INTERVIEW: Adrian Barich - 11 September 2026

0:00First of the knockout finals is tonight. It's free, Manel V. Jolong at Perth Stadium kicks off 7.40pm our time. Amanda bring us up to date with everything that's been happening in Perth over 200 games with Perth on the West Coast Eagles. Adrian Barrage welcome. I just want to say that I'm going to be able to get a guy straight to talk to you from I've just been to opt to stadium and the weather is magnificent. I think it's 25 degrees all-nomenon and it bounced down or throw up or whatever it's called now. It's 22 degrees so 60,000, probably 50,000 docker stands. I don't know about warpy time whether that's going to get used or not. They only use that when it's close. So I thought they should use it right at the start. You'd have run up and about. It ain't happening so they're feeling very, very nervous. So the free I think very, very nervous. I was going to ask about that weather fine track fast. That's good news. But what was all the talk during the week about free I last week in Perth? Yeah, I think they just tightened up. I don't know if it was on your show. Someone said they SHAT the bed, which I thought was a bit harsh.

1:05But they've seen what happened to your boys last year, the crows and they're thinking Jeepers. It's not like it doesn't happen. You go out in straight set. So they're so apprehensive. When you win 19 games, you go in straight sets. There'll be a royal commission in Perth. Don't worry about that. The fans are apprehensive. They'll turn up like they're going to awake or the gallows initially. But I think they just need to jump straight into it and just launch into the catch because they better maybe last time in round 15, in round 19, round 15 by nine points. They trail though. I wouldn't want to be trailing this time because mentally could get on top of them. You know what I mean? You don't want to come over the top later. You're rowing. So yeah, they're not in that sort of form. So when Bailey Smith didn't play last time and Tom Stewart didn't play so couple of handy ins. There's a stat which probably doesn't go well for free. But last 10 years, nine times, the top four side has gone out in straight sets.

2:11That's not good. And I think if you get flogged in that initial final, which they sort of did by the Hawks, no one's gone through it. They're the top team. So yeah, there's a lot going against them. I think that the broad inquiry wag now, which must be to do a job on Bailey Smith. So that's probably OK. Voss, I mean, he didn't really take it up to Sicily like he did in the past. So he'll probably have to go to Tom Stewart now and try to just neutralize him, just drive him absolutely mad. So he'll be right on him like almost as a defender. And then the pressure has been put right on all Australian center half forward. Just Tracy. He's got to be cyclone Tracy. Don't need to. Far out. Mark one chick late in the game. And you know, that wouldn't happen to text. So that wouldn't happen to Wayne Carey. So, you know, you can't want to go out again because you had a flat one in the last final last year, too. So, you know, just he's got to live the big corner.

3:11And even Andy Bracer said he wouldn't want to be standing in front of him tonight. So yeah, we'll see what happens there. And then mercy read. Just try to be too clever. I don't know if to be pendals tonight, mate, just these into it. Blue Jackson won the game last time because he. The unicorn. He went full unicorn last game round 15. So he left the goal. Unicorn again, but blicks are looks like he might run with him away from this away from the stoppage. So that, you know, they got me. It was really killed last time, but then I reckon blicks are. Pixie Martin. He's actually got a bigger tank than him. So. Going to be fascinating. That's for sure. Fascinating game. Yeah, it's hard to pick a winner because July, it's just so hard and in finals. I've got more confident that they'll bring their best, but I just can't help but think of free amount of bring their best. It's simply better and when finals come, that's what it comes down if they get enough ball forward. And this, this last week, one goal, Tracy got one goal and for Scott, I've never seen a player that looks like Tarzan in place like Jane.

4:15So. I made it back here. I just wanted to know that I did not agree with it. I want to throw him up. Free ban was much better. I know. I know. I know. I know. I know. So you want to do. We. Now, Brian will be ringing up in a minute. Brian. Yeah. Don't let Mal loose. You are right, though, but it bossy. He's an enigma because really he hasn't played final. So. No, hopefully he doesn't tighten up, but it feels like they've learned their lesson. Hating young's another one tight. He did. You know, he looked like he was running through my lashes. So maybe comes up half back. So. I mean, are your blogs learned from their going out and straight set now, make nidus at last weekend make nidus at that check stuff. And that really an interview with Tom Morris after the guy and. I sent the ocean. We're hoping that the docus boys can get it done. And I feel like they were I think we got a back him in that we're so wrong.

5:15I think we're going to have to get the lift as well. Rachel was fantastic. They've got. They've got plenty of talent. Yeah. I just. I just, you know, I didn't want to get behind early and you won't want Jackson to go down or something like that. So. But if you're right, you're right. It's it's an even money game, Rowie. He's a money gamer. He's the barometer. I can't help but think Cox somehow. I really mean plate for calling with those years ago. And he's a bit of an agitator. And he's a bit of a he might have got inspired by the 49ers thumping the the rounds over there in the NFL and get his big cheesy square Jordan. Grin out there and who is the barometer of free man. Yeah, well, it's a good point because they haven't got. You know, like the South Australians have had Andrew jam and you know, it's a real personality text and the rest of it. The rest of us do because of that way too much personality as you know. So now they haven't really got that free man. They're sort of even and and that's why Mason Cox is a good addition because he brought that swagger.

6:17And as long as you know, it's a fine day. So you think now he should be able to deliver and get in their faces and really stir him up because the crow. And that's got off the plane and they don't travel in uniform. So they look like they come off a bay watch set or something. It's like he was going to the birdie. You have a shoot in the Hollywood studio or something. So I think it was almost like a message to the docker. You know, no pressure here. We got 12 premiership players still danger. Did you see him last week? Surely tell me boy, surely he can't fire again. Like last week. Can he two weeks in a row? He is an incredible. But it's a good point, Barra, because he you think about his pre-limit last year. He probably played one of his best finals games ever the following week. He looked as fast as attack and I reckon at that age, you might be in luck. It might be his off week. He's 36. So surely something happens there. But you know what happened in the last time they were here. Chris Scott was actually very strange.

7:18It was like he wasn't concerned about how the game was going. Even though they lost, he wasn't so sure. He looked reminded me of remember when Tom O was coaching the bombers and he ate the sandwich. Oh, I remember that. Yeah, we're like, yeah. It looked like he couldn't give it kind of mental. I will, but he must have been planning something. He must have been thinking. Doesn't matter if we get him here or not. We'll get we'll nip him later on. And I'm just worried about because Justin likes to keep the faith and Justin along here. And once you stay with their style of play and once they impose it on them and we'll come late. We just need one more goal and then what the, you know, the damn or break and all this sort of stuff. And you know, he's not the guy that, you know, does the Kevin Shetty puts the forwards in the back line, the back line in the forward line and all that sort of stuff. He won't do that. So if he's not going to do that, I think that's his weak spot that he, he just backs him in and if he can just hold on long enough. So yeah, I'm getting a bit of friends to myself with the doctor's fans. I'm an English man.

8:21The doctor's people just side himself because they thought this had all gone. They thought these days gone where we just can't get up or we've even had a term for it's called dockery being dockery. We thought that was gone. He can rig dig a rig dockery. I like it. The type of dropback. Yeah. The cats themselves is really pointed out very, very final's experienced. But this season they've been the number one for inside 50 differential and number one for time in forward half. They like to get it down there. They like to lock it in and they also like to intercept it when they're down there. So the back six and the mids have to be right on their their medal when it comes to try to swap that play. Well, that's why you know, maybe they can't afford that Alex Pierce just doing the third man in thing. Maybe you need to shut down one of the big forwards and I see that when you say that that really worries me. That's their Achilles heel and then you got Jordan Clark's been amazing.

9:21Yeah. But you know, the rest of look Ryan. Well, you know, I don't think he could do the job and then he had to go and to watch and at once they've last like she did not work at all. Nathan Chapman looked really, you know, Fiji, so they respond. I mean, how does it work after you've played one bad game? The next time you play better than you sort of were climatized maybe? So, but you're right, you've known it there. That's that forward press and where they, and that's what they do. They own the corridor. They've worked out. Fourth ones worked out. You own the corridor. You push them wide. They can't get it done. So they'll be trying to do that again and, you know, even Hayden Young may not be able to hit the kicks that you have to do to get through the middle. So, yes, it's just it's going to be absolutely classic, absolutely classic. Well, I reckon the winner of this will beat Sydney and a dead rubber next week and they'll be in your grand form. So that's how big a prize of his bearer. Oh, no. Sydney can't do that again. There's no way.

10:22They're my chance. Yeah, good. They have never seen where they are. They're four big players out. No, an arrow. Cox is just amazing. I mean, got to hand it to Dean Cox. You've seen everything. You know, it's been a waste of the absolute Hayday. But yeah, you're right. I don't think they can they can bounce again. So it's right there for them and you're on the other side from the Brisbane line, which is where you want to be. Well done, Barra. Thanks for your time, mate. Any time for you, Blake's buddy. Retreating. Good on you. All the best. Adrian Barrett, our guest, of course, Channel 7. And over there on Mix 94.5 in Perth and just a good follower and I'll tell you what, it will be a cracking game tonight. I'm really looking forward to it. Yeah, we'll see you. Got the result.