Snapshot of WAFL season after Round 9Wednesday, May 18, 2016 - 12:47 AM - by Chris Pike

AFTER nine rounds of the 2016 McDonald's WAFL Premiership Season it provides a good opportunity to see how things are shaping up with each club having now played eight games, and one another once each.

It has been a fascinating opening nine rounds of the season with South Fremantle and East Fremantle emerging as premiership chances after poor finishes to 2015 where they both missed finals.

Aside from one slip up against East Fremantle, Subiaco has again been impressive as the Lions hunt for a third straight flag.

East Perth and Peel remain around the mark, West Perth has fought back from a slow start, Claremont is competitive but losing late in the majority of games while Perth has shown signs of improvement and Swan Districts have been decimated by injuries and player departures.

EACH TEAM AT A GLANCE 
South Fremantle sits on top of the WAFL ladder with a 7-1 record. The Bulldogs have not played finals since 2011, but things have dramatically turned around so far in 2016 in Todd Curley's second season as coach.

A fit Ben Saunders combined with the addition of Mason Shaw and emergence of Zac Strom at centre half-forward, and then Josh Pullman settling in defence alongside Blayne Wilson, Adam McIntosh and Marlion Pickett sees South Fremantle strong at either end.

Then Shane Hockey adding to Ashton Hams, Tim Kelly, Steven Verrier, Ryan Cook and company in the middle, and the Bulldogs look well balanced. Their one loss has been at the hands of Subiaco and the Bulldogs are the highest scoring and least scored against team in the league.

Subiaco has won the last two WAFL premierships and is now looking strong again in 2016 having won seven of its first eight games. Despite an 80-point loss to the Sharks that caused some doubts, the Lions have looked good and are yet to field a full strength team in 2016.

Hamish Shepheard, Ben Sokol and Liam Ryan have helped cover the losses in Subiaco's forward-line while Lachlan Delahunty is standing up in the ruck, the midfield continues to be physical and productive while Aaron Heal and Declan Jackson are standing tall in defence.

East Fremantle looked shaky following losses to Claremont and South Fremantle, but the Sharks have been impressive the past three weeks beating East Perth, Subiaco and Perth to emerge as genuine premiership threats.

The back-line is outstanding led by Sam Read, Dylan Winton, Andrew Stephen, Ryan Lester-Smith and the damaging Brock O'Brien.

Liam Anthony, Cameron Eardley, Sean Henson and Dion Anthony have been tremendous in the midfield and George Hampson is back in top form, Brett Peake is kicking goals and Matthew Watson has shown some good signs as a forward target.

Peel is coming off its maiden finals appearance and remains in fourth position at 4-4 following nine rounds. The Thunder have looked good in wins over Claremont, East Fremantle, Perth and Swan Districts, but have come up short against East Perth, South Fremantle, West Perth and Subiaco.

Rory O'Brien has returned strongly as has Brad Walsh with youngster Calvin Thorne impressing, but the Thunder's fortunes largely have rested on which Fremantle players are or are not available.

It's similar at East Perth with West Coast's players but after a slow start under new coach Jaymie Graham with three straight losses, the Royals have turned things around winning four of the last five games to be building some good form.

As long as Paul Johnson, Craig Wulff, Steven Payne, Kyle Anderson, Mitch Fraser and Nathan Blee continue to perform, East Perth is proving it will always be around the mark.

West Perth had a disastrous start to 2016 coming off last year's grand final losing four of its first five games. But the Falcons have steadied to win their last three coinciding with the returns of Shane Nelson and Kody Manning, and they will look to continue to welcome key players back in coming weeks.

Claremont has been competitive right throughout 2016 but has been overrun in losses to Peel, Perth, South Fremantle, Swan Districts and West Perth in games the Tigers could have won. However, they didn’t and they are precariously placed at 2-6 after nine rounds.

Perth is also 2-6 but having won just two of 34 games coming into 2016, the Demons have shown improvement largely through the midfield with Angus Graham and Clint Jones joining Aidan Tropiano, Liam McKenna and Julian Jacobs. Spencer White standing up as a forward target could be the one last missing piece.

It has been a disastrous start for Swan Districts with Nathan Blakely suffering a season-ending knee injury, Aaron Elari and Murray Newman departing, and Jarrad Blight, Ricky Cary, Kirk Ugle and Jake Nuich also suffering injuries.

The result has been just the one win from eight games with Swans averaging just 51 points a game with an average losing margin of 49.2 points.

TEAM OF THE YEAR TO DATE
After each round of the season, a WAFL Team of the Week has been named, and based on that here is the Team of the Year so far.
BACK: Aaron Heal (S), Tyler Keitel (WP), Adam McIntosh (SF)
HALF-BACK: Andrew Strijk (WP), Tom Barrass (EP), Blayne Wilson (SF)
CENTRE: Aaron Black (WP), Leigh Kitchin (S), Liam Anthony (EF)
HALF-FORWARD: George Hampson (EF), Darcy Cameron (C), Brett Robinson (S) 
FORWARD: Brett Peake (EF), Hamish Shepheard (S), Tom Lamb (EP)
RUCK: Lachlan Delahunty (S), Clint Jones (P), Ashton Hams (SF)
INTERCHANGE: Jye Bolton (C), Steven Payne (EP), Julian Jacobs (P), Rory O'Brien (PT)
EMERGENCIES: Cameron Eardley (EF), Joel Latham (S), Zac Fisher (P)

LEADING GOALKICKERS
The two leadings goalkickers so far this season are two players who were not in the WAFL in 2016.

Brett Peake retired at the end of 2014 from East Fremantle but has returned this year and played solely in the forward-line to great effect kicking 22 goals. He has kicked at least one goal in all eight games including a haul of five in Round 2 against Peel and three on another four occasions.

Hamish Shepheard hasn’t played in the WAFL since 2011 but has joined Subiaco this season and been a tremendous focal point kicking 22 goals including six against Claremont in Round 9 and five against Perth in Round 4.

Dual Bernie Naylor Medallist Ben Saunders has kicked 18 goals in seven games for South Fremantle including five in the opening quarter against East Perth in Round 3. Claremont big man Darcy Cameron has also kicked 18 goals including four on two occasions.

East Fremantle's George Hampson has kicked 16 goals, South Fremantle's Mason Shaw 16, Subiaco's Ben Sokol 15, East Perth's Tom Lamb 13, South Fremantle's Blaine Johnson 12, West Perth's Michael Lourey 12 and East Perth big man Jonathan Giles 12.

THE STANDOUTS
Each team has had plenty of standout performers so far in 2016.

Starting with the top of the table South Fremantle, Ashton Hams is having another standout season despite some close attention from the opposition. The left-footer is averaging 29 possessions a game and hasn’t had less than 19 and that was after just two touches in the first half against Claremont.

He is receiving plenty of help at the Bulldogs with new recruit Shane Hockey averaging 22.4 disposals while Steven Verrier and Tim Kelly have done well in the midfield while Josh Branchi did well holding down the ruck in the absence of Brock Higgins.

Josh Pullman has done well on the opposition's most dangerous key forward with Blayne Wilson back to his best averaging over 20 touches setting up play from the back-line along with Marlion Pickett, Adam McIntosh and Adam Guglielmana.

Ben Saunders, Mason Shaw, Blaine Johnson, Haiden Schloithe, Steven Edwards and Zac Strom have combined for 70 goals on the season.

Subiaco's midfield is experienced, physical and effective with Kyal Horsley averaging 24.5 possessions, Chris Phelan 23.8, Leigh Kitchin 23.5 and Adam Cockie 21.3 while Lachlan Delahunty is doing tremendously as a mobile ruckman.

Brett Robinson is averaging 22.1 touches and has kicked nine goals while Hamish Shepheard has kicked 22 goals, Ben Sokol 15 and Clancy Wheeler 10. Declan Jackson, Aaron Heal and Joel Latham have been particularly effective in the back-line.

Liam Anthony is East Fremantle's leading ball winner with 26.3 possessions a game with Cameron Eardley also averaging 24.1 touches, Sean Henson 22.0 and Dion Anthony 21.4.

George Hampson and Brock O'Brien are the two players that give East Fremantle that something that no other team has.

Hampson is a natural goalkicker and prolific ball winner who is in outstanding form now back from a knee reconstruction while off half-back, there is no more damaging player in the league than O'Brien when he's allowed to win plenty of the ball.

East Fremantle's defence of Sam Read, Dylan Winton, Andrew Stephen and Ryan Lester-Smith has been superb. And up forward, Brett Peake is proving effective kicking 22 goals.

Rory O'Brien is having a strong season back at Peel averaging 26.6 possessions including more than 30 three times. Brad Walsh is back from Carlton and providing plenty also while Brayden Lawler, Calvin Thorne and captain Gerald Ugle have been solid.

When made available by Fremantle, Matt De Boer, Clancee Pearce, Ed Langdon and Ethan Hughes have been standouts while Tanner Smith is having the best season of his career either as a key forward or defender.

Kane Lucas has been a mainstay in East Perth's midfield averaging 25.9 possessions with Steven Payne doing well on the wing while Patrick McGinnity, Luke Partington and Corey Adamson have been regulars in the midfield.

Kyle Anderson, Tom Barrass, Nathan Blee and Mitch Fraser are doing well down back with Jonathan Giles and Paul Johnson are doing well sharing the ruck, and Tom Lamb is leading the goalkicking with 13 majors.

Aaron Black has split his time between the wing and on the ball for West Perth with the 2014 Sandover Medallist in strong form averaging 27.6 possessions and having kicked nine goals for the Falcons.

Trent Manzone, Rohan Kerr and Jay van Berlo have been consistent performers while Andrew Strijk has done well in stints both forward and back. Luke Meadows, Tyler Keitel and Drew Rohde are among the players to stand tall in defence.

Up forward, Michael Lourey has kicked 12 goals and Joel Leeson has had some good moments kicking nine in his first season with West Perth.

Jye Bolton has fitted in tremendously in his first season at Claremont averaging 25.5 possessions a game while Tom Ledger, Ryan Neates and Jake Murphy are all finding plenty of the ball.

Mitch Andrews has been solid in the ruck for the Tigers and Darcy Cameron has kicked 18 goals in attack with Beau Maister adding 11, Jack Richardson 11 and Ian Richardson 10. Brandon Franz has been the rock in the back-line again.

Perth's midfield has been its great strength so far in 2016 with Clint Jones averaging 35.3 possessions a game, Julian Jacobs 27.0, Liam McKenna 24.4 and Aidan Tropiano 23.5.

Angus Graham has done well as ruckman with 13.4 disposals and 34.8 hit outs a game while also kicking seven goals. Brent Latch and Jared Bell have been standouts in defence with Michael Sinclair and Toby Gianatti others in the back half to have done some solid jobs.

Positives have been tough to find for Swan Districts but Matt Riggio, Adam Faulkner and Freddie Clutterbuck have been tireless workers in the midfield combining to average over 70 touches a game. Graham Jetta has returned well to the back-line while Tallan Ames, Justin Simpson and Tony Notte are doing all they can.

EMERGING STARS
Each team has players who have emerged so far in 2016 and starting with South Fremantle, Matthew Gundry has done well as a small defender with Steven Edwards playing exciting football as a small forward on arrival from Claremont.

Josh Pullman has emerged as an unlikely strong key defender with Zac Strom standing tall at centre half-forward.

Craig Hoskins has taken his football to the next level with Subiaco so far in 2016 taking confidence from playing in last year's premiership while Declan Jackson has grabbed Darren Rumble's full-back position.

Greg Clark has fitted well into the defensive unit at the Lions as well with Ben Sokol showing he deserved ore league opportunities at South Fremantle having kicked 15 goals. Liam Ryan is also exciting having kicked six goals in his two games.

Dion Anthony has grabbed his chance in East Fremantle's midfield averaging over 21 disposals a game while Dylan Winton has been impressive defensively since crossing from Peel.

Brayden Lawler is in his second WAFL season and is performing consistently for Peel with Calvin Thorne playing well as a teenager while Josh McMahon is showing encouraging form as a small defender.

Peel has some Fremantle-listed players coming along nicely including small defender Ryan Nyhuis, the versatile and strong-marking Matthew Uebergang and Tanner Smith who is getting an injury-free run with his body and performing consistently at either end.

Shayne Hille is one player at East Perth who the Royals could bank on going forward with the small forward making the most of his chances over the past three weeks. David Roche also showed some good signs in his five games while Julian Ameduri is taking his chances in the midfield.

As for West Coast players emerging at East Perth, ex-baseballer Corey Adamson is now playing some strong football in the midfield while Paddy Brophy is doing well as a running defender, Tom Barrass is performing strongly at centre half-back and Matthew Allen is showing good signs as a forward.

The one player to have really taken the next step in 2016 is Tom Lamb who is averaging 17.6 possessions and having kicked 13 goals playing both forward and up on the wing.

At West Perth, Luke Meadows is playing outstanding football off half-back averaging 18.6 disposals and over 30 the past two games.

Tyler Keitel has stepped up further both in defence and stints in the ruck while Aidan Lynch has been a strong contributor again in the midfield and Drew Rohde has cemented himself in the back-line.

Ryan Lim has consolidated his place in Claremont's midfield and is doing well averaging over 18 possessions a game while Jack Richardson is having his best season kicking 11 goals and Bailey Rogers is performing solidly having played every game.

Zac Fisher has been the most exciting part of Perth's season with the 17-year-old playing all eight league games and standing up well averaging 18.9 possessions and kicking four goals.

Brent Latch has been strong as a key defender and Jared Bell has done some good roles in defence.

Swan Districts are backing in the youth and so far in 2016 Jesse Turner, Albert Dean, Brayden Hackett, Troy Yukich, Griffen Logue, Aidan Clarke, Jack Watson and Brody Sutton are among those to be showing good signs.

YET TO FIND THEIR BEST
Either through interrupted pre-seasons or injury, each club has had players yet to reach their peak in the opening nine rounds but they could in the second half of 2016.

Brock Higgins has been limited to the last two league games for South Fremantle with the ruckman missing the early part of the season with a calf injury, but he is back now and performed strongly.

Jacob Martinez hasn’t played a league game since Round 2 and could still play a part for the Bulldogs while Brendan Verrier has missed the past three games and Zephaniah Skinner could be an X-factor in the second half of 2016 now that he has begun training at the club.

Subiaco might be 7-1 but still has plenty of improvement left with Rhys Waters so far limited to one match in 2016, Kyle Halligan three, Greg Broughton four, Jordan Lockyer five. Michael Wood, Brad Stevenson and David Madut are now back in the reserves to provide further depth.

East Fremantle's back-line will soon be further strengthened with the return of key defender Matthew Jupp who has now missed the las three matches.

Peel will be expecting to have Fremantle players Michael Apeness, Anthony Morabito, Shane Yarran and Alex Silvagni available more as 2016 progresses as they get their bodies right.

Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls is one player East Perth will be hoping to get more out of in the second half of the season.

West Perth has been hit hard by injury with Chris Keunen limited to two games, Joe Morrow three, Kody Manning four and Shane Nelson three with Laine Rasmussen, Matt Guadagnin, Matt Fowler and Brayden Antonio yet to appear at all.

Manning and Nelson are now back up and running, Rasmussen and Morrow should be right to go starting this week and then Keunen, Guadagnin, Fowler and Antonio could trickle back in the second half of 2016.

Captain Dene White and key forward Spencer White are two players Perth needed big seasons from but it so far hasn’t happened. Dene has played just one league game but after two weeks back in the reserves he looks ready to add to the Demons' already strong midfield.

Spencer, meanwhile, has played just two games kicking four goals and he could still be out for another few games. His presence up forward has been sorely missed.

Ruckman Christian Eyres has also been missed with Angus Graham having to carry the ruck on his own while David Johnston was another significant casualty from the back-line.

Claremont could soon provide opportunities to returning experienced players Gerrick Weedon and Ian Rowe as they gather form in the reserves coming back to the Tigers this year.

Claremont will also be hoping for some more consistent form from Haydn Busher, Beau Maister, Anton Hamp, Dylan Ross and Jack Bradshaw in the second half of the season if they are to rise up the ladder.

Justin Simpson, Jarrad Blight, Ricky Cary and Kirk Ugle are among the experienced Swan Districts players who have had injury troubles and they will be hoping they stand up in the second half of the season.

Swans will also be hoping Matthew Rogers, Matthew Jukes, Todd Banfield and Rudy Riddoch can find some much-needed form in the second half of 2016.

TRENDS TO EMERGE
South Fremantle is not only on top of the ladder but the leading scoring team at 97 points a game and best defensive team conceding just 66 points.

Swan Districts is the worst offensive team averaging just 51 points while Perth is conceding the most points at 98 a game.

The biggest winning streak of the season was Subiaco going 6-0 to start the season while the biggest losing streak was four straight for Perth between Rounds 4 and 7, and the four straight matches Claremont and Swan Districts have currently lost.

East Perth is the leading ball winning team after eight matches averaging 378.4 per game just ahead of East Fremantle (375.9) and Peel Thunder (363.0). Swan Districts concedes the most possessions at 382.5 a game ahead of West Perth at 375.8 game. Swans have the greatest differential at 54.4 per match.

Despite losing to Swan Districts on the back of inaccuracy in Round 4, Claremont is the most accurate team in the competition at 61 per cent, or 65 per cent taking out rushed behinds. The least accurate team is Peel at 45 per cent (51 per cent without rushed) and Perth at 46 per cent (51).

Claremont is the highest scoring first quarter team averaging 29 points per opening quarter and outscoring their opponents by a total of 101 points over eight matches. Perth is the worst starting team averaging 17 fewer first quarter points.

South Fremantle is the best performing second quarter team outscoring their opponents by 47 points over eight matches with East Perth having been outscored by 59 points in second terms.

East Perth is the best performing third quarter team outscoring its opposition by a total of 76 points with Swan Districts being outscored by 91 points in third terms.

And in last quarters, South Fremantle is by far the best performing team outscoring its opponents by 110 points over the season. Swan Districts is outscored by 107 points in final terms and Claremont by 57.