Andrew McQualter didn’t know much about the RAC Derby before taking the reins at West Coast but can already sense the different build-up to a big weekend for WA football.
The Eagles will host Sunday’s 60th crosstown clash with Fremantle and are expecting a huge and vocal crowd to support the team.
“Our players are super excited. There’s definitely a certain feel that’s different with playing Freo in a Derby, our home game and I can’t wait to see the crowd there on Sunday,” McQualter said.
“We’re lucky to play in these games. It’s good practice. It’s a bigger game. It’s still worth four points but it creates that finals-like feel, I’m assuming.
“They’re the type of games we want to play in.”
McQualter saw promising signs from his team in a fighting loss to reigning premier Brisbane at the Gabba, and was confident the players had recovered well from the hot and humid conditions.
“For two quarters, or just under two quarters, last week we did a lot right,” McQualter said.
“There were some things in our game that we really went to work on again during this week because we didn’t get them right.
“It’s no surprise we won’t be a finished product yet two weeks in, but there’s some excitement around how we played last week with some tweaks from the week before, which was good.
“There’s obviously plenty of work to do still.”
Young gun Bo Allan didn’t make the final cut for Sunday’s team but McQualter said the top draftee was close to his first game for the club.
“He played really well in the WAFL last week … he’s working hard at his craft and he’s getting better, but it won’t be this week,” McQualter said.
“(He can’t do) much more than what he’s doing. It’s just about opportunity now when that opportunity comes up.
“We just want to make sure he’s really ready when he does get that chance.”
McQualter confirmed Brady Hough is ready to go for Sunday, despite missing training on Thursday with illness.
The Eagles and Dockers are both hunting their first win for the season and McQualter has spent plenty of time pondering how to stop Fremantle's midfield, led by ruck Luke Jackson and star Caleb Serong.
“We’ve got some plans around that and we’ll work through them further in the next 24 hours but it’s a big part of the game,” McQualter said.
“Freo are so strong at their clearance game at their best and we understand we’ve got to get that right.”
