Fortescue Premier Grade Round Three Preview. The Battle of Broome Street.
Another chapter will be written in one of Fortescue Premier Grade's biggest rivalries on Saturday when Associates host Cottesloe in the first 2023 Battle of Broome Street.
Cottesloe have set the early season benchmark, racking up 99 points in the first two rounds, 46-14 over Nedlands and 53-10 against Kalamunda.
The Cottesloe outfit has a different look about it with new faces through the pack and across the backline.
"It's certainly a new look but we have the usual suspects in the core group," Westaway said.
"I particularly looked to bolster our front and second rows.
"We've had a few guys that have contacted us, tapped us on the shoulder and a few we have recruited."
Westaway is happy with the start but expects improvement as combinations spend more game time together.
"In the past we have had a dominant forward pack. We are a more rounded pack this year," he said.
"We are a more mobile side and we are wanting to speed the game up.
"Because it's a new group, combinations will start to build as the weeks go on.
"We spoke about being more patient in our attack, in our execution.
"Last year we created a lot of opportunities but we didn't convert them. We didn't capitalise on them.
"This year it's about building phases and every time we enter the opposition half we want to be ruthless.
The Battle of Broome Street is always the first date marked on the Cottesloe and Soaks calendars, but Westaway said: "It is a big game, the rivals down the road.
"From a club perspective it is a big game but as a team it's just another one that obviously we want to win."
Associates are coming off the bye following their round one, 29-20 loss to Wanneroo Districts, which gave coach Sape Misa time to iron out errors that plagued them.
"The Wanneroo game, we had territory and possession, but we turned the ball over 29 times and 14 of those were knock-ons," Misa said.
"I didn't want the bye early, knowing we've got a break at Easter, because it would be hard to get a roll on.
"But after the Wanneroo result it probably suits us.
"Those kind of errors are the sort of thing you expect in pre-season.
"We only had one trial before the season so the two first two games were always going to be almost like trials.
"Our prep for Wanneroo was about structure but we never used any of it.
"We have to get the boys to do their role and execute.
"That's why the bye is a positive. It gives us more time to work on those things."
Misa said his side was primed for the local scrap.
"Cott are looking good but the boys have got what it takes to give them a good game," he said.
"The boys are looking forward to it.
"Number wise we are in good shape. I've kept the majority of my squad from last season."
In other second round UWA beat Wanneroo 41-33, Joondalup grabbed a 26-24 away win at Southern Lions, Nedlands beat Wests-Scarborough 26-19 and Perth Bayswater and Palmyra shared the points in a 19-all draw.
The Battle of Broome Street will be live on Stan Sport and the Perth Bayswater - Southern Lions clash will be the feature match on the RugbyWA YouTube channel.
Wanneroo prop Andre "Beats" Roux makes his 150th Premier Grade appearance for the Roo Dogs against Palmyra at Kingsway and in other games Kalamunda host Nedlands, Joondalup Brothers face UWA and Wests Scarborough have the bye.
