10 Lions named in WA State Team Squad

Subiaco’s impressive start to 2018 has seen 10 Lions rewarded with selection into the West Australian State Team 33 man squad that will take on a South Australian team on May 12^th at Adelaide Oval.

Sitting on top of the ladder as the only remaining unbeaten team in the WAFL, hopes were high that Subiaco would be well represented in the squad.

Those hopes were recognised this morning with Subiaco’s 10 players making up close to a third of the squad.

Four of those 10 will be hoping to make the final team of 23 and compete in their first state game with Angus Litherland, Ben Sokol, Brad Stevenson and Rhys Waters the possible first time state players.

After captaining West Australia last year Kyal Horsley has again been selected in the squad with fellow Subiaco Life Member Chris Phelan in line to play just his second state game and first outside of WA.

Lachlan Delahunty, Leigh Kitchin and Jordan Lockyer were part of last year’s historic WA side that defeated Victoria in Melbourne and will be hoping to again represent WA when the team travels to Adelaide in two weeks.

Aaron Heal last played for West Australia back in 2016 and is back in the WA squad for 2018 after missing out in 2017.

For the four possible debutants, each has had impressive starts to the 2018 season.

Litherland in his second year with Subiaco has grown into a versatile defender, able to take on opponents both tall and small, with his defensive job on Claremont forward Beau Wilkes getting high praise and an instrumental part of his selection to the squad.

Meanwhile Stevenson, Waters and Sokol sit one, two, three respectively for goals in the WAFL in 2018 so far, playing key roles in a revitalised Subiaco forward line in 2018.

Despite much being spoken about the loss of Liam Baker and Liam Ryan in last year’s AFL draft, Stevenson leads the WAFL goal kicking with a remarkably accurate 17.2 on the season.

Waters after a year off, has come back a refreshed forward kicking two bags of five goals in the first four games of the season.

Sokol meanwhile has continued to improve his aerial game becoming one of the best one on one forwards in the WAFL competition.

Despite their veteran status, Horsley and Phelan have led the Subiaco midfield again in 2018 each averaging 29 possessions on the season and providing invaluable leadership on field for a transitioning Subiaco squad.

Lockyer and Heal have formed one of the best defensive duos in WAFL football with both their ability to win one on one contests as well as assist in help defence reason again for their selection in the squad.

After a one-two finish in Subiaco’s best and fairest last year, both Kitchin and Delahunty have shown great team loyalty working there way into new roles alongside key recruits Ben Newton, Josh Deluca and Zac Clarke.

Delahunty and Kitchin have maintained their consistent effort and their reward with selection in the squad highlights their ability to play with versatility and a key team role for WA.

Subiaco will also be represented in the coaches box in the State Game, with Colts Coach Beau Wardman set to represent Subiaco as an assistant to WA coach Michael Broadbridge.

Wardman's Subiaco Colts sit top of the ladder having won all four of their matches to commence 2018, and this accolade is a fitting reward to Wardman who continues to impress as one of the brightest young coaches in the WAFL system.

The WA versus SA clash will be held on Saturday May 12 at Adelaide Oval in the lead-up fixture to the Showdown between Adelaide and Port Adelaide.

Subiaco congratulates the 10 players who have been selected in the squad and hope that this 10 will be represented in WA’s final team come May 12.