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Western Australia has trimmed it's squad to 23 players for the trip to Adelaide for the 2021 state game against South Australia, confirming the travelling party on Wednesday.
Five players have been cut from the initial squad with Ben Sokol (calf) and Jake Patmore (cheekbone) already ruled out through injury and Cody Leggett (East Fremantle), Kyle Stainsby (Subiaco), Keegan Knott (Claremont) Anthony Treacy and Oliver Eastland (Claremont) not surviving the cut after Tuesday night's main training session.
18 players will make their state debut in the fixture, dual Simpson Medallist Jye Bolton, Subiaco captain Leigh Kitchin and team mate Lachlan Delahunty the most experienced players in the side having played 16 state matches between them.
Swan Districts ruckman Corey Gault and Claremont midfielder Bailey Rogers are the other players in the 23 man playing group that have previous state game experience, having featured in the last state game in 2019.
WA State Coach Geoff Valentine said there was great balance across all lines, with all 23 players in terrific form this WAFL season.
“We travel over to Adelaide full of confidence against a strong South Australian side,” Valentine said.
“We feel we’ve got a really talented group of players who have State, AFL and WAFL experience, and they’re in some really good form to start the 2021 WAFL season.”
“Playing a game at Adelaide Oval as a curtain raiser to an AFL game is a fantastic opportunity for these young men to showcase their ability and get a positive result for their State.”
The state leadership group will be revealed on Friday before the team flies out for the contest.
The match will be played as a curtain raiser to Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs, with bounce down for the fixture to be at 2:05 PM.
SQUAD: Leigh Kitchin (Subiaco), Connor West (West Perth), Tyrone Thorne (Peel Thunder), Cody Ninyette (South Fremantle), Matthew Parker (South Fremantle), Ben Edwards (Claremont), Sam Fisher (Swan Districts), Lachlan Martinis (Claremont), Declan Mountford (Claremont), Harry Marsh (Subiaco), Cameron Eardley (East Fremantle), Callan England (Claremont), Bailey Rogers (Claremont), Lachlan Delahunty (Subiaco), Josh Schoenfeld (East Fremantle), Chad Pearson (South Fremantle), Tyler Keitel (West Perth), Jye Bolton (Claremont), Corey Gault (Swan Districts), Greg Clark (Subiaco), Noah Pegoraro (West Perth), Zac Strom (South Fremantle), Blake Schlensog (South Fremantle).
IMAGE: WAFL.