The broader football community might have forgotten about the capabilities of a handful of West Coast Eagles players, but internally those players on the periphery of the AFL team are closely monitored every week.
And those charged with the responsibility of keeping an eye on players playing their craft in the WAFL have been returning some rave reviews.
Again, on the weekend, there were stunning performances in the second tier as players itching for an opportunity look to sustain their form so that, should an opening occur, they are ready to step into elite football.
Aside from Norm Smith medallist Andrew Embley returning to play for Swan Districts and producing an outstanding return, there were a number of other players who excelled and served a timely reminder of their capabilities.
Bradd Dalziell, Andrew Strijk, Tom Swift, Jeremy McGovern and Fraser McInnes were among those who excelled.
Dalziell, who has missed a large chunk of the season after sustaining a knee injury in the round three game against Greater Western Sydney, has been in strong form with East Fremantle since returning and was rewarded for his thirst for the contest with 27 touches and seven tackles in a losing effort against Claremont.
Strijk also had 27 possessions, 21 of them kicks, when West Perth scored an emphatic win against Peel to continue a rich vein of form across the last month while McInnes, an exciting prospect, tarnished an otherwise outstanding game against East Perth by kicking 0.5.
McInnes has done a good job for Perth all season as a key forward, presented well and marked strongly without getting the maximum return from his usually reliable left boot.
McGovern and Swift were among the prime movers in Claremont’s emphatic win over East Fremantle.
Swift accumulated 29 possessions on a wing for the Tigers to be one of the best afield, while McGovern continues to grow in stature. The developing key forward, on the club’s rookie list, had 17 possessions and took seven marks in another eye-catching display.
The list of solid contributions did not end there, with Claremont half-back Lewis Stevenson continuing to build on his best season of senior football while East Fremantle trio Jacob Brennan, Mitch Brown and Koby Stevens were among the better players for the Sharks.
Brennan, after playing 11 straight AFL matches, found himself back in the WAFL and had 12 disposals and four tackles, while Brown had 18 possessions and nine marks playing at both ends of the ground and Stevens was effective despite suffering a shoulder injury after a heavy early game collision.
Lively forward Brad Dick continues to build his match conditioning with the Sharks, while Murray Newman kicked two goals for Swan Districts in a lively display where he again showed he had some classy moves.
Simon Tunbridge is another rookie who is developing into a tall forward of note while half-back Ashley Smith was slightly down on his usual output for Perth.
Meanwhile, Callum Papertalk and Anton Hamp played in the reserves for East Fremantle and Claremont respectively, Papertalk kicking two goals while Hamp battled a corked thigh.