Perth Glory's Welsh import Tom Lawrence has sent a warning to the rest of the A-League Men, declaring he is still climbing towards peak fitness and rhythm, with his burgeoning partnership with co-captain Adam Taggart poised to become even more lethal.
Building Momentum After Stop-Start Beginning
The former Rangers and Derby County attacker endured a disrupted start to his Glory career, arriving late for pre-season before a concussion cut short his debut. However, after contributing a goal and an assist in Perth's consecutive away victories over the past two weeks, Lawrence feels he is finally hitting his stride. The team now eyes a third straight win for the first time since early 2021 when they host Western Sydney Wanderers at HBF Park on Friday night.
"The last two games, my fitness is getting better and better. I wouldn't say I'm quite there fully at the minute," Lawrence admitted. "Having not had a pre-season, it's always tough to try and get in a rhythm, but I feel like the training, it's gone up a notch."
He expressed a desire to increase his minutes and called for a strong home crowd to inspire a improved performance after disappointing previous results at HBF Park.
Taggart Partnership Set to Flourish
The success of Glory's campaign is heavily reliant on the firepower of their international-calibre attacking duo. Taggart, a Socceroo, was instrumental in both goals in the 2-0 win over Macarthur, including the pass that sent Lawrence clear to set up Nicholas Pennington's opener.
Lawrence is confident their on-field understanding will only grow stronger. "In training we've been linking up really nicely. On the weekend, we both could have had a goal... it's just finding that partnership, that will come the more games that we have," he said. "The relationship will get stronger and stronger the more games you play."
Coach Sees Untapped Potential
Glory coach Adam Griffiths is delighted with Lawrence's impact but believes there is significantly more to come. "Probably the most enjoyable thing is knowing that he can improve, like most of the players," Griffiths stated. "Tom's a quality player, and he really sets the leadership and the tone within the group. I'm very happy to have him."
Griffiths also praised Taggart's professionalism in managing a persistent heel injury, which saw him start on the bench against Newcastle before completing a full 90 minutes against Macarthur. "Tags is such a good professional. He looks after himself really well," Griffiths said. "He's training regularly now, so that should reflect in terms of his performances to step up."
With both key attackers moving towards full fitness and sharpness, Perth Glory fans have genuine reason for optimism as their team prepares for a crucial Friday night fixture at home.
