TABtouch Team of Round 11Thursday, June 27, 2019 - 2:19 AM - by Chris Pike

WET conditions descended on Round 11 of the WAFL on Saturday afternoon bringing out some standout performances by some of the competition's stars while West Coast, Subiaco, Peel Thunder, Claremont and West Perth scored important victories.

While a couple of games earlier this season had been played in the wet, Saturday provided the first time a full round of fixtures for all 10 teams to deal with the heavy rain at once and it provided for some tremendous team and individual performances alike.

The early starting game at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park got the better of the weather and with the Nic Naitanui returning sideshow in town, the West Coast Eagles produced their best performance in the WAFL to defeat East Fremantle 15.15 (105) to 4.9 (33).

The top-of-the-table clash then took place at Fremantle Community Bank Oval and Subiaco asserted its authority over South Fremantle, handling the conditions the better to come away winning 13.9 (87) to 8.6 (54).

Peel Thunder also showed it is still a finals force in 2019 dominating their clash with Perth at Lathlain's Mineral Resources Park to end up winning 11.18 (84) to 6.6 (42).

Claremont also continued its good form with a comfortable 12.11 (83) to 4.7 (31) victory against East Perth at Claremont Oval while West Perth also continued its rise after a slow start to 2019 beating Swan Districts 16.13 (109) to 8.4 (52) at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval.

Following Round 11, Subiaco improved to a 9-1 record to sit a game and percentage clear on top of the ladder ahead of South Fremantle (8-2) and Claremont (7-3).

Perth (6-4) remains in fourth position despite having lost four of its last five games and West Perth (5-5) is fifth having won five of its last six matches.

Peel Thunder (4-6) is just outside the top five followed by the West Coast Eagles (3-7), East Fremantle (3-7), East Perth (3-7) and Swan Districts (2-8). 

PLAYER OF THE ROUND – TYLER KEITEL
Having proven himself both as a key defender and key forward already in his 86-game WAFL career, Tyler Keitel showed that he can be a match-winner in the ruck as well after a dominant display for West Perth on Saturday.

Keitel attempted to move from East Perth to West Perth to great dispute before his league career had even begun, so his talent as a versatile, mobile and quality big man was obvious from before he ever made his debut.

He began his league career after that interrupted 2015 season by showing what he was capable of as a key defender. 

By 2016, Keitel produced a brilliant season playing that key defensive role where he read the ball wonderfully coming in and became a master of taking the intercept marks and then setting up play going the other way. He was named in the back-line of the WAFL Team of the Year as a result.

But West Perth needed him more up forward and that's where then coach Bill Monaghan settled him in 2017 and he delivered another tremendous season, kicking 46 goals and taking the most marks in the competition of all tall forwards.

He again was named in the WAFL Team of the Year, this time at full-forward and then he improved further in 2018.

His kicking on goal was the only concern during 2017, but he got on top of that better by 2018 and ended up sharing the Bernie Naylor Medal with teammate Andrew Strijk by kicking 50 goals and again being named to the WAFL Team of the Year for a third straight time.

But 2018 didn’t end on the best note for him with West Perth losing big in the Grand Final to Subiaco and Keitel copping a two-game suspension.

That meant a slow start to 2019 with him missing the first two games and then taking a while to warm into the season too despite kicking four goals in Round 3.

He had been solid up forward but then in the wet conditions on Saturday, coach Geoff Valentine decided to go without Ben Delaporte in the ruck and entrusted Keitel to do the job against quality Swan Districts pair Nathan Blakely and Corey Gault.

He produced one of the best performances of his career highlighting his mobility and talent for a player his size. He finished the afternoon with amazing numbers made up of 31 possessions, 15 hit outs, nine inside-50 entries, eight tackles, six marks and two goals.

Players of the Round
Round 1 – Kyal Horsley (Subiaco)
Round 2 –  Anton Hamp (Claremont)
Round 3 – Haiden Schloithe (South Fremantle)
Round 4 – Brant Colledge (Perth)
Round 5 – Tony Notte (Swan Districts)
Round 6 – Rohan Kerr (East Perth)
Round 7 – Mitch Peirce (West Perth)
Round 8 – Clint Jones (Perth)
Round 9 – Lachlan Delahunty (Subiaco)
Round 10 – Nick Suban (South Fremantle)
Round 11 – Tyler Keitel (West Perth)

TABtouch TEAM OF THE ROUND
BACK: Josh Rotham (WC), Anton Hamp (C), Ryan Nyhuis (PT)
HALF-BACK: Lachlan Martinis (C), Jordan Lockyer (S), Michael Braut (S)
CENTRE: Tom Ledger (C), Bailey Banfield (PT), Brayden Ainsworth (WC)
HALF-FORWARD: Jarrod Brander (WC), Lachlan Delahunty (S), Keegan Knott (WP)
FORWARD: Ambrose Ryan (EF), Ryan Borchet (S), Andrew Strijk (WP)
RUCK: Tyler Keitel (WP), Kane Mitchell (C), Aaron Black (WP)
INTERCHANGE: Nick Reid (WC), Zac Strom (SF), Max Walters (S), Jackson Merrett (PT)

BACK POCKET – JOSH ROTHAM (West Coast Eagles)
Has now turned himself into a quality defender when playing in the WAFL and has already proven himself able to play some good football in the AFL for West Coast as well. Can't do much more to try to earn an Eagles AFL call up, but for now in the WAFL continues to perform tremendously and had 23 possessions, six marks and three tackles in Saturday's win against East Fremantle.

FULL-BACK – ANTON HAMP (Claremont)
No matter the conditions or the opposition, he continues to go from strength to strength as a key defender in the WAFL. Remarkable to think he started his life as a forward with how good he is proving as a key defender. The 138-game veteran was superb again against East Perth with 18 possessions and six marks while being rock solid defensively.

BACK POCKET – RYAN NYHUIS (Peel Thunder)
It remains somewhat a surprise that he's not playing at Fremantle given the form he's in and that he did nothing wrong earlier this season at AFL level. But that is working to the benefit of the Thunder as he continues to perform tremendously and on Saturday in the big win over Perth, he finished with 23 possessions, eight marks and five tackles.

HALF-BACK FLANK – LACHLAN MARTINIS (Claremont)
Has emerged as one of the most prolific running defenders in the competition and produced another tremendous display in the big win against East Perth on Saturday for the Tigers. Ended the afternoon in the wet conditions with 27 possessions, five tackles and four entries inside the forward 50.

CENTRE HALF-BACK – JORDAN LOCKYER (Subiaco)
The centre piece of Subiaco's outstanding defence put together another strong showing in Saturday's big win over South Fremantle in the top-of-the-table clash. His job was to curtail runaway Bernie Naylor Medal leader Mason Shaw and while the weather might have helped, he held him to two kicks and one goal while having nine possessions himself.

HALF-BACK FLANK – MICHAEL BRAUT (Subiaco)
Produced perhaps the best game of his 17-match career with the Lions as part of a defensive unit where Angus Litherland, Hayden Kennedy and Drew Rohde could easily have also been included in this team. He was tremendous both defensively on South Fremantle youngster Caleb Datson and in  having 18 possessions, six marks, four tackles and three inside-50 entries.

WING – TOM LEDGER (Claremont)
With the form he is in now it's hard to imagine that he spent the opening month of the season in the reserves. But he took that on the chin and came back into the team ready to make an impact and he was outstanding once again with his ability run and use the ball effectively by foot a standout. Ended the game with 28 disposals, five marks, five inside 50s and two goals.

CENTRE – BAILEY BANFIELD (Peel Thunder)
He won a fairest and best award as an inside midfielder for Claremont two years ago and then had a good first season at AFL level with the Dockers where he didn’t look out of place on the big stage, often given tagging roles. But he remains on the outside looking in so far in 2019 but is in tremendous WAFL form with Peel and had another 32 disposals, 10 marks, nine inside-50 entries and four tackles in big win against Perth.

WING – BRAYDEN AINSWORTH (West Coast Eagles)
There aren’t too many vacancies in the West Coast midfield at AFL level but he continues to show should any chances open up, he's the type of natural and prolific ball winner that can slot right in there and not be out of place. Was tremendous in win over East Fremantle with 28 possessions, four marks and a goal.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – JARROD BRANDER (West Coast Eagles)
He is seen as one of the players West Coast can build their team around in the future given his size and mobility, and all-round skill set. He is big enough to play key position but mobile enough to play on the wing or in the midfield. Adapted well to the wet conditions on Saturday to put in a tremendous performance made up of 26 disposals, nine marks, six inside 50s and two goals.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – LACHLAN DELAHUNTY (Subiaco)
The most versatile player in the competition showed that despite his size, his mobility and ball handling ability is more than capable of seeing him have a significant impact in the wet. Two weeks after being best afield against Perth in torrential rain, he again thrived in the wet against South Fremantle both forward and in the ruck for 24 touches, 33 hit outs, six marks, five tackles, four inside-50 entries and a goal.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – KEEGAN KNOTT (West Perth)
Even when at Claremont and then upon first arrival at West Perth he has always looked more than capable of being a solid small forward contributor and now over the past 18 months he's started to find the consistency to make him one of the best in that role in the WAFL. Kicked four goals in Saturday's win against Swan Districts from 16 kicks and six marks.

FORWARD POCKET – AMBROSE RYAN (East Fremantle)
It turned out to be a tough outing for East Fremantle against the West Coast Eagles on Saturday despite their improved recent form, but he was one player who couldn’t have done much more. In fact, he made history by kicking four goals in a game where his team only kicked four goals. It was the most goals kicked by a player when he was the only goal kicker on his team. The small forward also had 21 possessions and six marks in his 21st game.

FULL-FORWARD – RYAN BORCHET (Subiaco)
The emerging spearhead handled the wet weather impressively in Subiaco's big win over South Fremantle to move clear on top of the ladder. Had a purple patch in the second quarter kicking all three of Subiaco's goals despite the driving rain and also finished the game with 11 disposals, seven tackles and five marks. 

FORWARD POCKET – ANDREW STRIJK (West Perth)
Continues to be the standout one-on-one player in the competition who has found his calling playing out of full-forward in the latter part of his career. With 237 games under his belt, continues to have as significant an impact on games as ever for West Perth and on Saturday kicked another three goals from 15 possessions and three marks in wet conditions.

RUCK ROVER – KANE MITCHELL (Claremont)
His fellow Sandover Medallist Jye Bolton might have been sidelined having copped his second heavy head knock in the space of six days, but he stood tall once more to continue his outstanding season as co-captain with the Tigers. Produced another afternoon made up of 26 possessions, three marks, three marks, three inside-50 entries and a goal.

ROVER – AARON BLACK (West Perth)
The Falcons skipper continues to be one of the most influential and inspirational leaders in the competition and again on Saturday in the wet weather, delivered a superb performance against Swan Districts in the midfield. Racked up 33 possessions to go with nine tackles and six marks.

INTERCHANGE – NICK REID (West Coast Eagles)
He came into the West Coast Eagles WAFL side in Round 5 and has ever since built some steady and impressive form playing as a key forward. Already had games where he'd kicked three and two goals respectively while having an outing of four behinds so he was able to earn shots on goal. That continued on Saturday and he kicked four goals in the win over the Sharks from 16 possessions, four tackles and three marks.

INTERCHANGE – ZAC STROM (South Fremantle)
The absence of Brock Higgins leaves a big hole in the ruck at South Fremantle given the inspiration he provides his team with his remarkable work rate. But he stepped into the void on Saturday to virtually take on Subiaco's Clancy Wheeler and Lachlan Delahunty single-handedly on a wet day, and he couldn’t have done any more for the Bulldogs finishing with 17 touches, 58 hit outs, three marks and a goal.

INTERCHANGE – MAX WALTERS (Subiaco)
He often gets lost in the shuffle given the amount of star players there is at Subiaco, but he remains one of their most consistent and smoothest operators. Everything he does, he usually does it cleanly and efficiently and that was no different on Saturday mostly across half-forward with the occasional stint in the middle. Ended up with 24 possessions, four tackles and a goal.

INTERCHANGE – JACKSON MERRETT (Peel Thunder)
The former Essendon hard-running midfielder has had a solid first season with Peel after making the move west to play in the WAFL but on Saturday he showed just what he's capable of on the bigger grounds in WA. Produced a tremendous performance against the Demons for the Thunder to finish with 25 possessions, eight marks and a goal.

 

UNLUCKY BUNCH
There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 11 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Round, including:

East Fremantle's Nick Kommer, Cameron Eardley, Morgan Davies, Blaine Boekhorst and Jarrad Jansen.

West Coast Eagles' Hamish Brayshaw, Kurt Mutimer, Josh Smith, Matthew Allen, Francis Watson, Tom Cole and Brendon Ah Chee.

South Fremantle's Jacob Dragovich, Brendan Verrier, Zac Dent, Blayne Wilson and Dylan Main.

Subiaco's Kyal Horsley, Greg Clark, Clancy Wheeler, Leigh Kitchin, Ben Newton, Angus Litherland and Hayden Kennedy.

Perth's Matthew Taylor, Clint Jones, Cody Leggett, Michael Sinclair, Mitch Browne and Cody Ninyette.

Peel Thunder's Lachie Schultz, Tom North, Adam Cerra, Hayden Ballantyne and Tobe Watson.

Claremont's Ryan Lim, Declan Mountford, Bailey Rogers, Alec Waterman, Ian Richardson, Declan Hardisty and Jeremy Goddard.

East Perth's Angus Scott, Jackson Ramsay, Rohan Kerr, Kyle Anderson and Joel Houghton.

Swan Districts' Jack O'Sullivan, Steven Payne, Tony Notte, Matt Riggio, Jesse Turner, Jiah Reidy, Nathan Blakely, Jordan Bill, Alex Howard and Corey Gault.

West Perth's Trent Manzone and Rudy Riddoch.