WA coach quietly confident

The WAFL side, which travels to Sydney today, has undergone something of a transformation since the initial 30-man squad was announced earlier this month.

First, star East Perth big man Paul Johnson pulled out of the side, then talented Subiaco footballers Wayde Twomey ” WA’s best player last year ” and Lachlan Delahunty withdrew through injury.

West Perth teenager Nick Rodda became a late inclusion this week to add an extra big-bodied player to the squad.

Rodda was among seven Falcons ” Jay van Berlo, Jordan Jones, Chris Keunen, Kody Manning, Shane Nelson and Laine Rasmussen ” named in an intermediate 25-man squad. That side was cut to a final 23 last night, with Monaghan not expecting everyone to agree with the selections.

‘There’s always going to be people around who question the way we select sides ” who we left out and who we put in,’ he said. ‘But we’re really comfortable with the squad we’ve picked.’

The 2013 premiership coach said it had been a shortened state program because of his West Perth commitments in the WAFL and recent Foxtel Cup.

The side trained last night and the previous two Mondays.

‘I didn’t want to have a huge lead into it,’ he said.

‘It’s a relatively short program, but I’ve been really impressed with the players’ attitudes.’