Strengthened midfield the key to Royals success

Having not made the finals since the end of the West Coast alignment in 2017, East Perth have started this year strongly, beating Swan Districts in round one thanks to a late Scott behind before knocking off Subiaco and demolishing Perth.

Royals star Angus Scott believes a strengthened midfield has been the key to the Royals' rise up the ladder.

Scott told Sports Breakfast the recruitment of former Dockers Mitch Crowden and Tom North had been key.

“It’s one of our strengths, Mitchy, [Angus] Schumacher, Hamish Brayshaw, and then you chuck in two really great team players in our captain Christian Ameduri and Liam Tedesco,” Scott said.

“It’s probably one of the deepest and strongest midfields in the comp with [Scott Jones] in the ruck.

“To have those boys firing in there, and their ability to push forward and also back with Tom North, it’s our driving force.”

The Royals started the season with three strong wins but suffered their first loss for the year against Peel last Saturday, with Scott saying the team was seeing the positives from the result.

“The way we want to play is really strong and based around the contest first, and we weren’t really beaten in those areas,” he said.

“It was just going inside 50 and that last kick and finishing our work is what let us down.

“In previous weeks, we were very predictable to each other and that’s why we’re able to stem that flow, and then on the weekend when the pressure came on, we probably did a few things uncharacteristically and Peel made us pay.”

The next assignment for Ross McQueen’s side is a blockbuster clash against ladder leaders Claremont at 2:10 pm on Saturday at Revo Fitness Stadium, with Scott saying the midfield battle would go a long way in deciding the result.

“Claremont’s midfield’s very strong as well as their half-back line, they get a lot of run and drive off there, and they’ve obviously got a few good forwards as well,” he said.

“Being in the grand final last year, they’re a strong side.

“If we can get on top in the contested ball and get the game on our terms of in terms of how we want to play and move the ball and take the game on, hopefully we can score against them and come away with the win.”

IMAGE: East Perth FC