The West Australian Football Commission has appointed a new Executive Manager - Country Football and Facilities to increase support to regional football and planning for community facilities.

Tom Bottrell, who played 200 WAFL games for South Fremantle and has been the club’s CEO since January 2017, will commence in the role at the end of July.

Mr Bottrell has also served as CEO of the Stephen Michael Foundation since 2017 and was CEO at Swan Districts Football Club for five years prior to that.

He said he was looking forward to applying his skills and experience to the new WAFC role, which will encompass football competitions and facilities right across the State.

“This is a great opportunity for me that also demonstrates a pathway for administrators, just as there is for players, coaches and umpires,” he said.

“The responsibility of overseeing 25 football leagues and aligning the player pathway across country WA, as well as the WAFC Strategic Facilities Plan is really exciting.”

“Country football is such an important part of the game and I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting everyone I will be working with.”

“There is also a lot of work required to ensure we continue developing community football facilities to cater for WA’s impressive participation growth, particularly with female football, so I am also looking forward to the opportunity this presents.”

WAFC CEO Gavin Taylor said he was excited to welcome Mr Bottrell to the WAFC’s Executive management team and looking forward to working closely on strategies to enhance football across WA.

“Tom is a high-quality appointment, that brings a good mix of football and business administration experience and I am really looking forward to working with him in this new role,” Mr Taylor said.

“This position forms part of the WAFC’s new Executive structure that was announced at the beginning of the year to align with the key priorities of our business and the broader football industry.”

“It will provide increased support for regional football with a particular focus on strengthening country competitions and boosting participation from junior through to senior football.”

“Country football provides so many benefits to local communities and we want to ensure that we can keep football prospering across our great State.”

“As we grow our numbers in the game we also need to ensure we are effectively planning for football facilities with both our clubs plus Local and State Governments. Tom will play an important part in leading the long-term planning, funding and development opportunities for facilities across WA.”

WA Country Football League President John Shadbolt said the Executive Manager role was an exciting development for country football in WA that demonstrated the WAFC’s commitment to growing the game across regional communities.

“We are excited to have Tom coming into this role and believe he will be a great leader and manager of country football,” Mr Shadbolt said.

THERE were just the two matches in Round 10 the WAFL on the weekend with a game on each day with South Fremantle winning with the last kick of the day against Peel Thunder and Swan Districts again being overrun, this time at the hands of Claremont.

Following the three matches in Round 9 of the WAFL with wins for Subiaco, West Perth and East Fremantle against Perth, the West Coast Eagles and East Perth respectively, all six of those teams took a seat on the weekend.

The four teams that had the bye in Round 9 then took part in the two matches in Round 10 across Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

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Western Australia’s AFLW U18s made it two wins from two matches against Queensland with a 15-point win at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

After a tight start to the contest, WA were first to score a goal with Ella Smith slotting a set shot just minutes before the quarter time siren.

Queensland out-scored WA two goals to one in the second quarter to reduce the margin to a solitary point at half time but could only manage one more behind for the remainder of the match.

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In slippery conditions South Australia defeated Western Australia by 11-points, at Optus Stadium.

South Australia was more accurate in front of goal than WA, which proved to be the difference in the result.

Luke Jackson tried hard for Western Australia with 14 possessions, 35 hit-outs, five clearances, three tackles, and two marks. Deven Robertson continued his excellent start to the National Championships, trying to inspire WA to victory. He finished with 32 possessions, eight tackles, five inside 50s, four rebounding 50s, five marks and three clearances.

Riley Garcia (28 possessions, eight clearances and a goal), Trent Rivers (22 possessions and six marks) and Chad Warner (20 possessions and six tackles) were prolific for the home team.

Riley Garcia, Jeremy Sharp, Elijah Taylor, and  Tyrone Thorne all kicked one goal each for the home team. 

South Australia got off to a great start when Jackson Mead took a strong contested juggling mark inside 50. He then duly converted for the first goal of the game. Jeremy Sharp scored the instant reply for Western Australia, when he was able to dance his way around an opponent before drilling a goal from 50 metres out. 

At the start of the second quarter, Kysaiah Pickett weaved his way around opponents before finding Callum Park inside 50. Park went back and slotted the opening goal of the quarter to give the Croweaters a five-point lead. WA then had a host of attacking chances, but South Australia’s defence stood up tall. However, in the fourteenth minute, Elijah Taylor produced a moment of magic, when he got the ball out of a pack and snapped through his first goal of the game. 

After the main break, Darnell Tucker got the visitors off to a good start when he snapped through a goal. Kysaiah Pickett produced a moment of magic when he snapped through a miraculous goal from right on the boundary line. Cameron Tahney followed up for the visitors with two goals to push the margin out to 21 points. Tyrone Thorne roved a pack expertly and dribbled through a goal to keep WA within touching distance of South Australia.  

The final quarter proved to be a stalemate early, until Riley Garcia snuck through a goal in the tenth minute to reduce the margin to just nine points. However, in the 22nd minute, Corey Durdin dribbled through the goal to seal victory for the visitors.

Next week, WA travels to Adelaide to take on the Allies at Alberton Oval, where they will be looking to bounce back.

SCOREBOARD
WA    1.2    2.4    3.6    4.11.35
SA    1.1    2.2    6.3    7.4.46

WA BEST: L. Jackson, Robertson, Garcia, Ruscoe, Johnson, McDonald

WA GOALS: 1: Garcia, Sharp, Taylor, Thorne

SA BEST Hilder, Mead, Edwards, Finlay, Morris, McNeil

SA GOALS: 2: Tahney, 1: Durdin, Mead, Park, Pickett, Tucker
 

BROCK Higgins has found himself rejuvenated by the young blood coming through at South Fremantle so far in 2019 and as he reaches 100 games with the Bulldogs, he can't wait to see how far the new generation can take the club.

Higgins was a key part of South Fremantle push to three preliminary finals the last three years with the standout workhorse ruckman part of an experienced brigade that included the now departed Ashton Hams, Ryan Cook, Cory Dell'Olio, Shane Hockey, Ben Saunders, Jarrod Parry, Marlion Pickett and Matthew Parker.

That meant there was plenty of unknowns surrounding the Bulldogs coming into 2019, but now they hold a six-game winning streak and 7-1 record heading into Saturday's Round 10 clash with Peel Thunder in Mandurah which doubles as Higgins' 100th South Fremantle game.

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Western Australia take on South Australia at Optus Stadium for Round 2 of the AFL U18 National Championships.

Watch live now: 

Western Australia’s AFLW U18s recorded a convincing 47-point win against Queensland in the opening game of the AFLW U18 Championships at Subiaco Oval on Friday, June 14.

WA recorded the first major with Mikayla Morrison snapping a great goal on the run from a tight angle in the forward pocket.

A late free kick to Queensland saw Lily Tarlington score a behind after the quarter-time siren to reduce the margin to seven points.

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Western Australia open their AFLW National Under 18s Championships with a clash against Queensland at Subiaco Oval today.

Bouncedown is 2.00pm with the game livestreamed. 

Click below to watch the match. 

Swan Districts v Claremont: Steel Blue Oval – Sunday 2.10pm

Swan Districts host Claremont in a bumper clash at Steel Blue Oval on Sunday.
The kids’ zone will be up and running with plenty to do for kids. Bouncy castles, rock climbing, face painting and plenty more.
Longest Kick will be played out at quarter time.
The can bar will be open too. 

If you can’t make it to the game – the fixture will be LIVE & FREE on 7. 
 

FOLLOWING the break for the general bye to play the All-Stars Game, the 2019 Optus WAFL Women's Premiership Season resumes this weekend for Round 6 action with the top two teams going at it as do the bottom two sides.

Following the first five rounds of the inaugural WAFLW season, the competition took a break last weekend with the WAFLW All-Stars taking on a team made up of AFLW State 18s players, with the WAFLW side proving victorious.

Now regular hostilities resume this weekend starting with the bottom two placed teams locking horns on Saturday afternoon at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval with Swan Districts playing host to Peel Thunder.

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THE four teams who had the last weekend off will take part in the only two matches of Round 10 in the WAFL with Peel Thunder hosting South Fremantle on Saturday, and Swan Districts taking on Claremont on Sunday.

Coming off the WA Day long weekend, the Thunder, Bulldogs, Swans and Tigers all had the bye in Round 9.

While they sat out the action, Subiaco defeated Perth on Saturday while East Fremantle and West Perth scored emphatic victories over East Perth and the West Coast Eagles respectively on Sunday afternoon.

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Western Australia will embark on another NAB AFLW Under 18 Championships full of confidence this week ahead of an opening round clash with Queensland at Subiaco Oval today. 

The Championships see the best female players from around the country takes centre stage, with many girls looking to impress before the AFLW Draft later in the year. 

WA will be led by first-time coach Beau McDonald, with the former Brisbane Premiership player taking over from current Fremantle Dockers coach Trent Cooper. 

West Coast listed player Mikayla Bowen will captain the squad as the young midfielder continues her progression towards becoming an AFLW player. 

East Fremantle forward Roxanne Roux looks a footballer to watch over the tournament, with the 17-year-old dominating at WAFLW level over the past month.  

Emma O’Driscoll, sister of AFL U18s player Nathan, will begin at full-back for the black swans, while Mim Strom will lead the ruck department. 

McDonald is looking forward to the opportunity to coach WA’s elite talent, with squad depth a key to success at the Championships. 

“The players are really looking forward to the challenge this weekend against Queensland,” McDonald said.

“We have a very well-balanced side with plenty of experience at both this level and at WAFLW.”

“Queensland will provide a really stern test for our girls; we expect their physical approach and hunt for the ball to be their biggest asset.”

WA enters the tournament with 20 players eligible for the AFLW Draft, with 14 having played in the Under 18s in 2018. 

Female Talent Manager Clint Degebrodt believes the current program has put the playing group in a great position to succeed over the coming month.

“This program has produced the most talented, physical and readymade athletes for the Championships,” he said.

“The selection process was extremely difficult and that is a credit to the talent the state has at its disposal.” 

THERE were two matches in the WAFL Colts on the weekend with victories for reigning premiers Subiaco and East Perth in the Round 9 matches where both were decided by under a goal.

There might have only been the two matches in Round 9 with Claremont, Peel Thunder, South Fremantle and Swan Districts all having a bye while so did West Perth with their league team taking on the West Coast Eagles on Sunday.

The first game of Round 9 in the colts took place on Saturday evening in wet, cold and windy conditions at Leederville Oval. The two teams played out a tight affair, though, with Subiaco ending up beating Perth 5.9 (39) to 5.4 (34).

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