Polak ace in pack for RoyalsRUSSELL REID,
The West Australian
November 25, 2010East Perth pulled off a pre-season recruiting coup yesterday when they signed former Fremantle and Richmond player Graham Polak.
Polak's decision is a huge boost for the Royals and the final piece in the club's recruiting jigsaw after they had signed other former AFL players Kayne Pettifer and Josh Smith earlier in the week.
East Perth beat Polak's original WAFL club East Fremantle and at least two others in the scramble for Polak, who bowed out of the AFL in August after 111 games.
The Royals can accommodate Polak, Smith and Pettifer in their salary cap and under the WAFL's player points system after the retirements of David Wirrpanda and Luke Webster, and departure of Andrew Lovett back to Melbourne and Jason Roe to the Northern Territory Football League.
East Perth football manager Mark Winnett said the trio would make a difference in 2011.
"We had these three players as our key recruiting targets this year and are rapt to secure them all," Winnett said.
"We are confident Polly, Josh and Kayne will play a lot of footy for us."
East Fremantle chief executive Adam Kelly said his club offered Polak a three-year deal and was disappointed not to secure the talented player but understood why the Royals had been successful.
"It was because of the career path that East Perth had put forward and we knew that was the major issue for Graham in coming back to WA," Kelly said.
"We also understand Graham's family connection as well, having had both his father and grand- father play at East Perth, as well as his uncle."
The trio have all signed two-year deals. Pettifer, 28, played 113 games and kicked 132 goals for Richmond between 2001 and 2009, claiming the club champion award in 2006. Smith, 24, played 11 games for North Melbourne from 2008 to 2010.
He was a member of VFL premiership teams with North Ballarat in 2008, 2009 and 2010, said that hat-trick of flags made missing out on a regular game with the Kangaroos easier to deal with.
"If you are not playing ones it makes it a bit easier when you go back and are winning premierships at VFL level," said Smith, originally from West Perth.
"Hopefully in the next couple of years I can add a WAFL premiership and that's what I'm hoping for.
"West Perth are a great club but footy has many different twists and turns and hopefully I can have a bit of success with the Royals."
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