football this year, he couldn't commit his recovering knee to the rigours of a State football campaign after just eight games into his comeback trail.
WA's State game preparation included a moving address earlier in the week from a stalwart of WA State football, Barry Cable. Cable played 20 State games for WA and one for Victoria. He was also involved in the first ever State of Origin clash in 1977 when his home State of WA claimed a watershed victory over the "Big V" at Subiaco Oval.
