AFL legends blast league over latest fixture anomaly as West Coast Eagles prepare for earliest ever start

West Coast’s historically early fixture against Port Adelaide on Sunday morning has been slammed as “ridiculous fixturing” by an AFL great, while another joked they should play in pyjamas. The Eagles’ clash with the Power at Adelaide Oval will start at 9.30am Perth time and is the earliest in league history according to an away team’s body clock. The West Australian revealed on Tuesday the drastic changes Eagles players will have to make to prepare for the match. St Kilda legend Leigh Montagna told Triple M’s Midweek Rub the timing of the match was outrageous. “It’s another ridiculous fixture, it’s 9.30am AWST for the Eagles to play, that’s earlier than my sons play!”, he said. Channel 7 commentator Daisy Thomas said he was unsure of what the Eagles could do to try to keep the players in a routine that will allow them to be ready to go. “Well done to the Eagles, good luck trying to set your clock for that,” he joked on Triple M. “I know the Dockers have the ‘Docker Dial’ to try and stay on WA time, but I’m not quite sure what the Eagles can do to try and set themselves to show up and present well.” Garry Lyon, who has been one of the biggest critics of the AFL fixtures this season, joked that the Eagles will unveil a new alternate pyjama strip for the clash. “A 9:30 start in the morning, fans are going to get up and see their team run out in their pyjamas, interesting times,” he told Fox Footy. In an exclusive interview with The West after their breakthrough victory over North Melbourne, Duggan said the fixture would be a “tough one” for the players. “You’ve got to adjust to the clock a little bit. Some of it is staying on Perth time, but we’re going to be really adamant that our boys aren’t sleeping in too long on Sunday morning and are getting a good feed in. We can’t be at risk of cramping,” Duggan told The West Australian. “There’ll be a bit of a bit more of a group preparation rather than the individual prep, and a couple of rules around it.”