The stage set for Jaeger O’Meara to play his first AFL Premiership match in Perth, with Gold Coast SUNS coach Guy McKenna expecting the emerging superstar will kick  into another gear as he runs out in front of friends and family to take on the pre-season premiership favourites this afternoon. 

“Certainly a lot of our West Australia boys love to go back home and turn it on in front of their home crowd, whether it’s against West Coast or Fremantle – there just seems to be a spoke in performance,” McKenna  told goldcoastfc.com.au.

“I’m sure they will want to show their home state how good they are and we’re hoping they do that, so fingers crossed David Swallow, Jaeger O’Meara, Harley Bennell and Campbell Brown get up for the clash in the West.”

While McKenna’s coaching counterpart John Worsfold will regain the services of Brad Sheppard, Andrew Embley and All-Australian captain Darren Glass, his former team mate heads into Saturday’s Round 19 fixture missing a number of star players  and with a disappointing record at Patersons Stadium in 2013. Bluey is well aware the significantly undermanned Eagles are ripe for the picking. 

“We’ve had some injury concerns but probably none compared to West Coast,” McKenna said.

“Their talent pool run is running a bit thin with the personnel their able to put out versus their best team.”

“They’re a bit undermanned and we’re hoping that’s an area where we can get them.”