00:00Well, hi, I'm Mark Stephens, and welcome to Zero Hanger HQ here in Melbourne in Cremorne
00:05for another episode of The Outer Wing, brought to you by Tab Touch.
00:08Real punters play here, as usual, on the other side of the country.
00:13Digby Beecham, that great journo, he's ready to go.
00:15Let's bring it on.
00:18Could a mullet with tightly tapered sides reduce wind resistance,
00:22allowing for faster acceleration off the mark?
00:25Now that's something to think about.
00:31What are you really gambling with?
00:33Now, West Coast, and we're getting more positive about the Eagles as well.
00:37It looks like they're growing up before our eyes diggers.
00:40That's the feeling over here, just more consistent through games?
00:45Yeah, 100%, Steve-O.
00:46Look, we spoke about them seven, eight weeks ago, and we thought,
00:49well, jeez, where are they at?
00:49Are they the worst side in the competition?
00:51You know, that was off the back of that really disappointing home defeat to Richmond.
00:56But since then, they've been very, very good.
00:58And the three-week block that they've been able to put together, they beat the Giants.
01:01Since then, the Giants have found some of that, you know, orange tsunami for them, haven't they?
01:06They've been brewing against, obviously, Brisbane, and then in the red centre against Melbourne on the weekend just gone.
01:11So they knocked them off.
01:13They went toe-to-toe with Collingwood.
01:15And who knows, with the rub of the green there, they might have even caused one of the great upsets.
01:19And then over here in what was a game that we were touting as a danger game, weren't we, seven
01:23days ago,
01:24they did a number on Essendon.
01:26I know it was only five or so goals in the end, but it could have been eight, nine, ten
01:29goals had West Coast taken all their opportunities.
01:31They were very, very efficient.
01:33They were.
01:34And cyclonic conditions over there, had it been a still dry day, West Coast could have won that by anything.
01:40I just think that evened it up.
01:42What was it like there at the footy?
01:43The ball seemed to be spinning in weird ways.
01:45It was probably the worst game of footy I've ever seen, but there were reasons for it, I mean, with
01:51the weather over there.
01:52Yeah, it was wild, Steve-O.
01:54It was really, really wild.
01:55There wasn't a lot of rain at that stage, but, you know, Saturday night, Sunday morning here in Perth and
02:01also the southwest,
02:03you know, there was roofs being taken off buildings and there was cars being moved.
02:08There was flooding.
02:08It was probably fortunate that this game was at Optus Stadium, which is enclosed because it's the new, you know,
02:16world-class venue as opposed to an open ground like a Subiaco or, heaven forbid, an old suburban ground in
02:22Victoria.
02:23It might not have gone ahead.
02:25Well, lucky we weren't in Bunbury last week.
02:27Probably would have got blown away.
02:28There's no way it would have gone ahead, Diggers.
02:30It was wild.
02:31Put it this way.
02:31It was lucky it wasn't out the old Western Oval back in the mid-90s when West Coast used to
02:35go out there and get a touch-up from your Footscray boys.
02:38But it was wild.
02:40Yeah, God's country, that one.
02:41Of course, remember Michael Gardner getting touched up there, the guys going to him.
02:45That was a great era, Diggers.
02:46But back to reality, look at the three-week block they've put together.
02:51You know, they're looking pretty good with the fixture coming up, Porton North.
02:55Nobody's really – look, I don't think it can happen, but people are talking up Carlton as a wild card
02:59possibility.
03:01With this wild card in the top ten, they're even clinging to hope the Eagles are having a bit of
03:05action later in the year.
03:08Well, whether they get there or not, I would say no.
03:11One thing that's going to hurt them is their percentage.
03:13Their percentage is still pretty poor and they've got a fair bit of ground to make up in that department.
03:18But what we are seeing, it would seem, Steve, is that West Coast finally – and there's been a couple
03:23of false storms along the way.
03:25Hand on heart now, I think West Coast are out the other side.
03:29I really do.
03:30They won one game last year, one game.
03:32They were terrible, terrible.
03:34But now they've won four already.
03:36Halfway through the year, they've got some winnable games on the horizon.
03:39We'll touch on that in a little bit.
03:41But all in all, I think West Coast fans can now see some light and it's not an oncoming train.
03:47Yeah, well, I think – look, can they get Port?
03:50I think it's a bad week to get Port.
03:52They're rested up.
03:53They've had a bye.
03:54They've had a look at what they're doing.
03:56They still have a crack Port.
03:57They lack a lot of talent and they've got, obviously, Rosie out.
04:01But it's going to be tough.
04:02I think we'll learn a lot about the Eagles this weekend.
04:05Yeah, I agree with that.
04:06And, look, West Coast went over to Adelaide over early this year, didn't they?
04:09And they got the job done in a thriller.
04:12So that's going to hold them in good stead, you would think.
04:14But I'm with you a little bit here.
04:17I'm thinking that maybe Port rested.
04:20They've still got some wow factor, haven't they?
04:22And when they go Port, they can really go quickly.
04:26But, look, West Coast will be well within their rights to think this is a very, very winnable game at
04:31home.
04:31And if that's the case, that gives them five on the season at the halfway point.
04:36And, you know, I dare say a great deal of self-belief, which has perhaps been lacking.
04:41And that's understandable given some of the pummelings that they've received.
04:45Yeah, it's good to see the Eagles up and about.
04:46I wasn't sure about that Richmond-Gernsey last week, Diggers.
04:50What was that about?
04:51I know it's the state colours, but come on.
04:52I'm sorry, it's that West Australian black and gold.
04:54It's a WA Day weekend, it was.
04:56It was our public holiday.
04:58The Fremantle fans and the Fremantle Football Club don't like it.
05:01But either, so they're in your corner.
05:03But I must admit, to see that black and gold jumper, I love it.
05:08And I'm not even an Eagles supporter, but I'm a proud West Australian.
05:10So I'll have to go head-to-head with you there.
05:12Yeah, I agree with that.
05:13But living in Richmond, in Tigerland, here in Melbourne, they weren't happy.
05:16Because it didn't make sense.
05:18But not a lot makes sense in footy at times.
05:21And we're going to see heritage jumpers coming up in the next week or so.
05:24Oh, I think there's even one coming up this weekend.
05:27So Reuben Ginby, the man with the blonde hair, he's always looked good.
05:33I think he's starting to deliver.
05:35Yeah.
05:36Look, he's a ripper, Reuben.
05:38And look, we've spoken about it a few times.
05:42Who would have wanted to be a defender in the last three or four years at West Coast?
05:46Like, you saw a lot of ball.
05:47And some of the requirements placed upon you, because of the lack of pressure further afield
05:53from your teammates, was diabolical.
05:56Like, it was dire.
05:57And Reuben has often been asked to take on the opposition's best big key forward.
06:03And he's done very well.
06:05And saying that, he's not a small man, but he is undersized for that role.
06:08And his effort on the weekend against Nate Caddy was terrific.
06:13He's a runner-up in the John Worsfold medal 12 months ago.
06:17He's a leader.
06:19He's immensely popular.
06:20He's brave to a fault.
06:22Like, he ticks so many boxes.
06:24And as West Coast continue to grow and hopefully get some bigger bodies and some more experience
06:31down there in that defence I'm talking about, I think Reuben will get even better and better.
06:36And look, he hasn't always been a great user of the ball.
06:39He doesn't kick the ball over great distance.
06:41He's more of a chipper at that 45.
06:43But he used the ball particularly well.
06:45And he knows his limitations now, I think, Reuben.
06:48So he was outstanding.
06:50He's having another really good season.
06:52And it's great to see.
06:53Well, he's obviously high profile.
06:54I mean, what's he like in Perth now?
06:56Is the legend growing?
06:57Is he a man about town?
06:58He's got the hair and the look.
07:00Is he strutting around Burrswood and these sort of places?
07:04No, look, he's a country boy.
07:06He's from Dunsborough, which is another sort of 45 minutes further southwest on the coast there from Bunbury.
07:12But he likes life in the city.
07:14But he's a pretty matter-of-fact young man.
07:16As I said, he's really, really popular within the four walls.
07:19He's a future leader.
07:21He's already seen as a really key member of the leaders at West Coast.
07:26And you can see why.
07:28So he's a beauty.
07:30But, yeah, he's not ever, ever.
07:32And anyone who's coached him, you talk to coaches who have coached him underage football, they rave about him.
07:38He's a really level-headed young man.
07:41Never, ever will Reuben Jimby get a big head.
07:44He's a beauty.
07:44Well, it's good to hear, Diggers, he's going places.
07:47Brandon Stasevich, been a lot talked about him.
07:50Hasn't really had a chance to get on the park at all over their chance this week.
07:54Yeah, he'll play, which is great.
07:56So, you know, West Coast invests a lot of money over a long period for Brandon at the back end
08:02of last year.
08:02That deal was done a long way out.
08:03So he's had some issues with his body, not so much the concussions, but more so soft tissue injuries.
08:09But he got through some managed minutes on the weekend here in the Waffle.
08:13So he'll play.
08:14And he's going to be really important in the back half of the season for West Coast.
08:18Because you know what you're going to get from Brandon Stasevich.
08:21Ultra professional.
08:22A level of reliability, dependability, leadership.
08:25For a side which has lacked a little bit of leadership, Brandon Stasevich is going to be absolute gold.
08:31All right, diggers, then give us a tip in this one.
08:34It's one of those 50-50 games in the tipping.
08:37I'm with Port.
08:38How about yourself?
08:40Yeah, I'm with Port as well.
08:42Just the fact that sides off a break and you get a chance to really dissect your opposition.
08:49I'm thinking Port, just perhaps in a little bit further advanced state than what West Coast are.
08:58So I'll lean towards Port.
08:59But again, like we said last week with Brisbane and Fremantle, it wouldn't be a shock if the WA side
09:04prevailed.
09:05Well, that's the Eagles rapper on outer wing.
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