COLTS graduate Shayne Zanetti is set to make his league debut for West Perth when the new WAFL season kicks off this weekend.
Falcons coach Bill Monaghan confirmed yesterday that Zanetti would run out against Swan Districts at Arena Joondalup on Saturday.
Zanetti (20), a 197cm ruckman and key position player from Quinns Rocks, played 15 games for the Falcons colts side last season, kicking 15 goals, playing mostly as a ruckman.
With the loss of key tall Mark Seaby (Sydney), as well as Troy Longmuir (retired), Monaghan was confident Zanetti would complement ruckmen Mitch Andrews and Chris Keunen.
Andrews (23) is in his second year with the Falcons and is aiming to cement his place while Keunen is hoping for an injury-free season after only managing 51 games in four seasons.
Winning first use of the ball will be crucial to the Falcons’ chances of making the top four again this season.
With the WAFL’s system of pitting top-four sides against each other three times, the Falcons have the toughest possible start.
The Falcons face the Swans and fellow 2009 grand finalists South Fremantle, as well as Subiaco and East Perth, in the first four rounds.
Monaghan said he had increased the amount of running his players had done during the summer compared with last season and he is confident his side can match the Swans’ leg speed on Saturday.
The loss of Longmuir, Seaby, Craig Smoker and Rob Hunt, a combined 202 AFL and 357 WAFL matches, would leave a hole in any side.
But Monaghan said he expected the next generation to step up.
He said the club’s leadership group, which includes skipper and Sandover Medal runner-up Jason Salecic, were in the 23 to 25 age bracket and coming into the peak of their playing careers.
There are four WAFL games this weekend: Premiers South Fremantle play East Perth tomorrow night at Fremantle Oval.
On Saturday, the Falcons host Swans, Claremont takes on Peel Thunder in Mandurah and East Fremantle travels to EFTel Oval to play Perth.