Keeping his core group together, welcoming back some former East Perth Eagles players and coach Carl Filpo can't help but be excited ahead of the 2026 NBL1 West season as they look to capitalise on what has been building.

Most successful teams are made for sustained success and that's where Filpo has made it a focus to keep the majority of his core group together so they can build on what they've been trying to create season on season.

Now coming into the 2026 season and that has proven a tremendous success with Lee Roberts, Sharif Watson, Ioannis Dimakopoulos, Max Rice, Nick Filpo and Jonah Antonio all committing to return after being part of the team in 2025 – and in most cases going back further.

Then there is David Okwera, Jermaine Malie and Emmanuel Dech returning to the Eagles with Bing Huang among the new faces playing in both the NBL1 West and at East Perth for the first time.

The preparation and pre-season is now all done with the Eagles preparing to open their 2026 season this Saturday night on the road to the Willetton Tigers, and Filpo couldn’t be happier with how things have come together.

"I think there's been a lot of movement which has made it hard during the recruitment phase because there's a lot of competition from the other NBL1 conferences and within our own for players," Filpo said.

"The profile of the league has really stepped up a notch again so just getting everything all to settle has taken a bit longer than usual, but what we're actually seeing on the floor looks good now.

"We're happy with where we're at and we're definitely happy with our recruitment and we love where we're at with that. I love that we've got some returning East Perth juniors like Mitch Benger, that we have some up and comers like John Aryang, Roman Hube and Kai Kabugua, and it's great to welcome Emmanuel Dech back.

"And then to keep the core there like Nick, Ioannis, Lee and Sharif, and with Max and Jonah coming back, and then David back too as the higher profile guys, I think it speaks volumes for the club and the culture we've been able to build in the team.

"There's also Jermaine Malie coming back so there's all these returning East Perth guys coming back and I love that as a longstanding East Perth guy myself."

With Okwera and Malie among those East Perth players wanting to return to the club, and Watson, Roberts, Antonio, Filpo, Dimakopoulos and Rice all committing to remain part of the Eagles, Filpo sees it as a great sign that they are on the right path.

"I'm definitely proud but it's not just me, it's all the people around the club that are also proud and have a lot to do with that," Filpo said.

"There is a good feeling around and I sense it, and feel like they sense it as well because people don't generally stick around for something that they don't believe in so it's pretty cool."

There were signs at times last season once Antonio joined the Eagles of what a dynamic shooting and scoring duo who could be part of alongside Rice.

The best example of that was in the Round 10 win over the Warwick Senators where Antonio landed six three-pointers for 23 points in the first half, and then Rice took over from there to end the game with 32 points.

Now that the pair are more familiar with one another and will get to play together from the start of the 2026 season, Filpo can't wait to see what they will be able to produce.

"To have them for Round 1 and together is huge so that's really exciting and they have been talking with each other over the pre-season even though one was in the US and the other was on the east coast," Filpo said.

"They were connected the whole way and they were sort of talking about things and they'd bring feedback to me about some of their ideas and how they wanted to play. So that's really good and really exciting, and when you think about last year, it really was a bit of a whirlwind.

"Whereas this year it's going to be more measured and planned from the start, and we had games last year where one of them caught fire at different times.

"The Warwick game sticks out in particular because Jonah absolutely went off in the first half and then when they adjusted to him, Max took over in the second half so it's hard for any team to take care of both of them.

"Then you throw Dave into the mix and the veteran with Lee making good decisions and keeping it altogether, and then all our other pieces, it's pretty exciting."

Okwera wanting to return to East Perth after last playing with the Eagles in 2024 is another massive tick for Filpo especially with him coming off the best NBL season of his career with the Perth Wildcats.

Not only that, but Okwera is an NBL free agent so how he goes this off-season with the Eagles could be crucial in seeing what sort of contract offers come his way.

Filpo saw at as a great tick for East Perth that it's where he wanted to commit to.

"It's huge and even in the announcement we made of his signing, he talked about the East Perth family and how comfortable he feels here, and that was huge from a club perspective to hear," Filpo said.

"And for the team, from when he last played for us two years ago when he was great, he's gotten a lot better since then and I think he's matured both in his mind and body.

"He's a much more accomplished player with the way that he plays now so for him to want to come back and build on his career, and feel that this is the best place for him, we're rapt obviously."

Chris Pike

Continuity key as Eagles look to grow in 2026