Imagine riding your bike 420km in one day. 

Not a relay, no stopping overnight, just 420km straight with two of your best mates. 

That’s the challenge that Claremont teammates Ian Richardson and Declan Mounford tackled with their mate Liam Gribbon, all in the name of charity. 

The trio set off from Perth and planned to finish Albany, seeing all money raised for the recent disastrous bushfires in Australia. 

Leaving from Leederville at 6.00am on Saturday, the riders were greeted by 12 Claremont players and current coach Darren Harris, a sign of the culture built at Revo Fitness Stadium. 

Their Ride4Relief was a huge success, riding through the day and night to reach Centennial Oval in spot on 20 hours, arriving at 2.00am Sunday.  

For their efforts, the trio finished the trip with a well-deserved bottle of champagne to celebrate the achievement. 

Former Claremont skipper Richardson was thrilled to complete the difficult mission and couldn’t wait to donate the money to people in need. 

“Obviously what has happened around Australia over the past few months has touched all of us,” Richardson said. 

“To do our little bit and raise $16,500 for those people is a really great feeling, particularly doing it alongside two great mates.”

“Riding that far with minimal breaks is certainly one of the toughest things I’ve challenged myself to do, but it is nothing in comparison to what some of those affected are going through.” 

“Definitely a rewarding 24 hours and we thank everyone who has donated thus far.”

There is still time to donate to this worthwhile cause - www.gofundme.com/ride4relief
 

WAFL Clubs will ramp up their preperations for the 2020 Optus WAFL Season with a number of pre-season fixtures over the next month. 

Each team will have official pre-season games on Saturday 21 March & Saturday 28 March, before Round 1 begins on Friday April 3.

Teams will slowly build into competitive games over the first few weekends with a number of interclub practice matches scheduled for late February and early March. 

See a full list of fixtures below:
 

WAFL Interclub Practice Matches 

Round 1

Wednesday 26 February 
West Coast v Swan Districts – Mineral Resources Park: 6.00pm

Saturday 29 February 
Peel Thunder v Claremont – David Grays Arena: 12.00pm

Round 2

Saturday 7 March
Claremont v West Perth – Revo Fitness Stadium: 11.25am
West Coast v Peel Thunder – Joondalup Arena: 12.00pm

Round 3 
Saturday 14 March 
East Fremantle v Subiaco – New Choice Homes Park: 9.00am
 

Optus WAFL Pre-Season Fixtures

Round 4
Saturday 21 March 
Swan Districts v East Perth – Steel Blue Oval: 2.15pm
Subiaco v Perth – Leederville Oval: 4.00pm
Claremont v West Coast – Revo Fitness Stadium: 2.30pm
East Fremantle v South Fremantle – New Choice Homes Park: 2.15pm
West Perth v Peel Thunder – Joondalup Arena: 2.15pm 

Round 5 
Saturday 28 March 
East Perth v Claremont – Leederville Oval: 2.15pm
East Fremantle v Perth – New Choice Homes Park: 2.15pm
South Fremantle v Swan Districts – Fremantle Community Bank Oval: 10.00am
Peel Thunder v West Coast – David Grays Arena: 2.15pm
West Perth v Subiaco – Joondalup Arena: 2.15pm 
 

An Optus WAFL and WAFL Women’s double-header will be played at Hands Oval in Bunbury on Sunday, May 17.

The fixture has been made possible thanks to a partnership between the WA Football Commission, Optus, the City of Bunbury, South West Football League, Swan Districts Football Club, the West Coast Eagles, and Peel Thunder.

The WAFL game will be played between Swan Districts and West Coast and the WAFLW game between Swan Districts and Peel Thunder.

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Position – Match Day Officials – Central Conference

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to support the WAFC Metro Central Conference in delivering positive game day environments throughout our junior community football competitions.

As a volunteer you will have the opportunity to meet new people as well as exposing yourself to the football industry.?If you have a keen interest in AFL with good communication and people skills, we are keen to hear from you. 

Our volunteers will support us by attending junior football games from April to September on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings and Sundays across the East Perth, Perth and Swans District regions. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable experience in the football industry and support an organisation who is leading the way in connecting and enhancing communities across WA through football. 

To express your interest please complete the online form via the link below by 5.00pm Monday 24^th February.

https://wafootball.forms-db.com/view.php?id=326543

 Successful applicants will require a current Working with Children card. 

The West Australian Football League’s independent arbitrator has today concluded that Perth Football Club player Cody Leggett is ineligible for transfer to East Fremantle Football Club and that he remains a contracted player at Perth Football Club for the 2020 season, following an arbitration hearing earlier this week.

The basis of the decision was that the player's contract is valid and binding, and that the interests of football would overwhelmingly be served by the player remaining at Perth Football Club. 
 

The Goldfields Football League supported by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Doubletree by Hilton has formed a unique partnership to cover the cost of registration for all Auskickers from Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Coolgardie and Kambalda.

West Australian Football Commission Goldfields Regional Manager Gemma Harrison said this was an unprecedented event for the region.

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Fixtures have been finalised for the 2020 Optus WAFL Women’s Premiership season, with Round 1 to kick off on Saturday, May 2, featuring games at New Choice Homes Park (East Fremantle) and David Grays Arena (Mandurah).  
 
The competition’s second season will see the five WAFLW teams play each other three times across 15-rounds, with a three-week Finals Series culminating in a televised Grand Final on the 7 Network.  
 
The competition will remain at five teams, following a review at the conclusion of the 2019 season, which determined that South Fremantle’s provisional license be deferred to the 2021 season. 

FULL FIXTURE HERE 
 
Each of the five teams will have three byes and there will also be two general byes throughout the season, providing an opportunity for Fremantle and West Coast to play AFLW winter series matches.  
 
AFLW players will return to the competition following the conclusion of their AFLW commitments. 
 
Fixtures throughout 2020 will again be played at WAFL venues and a game will be livestreamed on WAFL Facebook and Youtube each week.  
 
Other 2020 highlights will include a Grand Final rematch between East 
Fremantle and Swan Districts in Round 4, the continuation of the Dhara Kerr Cup featuring Claremont and Swan Districts in Round 7, and NAIDOC Round on 
July 4. 
 
WAFC Executive Manager WAFL & Football Operations Scott Baker said he was looking forward to seeing the success of the inaugural WAFL Women’s season continued in 2020. 
 
“The introduction of WAFLW last year was the start of an exciting new era for WA Football and an exciting step forward for everyone involved with the WAFLW competition and female football,” he said.  
“We witnessed an exciting, hard fought season culminating in an entertaining Grand Final attended by more than 3300 people at Mineral Resources Park and watched by 21,000 people on Channel 7.” 
 
“This was in addition to the 25,000 viewers of livestream games throughout the season, which really demonstrates the overall interest and support for 
WAFLW in year one.” 
 
“I’d like to thank everyone who played a role in the success of the inaugural 
WAFLW season and congratulate East Fremantle on winning the first WAFLW 
Premiership.”  
 
“Special thanks to Optus, West Coast and Fremantle for their support of the 
WAFLW in 2019 and commitment to ongoing support in 2020.” 
 
“I look forward to seeing the competition’s continued success this year to further strengthen the female talent pathway and help support Fremantle and West Coast’s AFLW teams.” 
 

The West Australian Football Commission has established a new Women in Football Advisory Committee to guide and support the growth and development of female football in Western Australia.

Women’s football is experiencing an exciting period of growth, driven by the success of the AFLW and WAFLW, and a greater focus on female talent and community pathways.

The number of female participants has more than tripled over the last six years to 109,647 and women and girls now account for a third of participants in WA.

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WA Football Hall of Fame Inductee Ian Miller has been honoured with Life Membership of the Australian Football League after the 2020 Annual General Meeting in March.

A solid half-back flanker who moved to centre-half-forward with Perth in 1972 and became the first player to win a Sandover Medal playing from that key position.

After a lengthy clearance wrangle, he enjoyed a four-year stint (1974-77) in the Victorian Football League, with the now-defunct Fitzroy Football Club, where he converted to a ruck-rover role.

On his return to Western Australia, he joined East Perth and playing in a similar position was in a premiership side in his first season, playing under former team-mate Barry Cable – and claiming the Simpson Medal for the grand final.

He later returned to coach Perth from 1982-84 and then joined the West Coast Eagles, firstly in an assistant coach’s role and then as a full-time member of the football operations department, responsible for player welfare.

Ian Miller 
1967 – 1973 Perth Football Club – 132 games (runner-up fairest and best 1971);
1968 – Perth WAFL Premiership team;
1969, 1971, 1972, 1973 – WA state representative;
1972 – All Australian representative;
1972 – Sandover Medal; 
1974 – 1977 Fitzroy Football Club – 80 games (runner-up fairest and best 1976);
1978 – 1980 East Perth – 64 games (runner-up East Perth fairest and best 1979);
1978 – East Perth WAFL Premiership team;
1978 – Simpson Medal; 
1982 – 1984 Perth Football Club – Senior Coach;
1990 – 1999 – Member of West Coast Eagles match committee (chairman 1993-1998);
2008 – Inducted into the WA Football Hall of Fame; 
2002 – current  – West Coast Eagles player services coordinator;
2012 – West Coast Eagles life member.

Season 2020 is upon us as the AFLW begins its fourth season under lights at Ikon Park on Friday night. 

Not only does February signal the start for the best female footballers around the country, but also the elite contingent of umpires that take the field for the first time this decade.

Western Australia will again have strong representation amongst field, boundary and goal umpires in the AFLW, with seasoned campaigners Dean Margetts and Jeff Dalgleish leading from the front during the competition. 

WAFL League Grand Final umpires Matt Adams and Jordan Wright will feature throughout the campaign, while Gabby Simmonds will continue her meteoric rise up the umpiring ranks taking to the field in AFLW.

Louis Jago and Jordan Fry complete the group of WA field umpires. 

Luke Graves, Ethan Lamont, Jordan Russell, Lewis Williams and Nick Wrenn will line up as boundary umpires, seeing many elevated from WAFL into the national competition. 

Tiana Fry and Chloe Wright will represent the goal umpiring fraternity, with Sam Hunter and Jason Yazdani joining them behind the goals. 

WAFL & Talent Umpire Manager Margetts believes the clear talent pathway in Western Australia gives these umpires the perfect platform to perform at their best during the AFLW. 

“These appointments are reward for effort amongst the Umpiring WA cohort and we congratulate the 14 umpires selected to officiate the AFL Women’s competition,” Margetts said.

“The Umpiring WA talent pathway transitions from officiating junior football right through to the WAFL and WAFLW, giving individuals a great opportunity to get the best out of themselves.” 

“I am extremely proud of the WAFL umpiring team we have formed for season 2020, it is our largest group we have had on the books in the history of WA Umpiring, we have 170 umpires plus our coaching and support teams, it is a real privilege to lead such a wonderful group of committed people, who work hard to achieve the goals they aspire to meet.”

“Seeing three WA females represent out state at the highest level is also a very proud moment for our program.”

West Coast and Fremantle will begin their AFLW campaigns on Sunday February 9.   

The 2020 Marsh Community Series tickets go on sale on Thursday the 30th January. 

The Marsh series is pre-season competition played in Febuary/March. Western Australia will host three games across two weekends, with one of them a derby at HBF Arena Details below:

Eagles vs. Essendon

Fremantle vs. Carlton

Fremantle vs. Eagles

For a copy of the Marsh Series fixtures, please click here.

Ticket price breakdown:

The Perth Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Russell Clark, a former Perth player as its new General Manager.

Russell Clark (51) is an accomplished Chief Executive with extensive experience in operations, marketing and financial management in both sporting and business industries.

Over the past ten years he has spent five years as the Chief Executive Officer of Peel Thunder Football Club (WAFL) and subsequently another five years as Chief Executive Officer of the Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.

He currently is the CEO of Softball WA Inc.

Perth Football Club President Bob Shields said “we had 80 applicants, and an external panel of four prominent business leaders presented Russell as one of three final selections to the PFC Directors.”

“We Directors then went through our own rigorous due diligence process, and Russell won through.”

“We face a major rebuild of our PFC premises over the next few years, and Russell had management oversight of the construction and business implementation plan for the $10.3M Bendigo Bank Stadium at Rushton Park, Mandurah in his time at Peel.”
 

Perth has been announced as the host city for the largest AFL Carnival event in Australia – the 2020 AFL Masters National Carnival from September 26 to October 4 this year. 

It will be the first time since 2003 that Western Australia hosts the event, which is expected to attract more than 1200 male and female players representing more than 35 teams from across Australia. 

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From September 1 to November 1, the 2020 Early Registration Campaign was in full swing. 

The first 400 children registered won either a ball or a double pass to the movies. For clubs, they had the chance to win $5,000 cash, an AFL game day experience valued at $2,000 or one of three $1,000 Burley Vouchers. The prizes were given to the top 5 performing clubs which was measured by the amount of re-registrations measured against club members, meaning smaller clubs weren’t disadvantaged.

The top performing club this year was Rockingham Junior Football Club, who re-registered 43% of their members. President, Michael Holland, said the success was a credit to the work their registrar had put in, emailing parents weekly reminders to register their kids. 

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Get your calendars out! These are the 9 games you simply can’t miss during the 2020 Optus WAFL season. 

Round 1: 

Perth v West Coast Eagles, Mineral Resources Park: Friday April 3 

The 2020 Optus WAFL season is set to start with a bang seeing a Friday night blockbuster open the season. The battle of Mineral Resources Park sees Perth & West Coast face off with Premiership Eagle Chris Masten set to battle his old mates. Perth narrowly missed out on finals and will be desperate to start their season strongly at home under lights. 

Round 2: 

Subiaco v East Perth, Leederville Oval: Friday April 10

Good Friday footy is back for another season and what a clash this is expected to be. East Perth are on their way up after an excellent off-season which saw homegrown ruckman Scott Jones return, while Carlton half-back Angus Schumacher joins with plenty of promise. While the Premiers will look to do what the Premiers do best, take all four points.

Round 2: 

West Coast Eagles v South Fremantle, Mineral Resources Park: Saturday April 11

History will be made on the Easter Weekend when West Coast play their first-ever home game in the WAFL. With the transition into a second year of existence, the Eagles will play a number of games at their base in Lathlain. South Fremantle may have finished runners-up last season but with the acquisition of Zac Clarke the Dogs will certainly be a force to be reckoned with in season 2020. 

Round 4 

Perth v East Perth, Mineral Resources Park: Saturday April 25 

Anzac Day will again be highlighted by the Perth & East Perth Derby, featuring as the only game on Saturday April 25. The standalone fixture sees a powerful service pre-game before the rivalry reignites. Who could forget Kyle Anderson’s goal after the siren in 2018? This game always promises to deliver. 

State Game 

SANFL v WAFL, Adelaide Oval, Saturday: May 9

You may not be able to attend the momentous SANFL v WAFL State Game, but this is definitely a fixture to keep an eye on. The best of the best from both competitions represent their state in an exciting clash. WA will be looking to atone for a tight loss in 2019, with the added bonus of being on show ahead of the AFL Mid-Season Draft. Deluca, Knoll and Noble were all drafted after representing the state, can we add more to that list?

Round 8

South Fremantle v East Fremantle, Fremantle Community Bank Oval: Monday June 1 

South Fremantle v East Fremantle, the game doesn’t need much of an introduction. The biggest of rivals battling it out on WA Day. This game has traditionally drawn big crowds and plenty of excitement, 2020 won’t be any different. The Sharks nearly snatched victory in the corresponding clash last season and will be desperate to take down their neighbours. 

Round 13 

South Fremantle v Claremont, Fremantle Community Bank Oval: Saturday July 4

NAIDOC Round is a fantastic initiative celebrating Aboriginal culture in WA Football. South Fremantle and Claremont continue their role as the feature match of the round, with special NAIDOC gurneys worn throughout all five games. Expect these two teams to be there deep in September with these clashes acting as an “eight-point” fixture. 

Round 15 

Peel Thunder v West Coast Eagles, David Grays Arena: Sunday July 19

The WAFL’s equivalent to the Western Derby will take centre stage when West Coast and Peel clash in Round 15. With the Eagles joining the competition for a second season, many players from both sides will be pushing their case for an AFL berth. No love is lost during these two, and wins could be crucial in the back-half of the season. 

Round 20

East Perth v West Perth, Leederville Oval: Saturday 22 August 

The Polly Farmer Shield is up for grabs once again, and so might be a finals spot in the last round of the season. West Perth currently hold the Shield after a nail-biting six-point victory in 2019. The Falcons went out in the first-round of finals and will be desperate to reach the lofty heights of a 2018 Grand Final.   

CLICK HERE for the full 2020 Optus WAFL Premiership season fixutres.