Since 2010, over 1000 prospects have been drafted to an AFL Club, with over 150 players coming from Western Australia.

It makes for a successful decade for the West Australian Talent Pathways programs, especially given the number of players who have really flourished at the highest level.

Below are the five best players from WA to be drafted this decade (in alphabetical order).
 

PATRICK CRIPPS

Draft: 2013 (#13 – National Draft)

AFL Club: Carlton

WAFL Club: East Fremantle

Junior Club: Northampton

The Northampton Junior was the second West Australian and 13th overall pick in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft. Since his arrival at the Blues, Cripps has gone on to become a top-three midfielder in the AFL with his explosiveness, clearance work and contested style of play wowing many AFL fans. He has won three Best & Fairests (2015, 2018, 2019), two All-Australian selections (2018, 2019), the 2019 Leigh Matthews Trophy, three top ten-placings in the Brownlow (2016: 18 votes (8th), 2018: 20 votes (4th), 2019: 26 votes (3rd)) and finished second in the 2015 Rising Star Award. In 101 AFL games, Cripps has kicked 47 goals and is currently averaging 26 possessions (16 contested), 8 clearances, 6 tackles, 4 marks and 3 inside 50s.
 

JASON JOHANNISEN

Draft: 2010 (#39 – Rookie Draft)

AFL Club: Western Bulldogs

WAFL Club: East Fremantle

Junior Club: Willetton JFC

Since being picked in the 2010 Rookie Draft, the South African has gone on to become a top-ten small-medium defender in the AFL. Johannisen is best known for his starring role in the 2016 AFL Grand Final (33 possessions, 9 inside 50s, 7 rebounding 50s & 7 marks) where he won the Norm Smith Medal as he helped guide the Bulldogs to their first VFL/AFL Premiership since 1954. He was also a member of the Bulldogs’ VFL premiership in 2014, won the 2015 Tony Liberatore Most Improved Award and has five top-ten Best & Fairest placings (2015: 6th, 2016: 10th, 2017: 2nd, 2018: 6th, 2019: 4th). In 126 AFL games, Johannisen has booted 41 goals and is currently averaging 20 possessions, 4 marks, 3 inside 50s, 3 rebounding 50s and 2 tackles.
 

JEREMY McGOVERN

Draft: 2010 (#44 – Rookie Draft)

AFL Club: West Coast Eagles

WAFL Club: Claremont

Junior Club: North Albany

Originally recruited as a forward-ruck, McGovern has gone on to arguably be the best key defender in the AFL, due to the way he reads the play, often intercepting the opposition’s attacking entry, and his ability to take contested overhead marks. What’s even more remarkable about McGovern’s rise is that it took him four years to make his debut (Round 6 of the 2014 AFL season at age 22) and that in 2013 he was banished from the club for turning up to pre-season significantly overweight. Since his debut, McGovern has played 126 AFL games, won All-Australian selection on four occasions (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), won the 2014 WCE Rookie of the Year and has four top 10-placings in West Coast’s Best and Fairest (2016: 6th, 2017: 2nd, 2018: 6th, 2019: 6th). He has booted 36 goals and averages 15 possessions (7 contested), 7 marks and 3 rebounding 50s.
 

TIM KELLY

Draft: 2017 (#24 – National Draft)

AFL Clubs: Geelong Cats (2018 – 2019), West Coast Eagles (2020 -)

WAFL Club: South Fremantle

Junior Club: Palmyra JFC

After a stunning WAFL campaign for South Fremantle in 2017, including a runner-up placing in the Sandover Medal, Kelly was drafted to the Geelong Cats with pick #24 in the 2017 NAB AFL Draft. In his two years of AFL football, Kelly has rapidly become one of the absolute premier midfielders of the competition. In 48 games for Geelong, he has kicked 48 goals and averaged 24 possessions (11 contested), 5 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 4 tackles and 3 marks. He finished second in Geelong’s Best and Fairest in both 2018 and 2019, fourth in the 2019 Brownlow Medal, 10th in the 2018 Brownlow Medal, won All-Australian selection on the wing in 2019, won the 2019 AFLCA Best Young Player Award and the 2018 AFLPA Best First Year Player.

TOM MITCHELL

Draft: 2011 (#21 – Father/Son Selection – National Draft)

AFL Clubs: Sydney (2012 - 2016), Hawthorn (2017 - )

WAFL Club: Claremont

Junior Clubs: Hale School (WA), Carey Grammar (Victoria), Ashburton JFC (Victoria)

Despite not playing a game in 2019 due to a broken leg, Mitchell is still considered to be one of the best midfielders in the AFL. He won the 2018 Brownlow Medal, finished second in the 2017 Brownlow Medal, won the 2018 Leigh Matthews Trophy, two Hawthorn Best & Fairests (2017, 2018), two All-Australian selections (2017, 2018), the 2018 Lou Richards Medal and the Andrew Ireland Medal. He also had two top-ten placings in Sydney’s Best and Fairest (2015: 9th, 2016: 8th). In 111 games (Sydney: 65, Hawthorn: 46), Mitchell has booted 61 goals and is currently averaging 29 possessions (13 contested), 6 tackles, 5 clearances, 4 marks, and 4 inside 50s. Originally from Melbourne, Mitchell made the move to Western Australia in 2009 as a 15-year-old after his father, Barry, became an Assistant Coach with Fremantle.

THE BEST OF THE REST – DRAFT ORDER

WAFL umpire Dan Johanson from the West Perth Junior Umpiring District has been elevated to the AFL Field Umpiring list for 2020.

Johnason, who replaces retiring AFL Umpire Shane McInerney, will joins Brett Rosebury, Dean Margetts, Jeff Dalgleish, Nathan Williamson and Justin Power as the sixth former WAFL umpire on the AFL list of 34.

Johanson has umpired 70 senior WAFL games, including the 2019 WAFL Grand Final, since commencing with the WAFL in 2014.

He was an AFL Rookie for the 2019 AFL Season and has also been part of the AFLW Umpiring team since 2018.

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The AFL has today announced the fixture for the 2020 Marsh Community Series.

The 2020 Marsh Community Series hosts matches around the country across 19 days.
 
The opening match will see footy return to Moorabbin as RSEA Park plays host to St Kilda vs Hawthorn on Thursday 20 February at 7:10pm EDT.

AFL Fixtures
 
Matches played at new venues also include Whyalla and Lathlain, and return to regional venues in Wagga Wagga, Wangaratta, Colac and Morwell.
 
Each club will play two matches in the Marsh Community Series with all teams playing in the final week to ensure equal preparation leading into Round 1 and all clubs have a minimum of a seven day break.

All matches will be broadcast live on Fox Footy and through the official AFL App thanks to Telstra.

AFL General Manager of Broadcasting Travis Auld made the announcement at Ikon Park in Carlton, which will host the Blues vs Lions match on Sunday 8 March.
 
“Our two objectives for the pre-season fixture is to give clubs the right opportunity to prepare ahead of the season and to take the matches to the regional and suburban grounds.” Mr Auld said
 
“The regional matches give fans the opportunity to see the elite players up close.”
 
“The Marsh Community Series celebrates the entire AFL community: the local clubs, businesses and people who support and love our game. The series is about bringing people together through the power of footy.”
 
The fixture release coincides with the announcement of Marsh, the world’s leading insurance broker and risk adviser, as the ‘Official Risk Partner’ of the AFL.

Marsh recently acquired long-term AFL partner JLT and will see the relationship with AFL, which commenced in 2004, continue long into the future with Marsh extending the relationship as naming rights partner of the Community Series into its fourth year. 
 
Marsh Head of Risk Management, Damian Schinck, was on hand for today’s announcement: 
 
“Our strength as the Official Risk Partner for the AFL continues, ensuring a safe, enjoyable platform for hundreds of thousands of spectators, officials and players around the country. We’re really proud to continue our long-term partnership with the AFL, to benefit the wonderful community around AFL.”
 
“Hosting a Marsh match leaves legacy facilities in place for local clubs and councils. This investment goes beyond the game itself, with any infrastructure providing a home for a community’s biggest moments, on and off the field.” Mr Schinck said.
 
“As the Official Risk Partner of the AFL, Marsh use data and tools to constantly anticipate and mitigate evolving risk in the AFL. Marsh and AFL work in partnership to drive the National Risk Protection Program - keeping our stars in the game and creating a pathway to a safer game for all.” Mr Schinck said. 
 
The NAB AFL Women’s fixtures will be released tomorrow Tuesday 29 October, while the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership season fixtures will be released Thursday 31 October.

The 2020 NAB AFL Women’s Competition will kick off on Friday, February 7 in a blockbuster match between Richmond and Carlton at Ikon Park.
 
The eight-week home and away season will be followed by a three-week finals series, with the NAB AFLW Grand Final scheduled to be played on Saturday April 18.

FULL FIXTURE HERE 
 
Four new AFLW teams will debut in 2020; Gold Coast Suns, St Kilda, Richmond and the West Coast Eagles, while matches will be played at 28 different venues throughout the country.

•    First West Australian AFLW Derby between Fremantle and West Coast to be played at Optus Stadium in Round Two on Saturday, February 15

2020 Conferences were also confirmed today:
 
Conference A                                 Conference B
Adelaide Crows                               Carlton
Geelong Cats                                  Fremantle
North Melbourne                             Melbourne
GWS Giants                                    Western Bulldogs
Brisbane Lions                                Collingwood
Gold Coast Suns                             West Coast Eagles
Richmond                                        St Kilda

Teams were placed in conferences using 2019 final finishing positions.  A snaking allocation has been applied – this method creates the most even balance of wins from the previous season across conferences.
 
Teams play all other teams in their own conference and two teams from the opposite conference.
 
Crossover matches are determined by playing one top four and one bottom four team from the opposite conference, with the fourth-ranked team are considered to be a top four and bottom four team.
 
The top three teams in each conference will play in a three-week finals series with the addition of two Semi Finals.
 
The top team in each conference will have a bye in the first week of finals.
 
Semi Finals – April 4 or 5
Preliminary Final – April 11 or 12
 
The highest ranked teams will host finals matches based on finishing order in the home and away season, with the NAB AFLW Grand Final scheduled to be Saturday April 18.
 
AFL Head of Women’s Football Nicole Livingstone said the fixture includes many new highlights as we welcome four new teams to the competition.
 
“Season 2020 will be one of firsts with four new teams, 120 new players and 13 new venues,” she said.
 
“There is so much to look forward to with rivalries been continued and established as we play AFLW matches throughout the country.
 
“I would like to acknowledge NAB for being our naming rights partner and for providing outstanding support for all levels of women’s football.”
 
In 2020 there will be some ticketed AFLW games, including the match at Perth’s Optus Stadium. Like the ticketed match at Optus Stadium in 2018, the tickets will be sold for operational purposes at a nominal cost.

All 2020 NAB AFLW Competition matches will again be broadcast live on the Seven Network and on Fox Sports. Matches will be streamed live via womens.afl and the AFLW Official App.
 
NAB has supported the footy community since 2002, providing boys and girls with a clear pathway from NAB AFL Auskick through to the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program all the way to the big time. In the fourth year as principal partner of the AFLW, NAB is proud to once again be supporting the competition in 2020, providing many women the opportunity of playing at the elite level and many girls across the country with something to aspire to.

The 9th annual Maali Carnival will take place next Saturday. 

The carnival will be held at
VENUE: Mineral Resources Park
DATE: SATURDAY 2nd November, 2019.
GATES OPEN: 8:30am
ENTRY FEE: $5:00 Under 15 years Free

Players who would like to be selected to participate in the carnival, Training and Registration and also to meet the coaches at a venue below:

NORTHSIDE TRAINING DATES & VENUE
Nollamara Football Club
Lemana Rd, Nollamara
DATES: Wednesday 16th Oct, Wednesday 23rd, Wednesday 30th

SOUTHSIDE TRAINING DATES & VENUE
Kenwick Football Club
"Mills Park"
1 Brixton Street, Beckenham

All Maali Colts training will be held at Nollamara football club.

For more information:
0467 580 215 or email address john.maalifooty@gmail.com

THE West Australian Football Commission congratulates the 11 WA players selected in the 2019 NAB AFLW Draft in Melbourne today, which included seven from WA’s AFLW 18s Academy.

This was in addition to the seven players pre-signed by West Coast and the rookie-listing of Lindal Rohde from Fremantle’s AFLW Academy.

WAFC CEO Gavin Taylor congratulated all of the players selected and said he was looking forward to seeing the continued growth of female football in Western Australia, with both AFL clubs now having an AFLW team supported by a strong State League competition.

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The final order has been set ahead of the NAB AFLW Draft on October 22.

A series of selection periods have taken place since the initial draft order was released before the AFLW sign and trade period.

They include an expansion team signing block, a pre-draft bidding process for academy players from expansion club academies, and the father-daughter nomination period.

Teams were also able to inform the AFL of any players who would be sitting out the upcoming 2020 season on the inactive list, whether that be through injury, work commitments or personal reasons.

Up to 102 draft selections will be made on Tuesday.

Round 1
1            Western Bulldogs
2            Carlton
3            Brisbane Lions
4            GWS Giants
5            St Kilda
6            Western Bulldogs
7            Richmond
8            Western Bulldogs
9            Western Bulldogs
10          North Melbourne
11          Geelong Cats
12          Fremantle
13          Carlton
14          Adelaide Crows
15          Brisbane Lions
16          Brisbane Lions
17          Brisbane Lions
18          Gold Coast Suns

Round 2              
19          West Coast
20          Brisbane Lions
21          Fremantle
22          Gold Coast Suns
23          GWS Giants
24          St Kilda
25          Richmond
26          Carlton
27          St Kilda
28          Brisbane Lions
29          GWS Giants       
30          St Kilda
31          Richmond
32          North Melbourne
33          St Kilda
34          Geelong Cats
35          Fremantle
36          Carlton
37          Adelaide Crows
38          Gold Coast Suns
39          West Coast
40          Richmond
41          St Kilda

Round 3              
42          Gold Coast Suns
43          Richmond
44          Carlton
45          Brisbane Lions
46          Adelaide Crows
47          Western Bulldogs           
48          Western Bulldogs
49          North Melbourne
50          Geelong Cats
51          Fremantle
52          Carlton
53          Adelaide Crows
54          Melbourne
55          Richmond
56          West Coast
57          Gold Coast Suns

Round 4              
58          Richmond
59          Carlton
60          Brisbane Lions
61          GWS Giants
62          Western Bulldogs
63          St Kilda
64          North Melbourne
65          Geelong Cats
66          Fremantle
67          Collingwood
68          Adelaide Crows
69          Gold Coast Suns
70          West Coast
71          Richmond
72          Melbourne

Round 5              
73          Richmond
74          Collingwood
75          Brisbane Lions
76          GWS Giants
77          Melbourne
78          Melbourne
79          North Melbourne
80          Geelong Cats
81          Fremantle
82          Collingwood
83          Adelaide Crows
84          Richmond
85          Fremantle
86          Gold Coast Suns

Round 6              
87          Richmond
88          Western Bulldogs
89          Collingwood
90          GWS Giants
91          Gold Coast Suns
92          West Coast
93          Richmond
94          Collingwood
95          GWS Giants
96          Richmond
97          GWS Giants
98          Geelong Cats
99          GWS Giants

Round 7              
100        Adelaide Crows
101        West Coast
102        Adelaide Crows

West Coast: 19,39, 56, 70, 92, 101
Fremantle: 12, 21, 35, 51, 66, 81, 85 

The AFL has announced the 28 Western Australian players selected in the 2019-2020 NAB AFL Academy squads ahead of the National Championships next year. 

The expanded NAB AFL Academy Program is in its second year of existence with high performance camps conducted across five talent regions; Vic Country, Vic Metro, South Australia, Western Australia and Allies (New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, Queensland and the Northern Territory). 

The Academies will convene for the first time across the coming weeks, with Western Australia holding their first camp from December 9 to 13. 

WAFC State Under 18s Coach Peter Sumich will continue his role as the WA Academy squad coach, leading the young draft hopefuls for a fourth-consecutive year. 

AFL National Talent Pathways Manager Marcus Ashcroft said it is an exciting time for the country’s best young talent.

“The new approach to the national NAB AFL Academy, introduced for the first time in 2018, will again ensure more of our most talented players have access to AFL facilities, while receiving the best quality coaching, high performance and well-being services in the country,” he said.
 
“Importantly these players will spend more time in their home states, with year-round first-class support that will enhance their opportunity to perform at an elite level.
 
“I congratulate all players who have been named in their NAB AFL Academy Squads today and I look forward to watching their development over the next few years.”

WA Talent Manager Adam Jones was extremely pleased with the squad collated. 

“There is plenty of talent amongst this Academy and we look forward to working with all the players over the next year,” Jones said.

“Hopefully we can build on the success of last year’s campaign with our Under 18s cohort.” 
 
The best Under-17 and Under-18 players from the state academies will also have the opportunity to attend national camps. These activities include:
•    NAB AFL Under-17 Futures players to spend a week at an AFL club (December 2019)
•    The best 24 Under-18 players to represent Australia against VFL opposition (April 2020)
•    The best 24 Under-17 players to represent Australia against New Zealand (April 2020)
•    NAB AFL Under-17 Futures Game (2020 Toyota AFL Grand Final Day)
 
This year marks the 23rd NAB AFL Academy intake. Since its inception in 1997, 515 NAB AFL Academy players (81 per cent of all NAB AFL Academy players) have been drafted to AFL clubs. Other highlights include:
  
•    49 Virgin Australia AFL All-Australians including Shannon Hurn (West Coast Eagles), Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs), Jeremy Cameron (GWS GIANTS), Michael Walters (Fremantle), Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong Cats), Tom Hawkins (Geelong Cats), Jack Darling (West Coast Eagles), and Brodie Grundy (Collingwood) from this year's team.
•    Nine NAB AFL Rising Star winners in Brett Deledio (2005, Richmond), Joel Selwood (2007, Geelong Cats), Daniel Rich (2009, Brisbane Lions), Jaeger O’Meara (2013, Gold Coast SUNS), Lewis Taylor (2014, Brisbane Lions), Jesse Hogan (2015, Melbourne), Callum Mills (2016, Sydney Swans), Jaidyn Stephenson (2018, Collingwood) and Sam Walsh (2019, Carlton).
•    Five Brownlow Medalists in Chris Judd (2004, West Coast Eagles and 2010, Carlton), Trent Cotchin (2012, Richmond), Patrick Dangerfield (2016, Geelong Cats), Tom Mitchell (2018, Hawthorn) and Adam Cooney (2008, Western Bulldogs).
•    19 of the last 21 players drafted at number 1 in the NAB AFL Draft.

WA Players – 2019-20 NAB AFL Academy 

Kalin Lane – Claremont
Joel Western – Claremont
Jacob Van Rooyen – Claremont
Brandon Walker – East Fremantle
Owan Dann – East Fremantle
Jack Carroll – East Fremantle
Finn Gorringe – East Fremantle
Judd McVee – East Fremantle
Richard Bartlett – East Fremantle
Jack Hindle – East Perth
Kade Dittmar – East Perth
Tyler Nisbett – Peel Thunder
Isiah Winder – Peel Thunder 
Luke Polson – Peel Thunder 
Logan McDonald – Perth
Nathan O’Driscoll – Perth
Blake Morris – Subiaco
Matthew Johnson – Subiaco
Shannon Neale – South Fremantle
Ira Jetta – South Fremantle
Mitchell Brown – South Fremantle
Denver Grainger-Barras – Swan Districts
Ty Sears – Swan Districts
Zane Trew – Swan Districts
Max Chipper – Swan Districts
Rhett Bazzo – Swan Districts
Heath Chapman – West Perth
Kellen Johnson – West Perth

The West Australian Football Commission has finalised its annual review of Rules and Regulations for the West Australian Football League following the conclusion of the 2019 Optus WAFL Premiership Season.
 
The annual review is an important part of the WAFC's focus to deliver a high standard, competitive and sustainable WAFL competition, where all clubs have an opportunity to play finals and win premierships.

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The AFL State Combine for Western Australia was held at UWA yesterday, showcasing some of the best talent from around the state in front of majority of the AFL Clubs. 

Players needed to be nominated to test at the combine, with players such as Tim Kelly, Matt Parker, Liam Ryan and Liam Baker all forging careers in the AFL from the same event. 

Peel’s Tyrone Thorne claimed the standout result of the day, breaking the Agility Test record previously held by Fremantle Docker Stephen Hill with a time of 7.76 seconds. Teammate Ryan Bennell also eclipsed the record but fell 0.01 seconds behind his Peel comrade. 

Perth’s Regan Clarke showed his fitness capability to equal the best result in the Yo Yo Test for 2019, 21.8. The youngster was level alongside six other athletes from the National Combine and testing in South Australia. 

Claremont’s Cameron Anderson was quickest in the 20-metre sprint, finishing with 2.88 seconds. Bennell capped off an outstanding day with a time of 2.97 seconds. 

West Perth’s Noah Pegoraro dominated the jumping aspect of the testing to take out the Vertical and Running Vertical Jump. 

Standout results:

Vertical Jump
Noah Pegoraro: 76cm
Jeremy Goddard: 74cm
Jack Cooley: 73cm

Running Vertical Jump
Noah Pegoraro: 92cm
Isaiah Butters: 87cm
Jack Cooley: 87cm 

20m Sprint
Cameron Anderson: 2.88 sec
Ryan Bennell: 2.97 sec
Zak Patterson: 2.97

Agility Test 
Tyrone Thorne: 7.761 sec
Ryan Bennell: 7.762 sec
Nick Martin: 8.00 sec

Yo Yo Test
Regan Clarke: 21.8
Jarvis Pina: 21.4
Nick Martin: 21.1 
 

The 2019 season has proven to be a good one for Western Australian draft prospects with 19 players nominated for the Simply Energy AFL State Combine.

Claremont have the most players with six, while both East Perth and Peel Thunder have three representatives each.
 
“This is another exciting opportunity for players from right across Australia to showcase their AFL potential ahead of the 2019 NAB AFL Draft,” AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan said.
  
“A number of players who have attended NAB AFL State Combines in past years are currently on AFL lists, including Liam Ryan (West Coast Eagles), Matthew Parker (St Kilda), Bayley Fritsch (Melbourne) and Jack Ross (Richmond),” Sheehan said.

Western Australia will run each of the individual tests for the nominated players on Sunday, October 13, at the UWA Recreation Centre. 

For a player to receive a State Combine invitation, they must have been nominated by at least two AFL Clubs.

Below are the Western Australian prospects at the 2019 AFL State Combine.

CAMERON ANDERSON - CLAREMONT
The Wembley Downs Junior is a lively rebounding defender who can also play as a wingman. Anderson loves to take the game on, using his speed and skills to carve his way through the opposition’s defensive zones. In 8 games for Claremont’s Colts team, Anderson averaged 13 possessions, 3 tackles, and 3 marks with his best performance coming against East Perth (22 possessions and 5 inside 50s). He was also solid for Western Australia, averaging 10 possessions (four contested), 3 marks, 3 tackles, 2 clearances and 2 inside 50s across 3 games. His notable performances came against South Australia (10 possessions – 6 contested – 5 tackles and 2 clearances) and the Allies (14 possessions, 5 marks and 2 inside 50s).

ISAIAH BUTTERS - CLAREMONT
The Fremantle Next-Generation Academy member relocated to Perth from Halls Creek and has shown enough promise to receive an invitation to the state combine. He was one of the most influential players for Claremont in the Grand Final with 4 goals from 7 possessions to help the Tigers win the Premiership. Throughout the 2019 season, Butters showed he has the raw potential to be a viable small forward prospect for this year’s AFL Draft. In five games for the Tigers, Butters kicked 5 goals and averaged 10 possessions, 4 tackles, 3 marks, 2 inside 50s. Other notable performances came against Swan Districts in round 10 (10 possessions, 5 tackles and 2 goals) and Subiaco in round 14 (18 possessions, 6 marks, 3 tackles and 2 goals). He is a member of Fremantle’s Next-Generation Academy.

JACK COOLEY – CLAREMONT
The Claremont Junior made a name for himself with a stunning Grand Final performance that saw him win the Mel Whinnen Medal as the best player on the ground. In the Grand Final, Cooley collected 33 possessions (18 contested), won 14 clearances, laid 7 tackles, recorded 7 inside 50s and took 5 marks. Cooley is a big-bodied midfielder who is tough, competitive, defensively sound, balanced and reads the play well. In 20 games for the Tigers, Cooley averaged 22 possessions, 3 inside 50s, 3 marks and 3 tackles. His notable performances during the season came against Subiaco in round 14 (33 possessions, 5 inside 50s, 5 tackles and 5 marks), Perth in round 16 (31 possessions, 8 tackles and a goal) and South Fremantle in round 19 (28 possessions, 7 tackles and 2 goals). However, it was his finals campaign that really caught the eye of recruiters. Across the four finals, he averaged 26 possessions, 5 inside 50s, 5 tackles and 4 marks. 

JEREMY GODDARD – CLAREMONT
A member of the AFL-AIS Academy in 2015 and 2016, Goddard has established himself as solid up-and-coming ruck prospect. In 21 games for Claremont’s League team, Goddard recorded the most hit-outs (828) of any ruckman in the WAFL Competition. He averaged 9 possessions, 39 hit-outs, 3 tackles and 2 marks. His best games came against East Perth in round 11 (12 possessions and 45 hit-outs), Peel in round 17 (14 possessions, 52 hit-outs and a goal) and Swan Districts (14 possessions and 43 hit-outs). As a ruckman, Goddard always carries a physical presence, whether it be through his strength in the ruck contest, his contested marking ability or his desire to lay a strong tackle.

LENO THOMAS - CLAREMONT
The 2017 WA U16s State Academy member is a medium sized defender who can lock down on his direct opponent but can also provide excellent rebound from the defensive half. He was the hero for Claremont in the Colts’ Grand Final when he produced the game-saving smother in the final moments of the last quarter. He finished third in Claremont’s Best & Fairest after he averaged 15 possessions, 3 marks and 2 tackles across 18 games. His best performances came against West Perth in round two (21 possessions and 10 marks) and Peel Thunder in round six (21 possessions). He is a member of Fremantle’s Next-Generation Academy.

ANTHONY TREACY – CLAREMONT
The Cable Beach product made the move to Claremont at the start of this year, and the move has paid dividends. In 17 games for Claremont’s League team, Treacy booted 18 goals and averaged 13 possessions, 4 marks, 3 inside 50s and 3 tackles. His best performances came against Perth in round five (17 possessions, 5 inside 50s and 2 goals), Subiaco in round seven (12 possessions and 2 goals), Swan Districts in round 20 (14 possessions and 2 goals) and West Coast in the Second Semi-Final (12 possessions and 2 goals). Treacy is a medium-sized forward, who is quick, smart, skilful and tough.

REUBEN MCGUIRE – EAST FREMANTLE
The Willetton Junior is a key forward who can also pinch-hit in the ruck when required. In 14 games, McGuire kicked six goals and averaged 11 possessions, 10 hit-outs, and 3 marks. His best performances were against Perth in round seven (11 possessions, 18 hit-outs and a goal), East Perth in round nine (13 possessions, 14 hit-outs and a goal), and Subiaco in round 13 (17 possessions and 2 goals). As a key forward, McGuire always creates a contest, has good skills and is tough.
 
AJANG AJANG – EAST PERTH
The former West Coast Eagles’ Academy member, Ajang is a ruckman with raw athleticism. He is powerful in contests, excellent with his ruck craft, has good skills and reads the play well. In 18 games, Ajang kicked 6 goals and averaged 12 possessions, 26 hit-outs, 3 tackles and 3 marks. His best games were against Swan Districts in round 13 (21 possessions, 24 hit-outs and a goal), Peel Thunder in round 14 (13 possessions and 38 hit-outs) and West Perth in round 15 (21 possessions and 40 hit-outs).

RHAI-ARN COX – EAST PERTH
The Mount Hawthorn Junior made a name for himself in 2017 when he kicked a goal after the siren against Vic Country, that ultimately secured the AFL U16s Championships for Western Australia.  In six games for East Perth’s Colts team, Cox averaged 10 possessions, four marks, two tackles and kicked eight goals. His best performances coming against Perth in round 12(16 possessions and 2 goals) and Peel Thunder in round 14 (14 possessions and a goal). He also showed promise when playing for the Royals’ Reserves team. In three games, he kicked three goals and averaged 11 possessions, 2 marks and 2 tackles with his best performance coming against South Fremantle in round 17 (13 possessions and 3 goals). He is a small forward who is quick, evasive, skilful and has x-factor.

HARLEY SPARKS – EAST PERTH
The Deanmill product is a medium-sized midfielder who accumulates possessions, makes sound decisions and is also sound defensively. Sparks finished sixth in his Club’s Best and Fairest, after he averaged 25 possessions, 4 marks, and 4 tackles across 13 games. His best performances came against Claremont in round three (28 possessions and a goal), and South Fremantle in round 17 (47 possessions and a goal). Sparks also showed promise for the Royals’ Reserves team, where he averaged 16 possessions, 5 marks and 3 tackles across four games. His most notable performance in the Reserves came against Swan Districts in round 13 (22 possessions and 9 marks).

RYAN BENNELL – PEEL THUNDER
A crafty small forward, Bennell was recognised as Peel’s Best Young Player of the Year after he kicked 14 goals and averaged 9 possessions, 4 tackles, 2 inside 50s and 2 marks across 13 games. His best performances for Peel’s League team came against West Coast in round two (seven possessions and two goals), Subiaco in round four (13 possessions and three goals) and Claremont in round 17 (12 possessions and two goals). He was also solid for Western Australia at this year’s National U18s Championships, where he averaged 9 possessions and 4 tackles with his best outing coming against Vic Metro (11 possessions and a goal). Bennell is quick, agile, has good goal sense and does not need a lot of possessions to hurt opposing teams.

JARVIS PINA – PEEL THUNDER
The Peel Thunder Colts’ captain is an attacking small defender who also has the capability to lock his direct opponent out of the game. In 8 games for the Thunder’s Colts team, Pina kicked 3 goals and averaged 22 possessions, 5 marks and 5 tackles with notable performances against West Perth in round one (32 possessions, 8 marks and 4 tackles), Perth in round 11 (21 possessions and a goal) and East Perth in round 14 (33 possessions, 5 marks and 5 tackles). Pina was also a member of the WA U18s State Academy’s Leadership Group and was excellent for the Sandgropers. He averaged 12 possessions, 4 marks, and 2 tackles, with his best performance coming against Vic Country (17 possessions, 3 marks and 2 rebounding 50s). As a small defender, Pina rebounds with class – he’s a sound decision-maker and he uses his damaging skills to penetrate the opposition’s defensive zone.

TYRONE THORNE – PEEL THUNDER
The younger brother of Peel senior member Calvin, Tyrone is a raw small forward with plenty of upside. He finished seventh in Peel’s Colts Best and Fairest after he kicked 16 goals and averaged 19 possessions, 6 tackles, and 3 marks across eight games. He was arguably Peel’s best player in their Grand Final against Claremont with 22 possessions, 8 tackles and a goal. He also showed promise for Peel’s League team where he averaged 11 possessions and 5 marks across two games. Thorne was also a member of the WA U18s State Academy. Across four games for the Sandgropers, Thorne booted seven goals and averaged 11 possessions, four marks, three tackles and two inside 50s with his best performances coming against Vic Metro (13 possessions and two goals) and the Allies (10 possessions and three goals). Despite having a smaller frame, Thorne hunts the ball and the man with intent, never shirking a contest. He also plays at a frenetic pace and hits his targets by hand or foot.

REGAN CLARKE – PERTH DEMONS
The Manning Junior is a hard-working wingman who has also demonstrated an ability to play as an inside midfielder. He made a name for himself when he kicked the winning goal against Vic Country that ultimately secured Western Australia the U18 Championships. In four games for the Sandgropers, Clarke averaged 15 possessions, 6 marks and 4 inside 50s. He finished sixth in Perth’s Colts’ Best and Fairest after he averaged 20 possessions, 5 marks, and 4 tackles across six games. His best performances came against South Fremantle in round two (20 possessions, 5 marks and 3 tackles), Swan Districts in round three (26 possessions, 6 tackles and 5 marks) and Subiaco in round 17 (26 possessions, 6 tackles and 4 marks). He also showed encouraging signs when playing for Perth’s Reserves team. In two games, he averaged 20 possessions, 6 marks and 4 tackles.

NICK MARTIN – SUBIACO
The Noranda Junior has demonstrated an ability to be a dangerous medium-sized forward for both Subiaco and Western Australia. In four games for Subiaco’s Colts team, Martin booted 9 goals and averaged 21 possessions, 6 marks and 2 tackles with his best performances coming against and Swan Districts in round five (24 possessions, 9 marks and 3 goals) and South Fremantle in round 11 (17 possessions and 4 goals). He also showed encouraging signs when playing for Subiaco’s Reserves team. In 7 games, Martin kicked 10 goals and averaged 12 possessions and 4 marks, with notable performances against Claremont in round 14 (10 possessions and 3 goals) and East Perth in round 20 (16 possessions, 8 marks and 3 goals). Martin was also a member for the WA U18s State Academy. In 3 games, he averaged 10 possessions and 3 marks.

BEN SOKOL - SUBIACO
The 23-year-old claimed the 2019 Bernie Naylor Medal after he booted 60 goals from 20 games. He also claimed the Simpson Medal as the best player on the ground in the 2019 WAFL Grand Final after he booted 6 goals from 15 possessions to guide the Lions to back-to-back premierships. As a medium-sized forward, Sokol has drawn comparisons to Melbourne’s Bayley Fritsch. Both can play tall due to their marking ability, and their mobility allows them to be dangerous on the ground level. In 20 games for the Lions’ League team, Sokol averaged 15 possessions, and 8 marks. Other notable performances were against Perth in round 17 (21 possessions, 13 marks and 7 goals), Swan Districts in round 18 (22 possessions, 12 marks and 6 goals), West Perth in round 19 (16 possessions, 11 marks and 6 goals) and East Perth in round 20 (15 possessions, 13 marks and 6 goals).

NATHAN IRELAND – SWAN DISTRICTS
The Bunbury product has proven to be a good key position prospect with solid performances for Swan Districts’ senior teams. In 8 games for the Reserves, Ireland averaged 12 possessions, 5 marks and 3 tackles with his best games coming against Subiaco in round five (16 possessions and eight marks), East Fremantle in round 14 (13 possessions and 11 marks) and South Fremantle in round 16 (16 possessions and five marks). He showed plenty of encouraging signs when he played for Swans’ League team. In five games, he booted 3 goals and averaged 9 possessions, 3 marks and 3 tackles with his best performance coming against Subiaco in round 18 (13 possessions, 4 marks and 2 goals). Ireland is strong overhead, makes sound decisions and has neat skills.

ZAK PATTERSON – WEST PERTH
The Joondalup-Kinross junior is a ruckman who is athletic, skilful and has strong ruck craft for someone his age. In 12 games for West Perth’s Colts team, Patterson kicked 4 goals and averaged 14 possessions, 27 hit-outs, 3 marks and 2 tackles. His best performances came against Claremont in round two (12 possessions, 23 hit-outs and a goal), East Fremantle in round five (15 possessions, 19 hit-outs and a goal), Subiaco in rounds 12 (13 possessions, 5 marks and 2 goals) and 19 (21 possessions and 36 hit-outs) and East Perth in the Second Semi-Final (17 possessions and 27 hit-outs).

NOAH PEGORARO – WEST PERTH
The Kingsley amateur only joined West Perth this season but has shown enough across six League games to receive recognition from AFL clubs. Across the six games, Pegoraro averaged 12 possessions, 5 marks, 5 hit-outs, 3 tackles and 2 inside 50s. His best performances came against Peel in round one (15 possessions and 6 marks), Swan Districts in round four (12 possessions, 8 marks and 7 hit-outs) and Perth in round 13 (18 possessions, 13 hit-outs, 5 marks and 4 tackles). As a key defender, Pegoraro is strong overhead, reads the play well, positions himself in the right spot and makes sound decisions with ball in hand.

WAFL clubs have celebrated their respective seasons over the weekend with Fairest and Best Award evenings.

Below is a summary of each Club’s Best and Fairest winner.

CLAREMONT – LOUIS PASSERA
The Scarborough Junior averaged 16 possessions, 4 marks and 2 tackles across 20 games, playing primarily across the half-back line, to win the Tom Richardson Memorial Trophy, ahead of Joel Western and Leno Thomas.

At Claremont, Passera ranked first for total marks (72), fourth for total possessions (314), eighth for possessions per game (15), and tenth for total tackles (40).

Passera was named in the best on seven occasions with his notable performances coming against East Fremantle in round one (17 possessions and 5 marks), Subiaco in round seven (21 possessions, 8 marks, 5 tackles and 2 inside 50s), and Swan Districts in round 10 (15 possessions, 4 tackles, 3 marks and 2 inside 50s).

EAST FREMANTLE – MICHAEL WRIGHT
With some of his star team-mates missing games due to State and Senior selection, the Chapman Valley Junior stood tall throughout the 2019 season. 

He polled 129 votes to win the Len Anderson Medal ahead of Trent Rivers (113) and Chad Warner (108)

In 15 games, Wright booted 9 goals and averaged 17 possessions, 5 tackles and 3 marks.

For East Fremantle, he ranked first for total tackles (80), second for total possessions (261), second for total marks (50), third for goals (9), and eighth for possessions per game (17).

His best performances coming against Claremont in round one (23 possessions and 9 tackles), Subiaco in rounds two (24 possessions and 2 goals) and 13 (20 possessions, and 13 tackles), and Swan Districts in round six (23 possessions and 2 goals).

EAST PERTH – ADAM BOULES
The Mount Hawthorn Junior established himself as a player to watch out for next year’s AFL Draft, after he claimed the Hec Strempel Award.

Boules polled 33 votes to just edge out Jamie Marinoni and Sebit Kuek (29 votes each).

Across 18 games, Boules averaged 20 possessions, 7 tackles, and 5 marks. For East Perth, he ranked first for total possessions (365), second for possessions per game (20), first for total marks (81) and first for total tackles (126).

His best performances came against South Fremantle in round seven (22 possessions, 7 marks, 6 tackles and a goal), East Fremantle in round nine (20 possessions and 10 tackles), Claremont in round 11 (19 possessions and a goal), Swan Districts in round 13 (24 possessions and 9 marks), and Subiaco in round 20 (27 possessions, 9 tackles, 6 marks and a goal). 

PEEL THUNDER – JACKSON KNIGHT
The Mandurah Football Club product was the runaway winner of the Dave Cameron Memorial Medal with 101 votes, more than twenty votes ahead of the second-placed Brad Oldfield and Jack Sears (79 votes each).

Across 17 games, Knight booted nine goals and averaged 18 possessions, five inside 50s, five marks and five tackles, and was named in the best on seven occasions. 

He ranked second at the Thunder for total possessions (313), fourth for possessions per game (18.4), third for total marks (84), second for total tackles (83) and equal seventh for goals kicked (9).

His most notable games came against West Perth in round one (18 possessions, 4 inside 50s and a goal), East Fremantle in round three (20 possessions and 5 inside 50s), and East Perth in round five (18 possessions, 6 marks, and a goal), East Fremantle in round 15 (25 possessions, 12 tackles and 8 inside 50s), and Claremont in round 17 (15 possessions, 6 inside 50s, 5 marks, 5 tackles and 3 goals).

PERTH DEMONS – SIMON HAYWARD
The Belmont Junior was a runaway winner in the Jack Ensor Medal Count, polling 131 votes, 47 more than Nathan O’Driscoll who placed second with 84 votes.

In 13 games, Hayward booted 11 goals and averaged 21 possessions, 7 tackles and 4 marks.

His notable performances were against Swan Districts in round three (20 possessions and 13 tackles), West Perth in round six (31 possessions, 7 tackles and a goal), East Fremantle in round seven (27 possessions, 9 tackles and a goal), East Perth in round 12 (28 possessions, 6 tackles and 2 goals) and Peel Thunder in round 20 (33 possessions, 13 tackles and a goal).

At Perth, he ranked first for total possessions (278), third for possessions per game (21), second for total marks (49), equal first for tackles (88), and first for goals (11).

SOUTH FREMANTLE – MANFRED KELLY
Despite it being a bleak season for South Fremantle, Kelly was a constant beacon of light, and was the clear winner of the Dave Ingraham Memorial Medal.

Kelly polled 91 votes, well ahead of Ira Jetta (66) and Nash Miller (55) to claim the Medal. 

Originally from the Armadale Junior Football Club, Kelly averaged 21 possessions, six tackles and three marks across 14 games.

His most notable performances came against Perth in rounds two (24 possessions, six marks, six tackles and five inside 50s) and 14 (30 possessions, 10 tackles and two goals), West Perth in rounds three (17 possessions, six tackles and five marks) and 20 (25 possessions, seven tackles and four inside 50s), East Perth in round seven (20 possessions and two tackles), East Fremantle in round eight (32 possessions, seven tackles and five marks), and Swan Districts in round 16 (24 possessions and five tackles).

For the Bulldogs, Kelly ranked first for total possessions (288), first for possessions per game (21), second for total tackles (80), and sixth for total marks (44).

Kelly is also tied to Fremantle as part of their Next-Generation Academy.

SUBIACO – BEN GOLDING
A year after winning Subiaco’s Best First Year Player Award, Golding took his game to another level in 2019, winning the Taylor Medal.

Originally from the North Beach Junior Football Club, Golding kicked 7 goals and averaged 25 possessions, 7 tackles and 5 marks across 15 games.

His best games came against South Fremantle in round six (39 possessions and a goal), Claremont in round seven (23 possessions and 12 tackles), Perth in round nine (25 possessions and 11 tackles), East Fremantle in round 13 (28 possessions, 7 marks and 6 inside 50s), Swan Districts in round 18 (25 possessions, 9 marks and 6 tackles) and East Perth in round 20 (27 possessions and 3 goals).

At Subiaco, Golding ranked first for total possessions (378), third for possessions per game (25), first for total marks (76), and first for total tackles (106).

Golding also won the WAFL Colts Coaches Award, finished second in the Jack Clarke Medal and won selection in the Simply Energy WAFL Colts Team of the Year as the ruck-rover.

SWAN DISTRICTS – SEBASTIAN BRIGHT
The High Wycombe Junior won the EJ McManus Award in a tight count, just beating Kade Wallrodt by two votes.

In just 11 games for Swans, Bright averaged 21 possessions, 8 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 2 marks and kicked 6 goals. 

He was named in the best on six occasions with his best performances coming against South Fremantle in round one (18 possessions, 8 tackles and 3 inside 50s), East Perth in round two (17 possessions and 10 tackles), West Perth in round four (22 possessions and 11 tackles), and Perth in round eight (22 possessions, 7 tackles, 5 inside 50s and 2 goals).

For the Swans, Bright ranked fifth for total possessions (234), third for possessions per game (21), and first for total tackles (88).

WEST PERTH – KOOPAH TODD
The Jack Clarke Medallist capped off his magnificent season when he claimed the Dominish Medal, just one vote ahead of runner-up Heath Chapman.

In 18 games, Todd kicked 18 goals and averaged 23 possessions, 5 marks, and 4 tackles.

His best games came against Peel Thunder in round one (20 possessions and a goal), Claremont in round two (28 possessions, 8 marks and 7 inside 50s), South Fremantle in round three (29 possessions and a goal), Perth in round six (22 possessions and a goal), East Perth in round eight (25 possessions and 3 goals), Swan Districts in round 11 (32 possessions and 2 goals), and Subiaco in round 12 (34 possessions, 10 marks and a goal), 

At West Perth he ranked second for total possessions (420), third for possessions per game (27), first for total marks (98), fourth for total tackles (78) and third for goals (18).

WAFL and WAFLW clubs have celebrated their respective seasons with Fairest and Best Award evenings to celebrate the best players for the 2019 season.

In the WAFL, Kyal Horsley won his fourth club champion award for Subiaco, while Clint Jones claimed his second Butcher Medal in four years for Perth. 

Swan Districts player George Hampson clinched a third Fairest & Best at his third club after previous victories at East Fremantle and Subiaco.

Keegan Brooksby claimed the inaugural WAFL Eagles Fairest & Best at the John Worsfold Medal on Friday night.

Ashlee Atkins and Sharon Wong were joint winners for 2019 WAFLW Premiers East Fremantle, while Subiaco's Hayley Miller and Lara Filocamo were also joint winners of their club's Sarah Michell Medal.

Angelique Stannett was the winner of Swan Districts' McSherry Medal, while Emily Bonser won Claremont's Fairest & Best and Courtney Rowley was the winner of Peel Thunder's Fenton Medal.  

WAFL Fairest & Best winners:

Claremont: Kane Mitchell
East Fremantle: Matthew Jupp
East Perth: Jackson Ramsay
Peel: Bailey Banfield
Perth: Clinton Jones
South Fremantle: Haiden Schloithe
Subiaco: Kyal Horsley
Swan Districts: George Hampson
West Perth: Tyler Keitel
West Coast: Keegan Brooksby 

WAFLW Fairest & Best winners:

Claremont: Emily Bonser
East Fremantle: Ashlee Atkins and Sharon Wong
Peel: Courtney Rowley
Subiaco: Lara Filocamo and Hayley Miller
Swan Districts: Angelique Stannett

If there was ever a time to produce your best performance on the track, the AFL National Combine would be that moment. For Jeremy Sharp, that performance has been three years in the making. 

The East Fremantle wingman’s stellar year continued this week in Melbourne for the National Combine, showing both pace and endurance to impress AFL recruiters once again on the big stage. 

Sharp produced a rapid 2.97 second 20-metre sprint, before showcasing his stamina with a 21.3 in the Yo Yo Test, missing out on the winning level by 0.5. 

“The ability to run has always been one of my key strengths,” Sharp said. “I probably didn’t think I would do as well in the 20-metre sprint, but I always thought I had could have a pretty good crack at the 2km.”

“I was really stoked to be honest with my testing results. Finishing the year really early due to not making Finals really gave me an opportunity to get fit and work on my game.”

The two-time All-Australian has seen plenty of highs in 2019 including a debut in the East Fremantle League side, before playing a pivotal role in WA’s first U18s title in 10 seasons. 

The testing, however, provided the perfect insight into life as an AFL player.

“It was a mentally tough week, but we train all year for this sort of stuff,” he claimed.

“I was rapt with the way I performed; a pretty enjoyable week overall.” 

“We all have a bit on our plate – I had 10 interviews in the space of two days – it was tough. Someone like myself I love talking about footy though, so it definitely wasn’t something I dreaded.”

Many AFL clubs view Sharp as a viable option for their list next season, however the 18-year-old isn’t getting ahead of himself before the November 27 Draft. 

“If the opportunity does arise and I do get lucky enough to get on a list – I think I’m ready,” Sharp mentioned.”

“I don’t really know what to expect yet, not being around the environment but I would love to get picked up – it’s always been my dream and just giving it a red-hot crack.” 

The National Combine saw 15 Western Australian’s invited to test and Sharp believes plenty of the credit should be directed at the Simply Energy WA Talent Pathway. 

“The West Australian Football Commission has been huge,” he said.

"Adam Jones (Talent Manager) has always been on my side and you can flick questions off to him anytime.” 

“He knows everything about the system and is such a professional.”

“Blokes like Scott Goodin (Athlete Development Coordinator) have been great in preparing us physically and are just good people in general. Everyone has been super important to us.”

It’s a year that the youngster will never forget, hopefully complete with his name read out on Draft night. 

The West Australian Football Commission is seeking expressions of interest from persons wishing to be considered for an exciting opportunity to join a newly formed Women in Football Advisory Committee.

The Committee is being established to guide the development of a Strategic Action Plan for women in football in WA and to provide the WAFC with ongoing strategic and practical advice on strategic areas set out in the Committee Terms of Reference.

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