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East Perth intend to ramp up their assault on this year’s WAFL flag by making an audacious bid to recruit former AFL ruckman Luke Strnadica before the June 30 clearance deadline.
The loss of primary ruckman Scott Jones to a broken leg has left the Royals short of big men.
The 202cm Jedd Edwards, who has been a reserves regular for the past six seasons, made a steady league debut on Sunday.
But with Jones unlikely to return for three months, and fourth-placed East Perth confident that they will be in action in finals for the first time since 2018, the club is eager to shore up their ruck stocks.
The mobile Strnadica, 24, has played for three WAFL clubs and been on two AFL lists.
He has been a regular at B Grade amateur team North Fremantle this season and would be expected to play league football almost immediately if picked up.
He played twice for the Eagles last year as a pre-season supplementary signing and added five games for their WAFL team before walking away from football midway through the season.
He was denied permission to return to East Fremantle last year because it was past the June 30 deadline but has not returned to the WAFL this year.
A rookie at Fremantle after being drafted from East Fremantle in 2017, Strnadica played 29 games for affiliate Peel and added another 40 after returning to the Sharks.
Strnadica is currently working for Clontarf at Narrogin High School.
East Perth have won their past four matches and beaten finals contenders Subiaco, East Fremantle and West Perth.
IMAGE: AFL.