SWFL 2022: Collie coach Kade East says South Bunbury guns have ‘set a high standard’ ahead of round three test

The Collie Eagles are looking forward to the huge test they will face against competition benchmark South Bunbury and their all-star midfield on Sunday, according to new coach Kade East. East said while Saturday afternoon’s 17-point loss to the Harvey Bulls was “disappointing”, he is eager to see how his rebuilding group stood up against the competition’s best. The Tigers are unbeaten through two games, demolishing Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault on home turf in week one, before grinding out a seven-goal win on the road against Busselton last week. “They have obviously set a pretty high standard during the first couple of weeks,” East said. “They have stars on every line, so we are going to have to be very good. “It is obviously going to be a really good test for our boys.” New recruits Jace Cormack and Jesse Crichton have been dominant through the first two weeks for the Tigers, with a mesmerising midfield display against the Lions answering any questions about the synergy of their new stoppage unit. But East wouldn’t be sucked in to any talk of sending a tagger or a minder to any of the Tigers’ guns. “It is a tough one because if you send someone to Jace, Crichton will get off the leash and the other way round — plus there are a heap of other guys that float through there,” he said. As well as Crichton and Cormack, fellow recruits Fraser Millar, Hayden Krikke and Kade Wallrodt have run through the middle, as have best and fairest winners Shaun Crane and Rocco Versace, while the only Tiger to attend more centre bounces than the gun new pair is club captain Kevin Chitty. Collie’s answer will be new recruit Shaquille Mackenzie — the former East Perth midfielder who played one game for the Eagles last season. East said the 27-year-old has added a touch of polish to a midfield stripped of some of its more experienced names. “He probably plays as a bigger body midfielder than he looks, but he is really classy with the footy and he doesn’t miss many targets,” he said. Former East Fremantle forward Cameron Davidson and Riley Brown will return after missing round two with COVID.