wafl.com.au Round 2 Team and PlayerTuesday, March 28, 2017 - 4:08 PM - by Chris Pike

ROUND 2 of the 2017 McDonald's WAFL Premiership Season saw Peel Thunder, Swan Districts, Subiaco and West Perth win impressively with plenty of players putting up their hands for the wafl.com.au Team of the Week.

Round 2 got underway on Saturday with Peel Thunder defeating East Fremantle 19.12 (126) to 5.10 (40), Swan Districts beating South Fremantle 13.7 (85) to 8.16 (64) and Subiaco downing Perth 13.12 (90) to 10.7 (67).

Then on Sunday at HBF Arena with the Polly Farmer Shield on the line, West Perth beat East Perth 14.15 (99) to 12.6 (78).

WAFL Round 2 match reports 

Plenty of players made a strong case for Player of the Week with Subiaco captain Kyal Horsley getting the nod while squeezing in 22 standout players into the Team of the Week was another challenge.

wafl.com.au PLAYER OF THE ROUND – KYAL HORSLEY (Subiaco)

The Subiaco skipper missed the opening round 39-point loss to South Fremantle and never was his presence more noticeable than the impact he had upon return in Saturday's 23-point win over Perth at Leederville Oval.

The triple premiership player and dual flag skipper was simply at a different level through the middle of the ground and was a prolific contributor for the Lions and the main reason that Liam Ryan went on to kick six goals, and that his team won its first game of the season.

Horsley's stats were stunning with 35 possessions, five marks, four inside 50s and two goals. But it's the inspirational way he leads from the front and lifts his teammates that is just as important as any numbers he does end up with.

wafl.com.au TEAM OF THE ROUND
BACK: Ethan Hughes, Tallan Ames, Kirk Ugle
HALF-BACK: Jayden Schofield, Alex Howard, Kody Manning
CENTRE: Traye Bennell, Tim Kelly, Kyal Horsley
HALF-FORWARD: Leroy Jetta, Ricky Cary, Brandon Donaldson 
FORWARD: Tom Lamb, Matt Taberner, Liam Ryan
RUCK: Corey Gault, Harley Balic, Luke Meadows
INTERCHANGE: Jonathon Marsh, Chris Phelan, David Ellard, Shane Nelson

BACK POCKET – ETHAN HUGHES (Peel Thunder)
Peel continued its strong start to the season beating East Fremantle by 86 points and the premiership defender kept his good individual form to open 2017 going as well. He finished with 20 possessions and seven marks in a rock solid defensive unit.

FULL-BACK – TALLAN AMES (Swan Districts)
He might have played 248 games and is 33 years of age, but has started the 2017 on fire putting behind him a disappointing team and individual 2016. Backed up his strong Round 1 effort with a tremendous performance on Saturday keeping Bernie Naylor Medallist Ben Saunders to just three kicks and one goal.

BACK POCKET – KIRK UGLE (Swan Districts)
The tough and tight-checking yet attacking small defender had a difficult 2016 as well but has started the new season impressively and had an important role to play on Saturday. He helped to quell the influence of South Fremantle's Cory Dell'Olio while having 16 possessions and four marks himself.

HALF-BACK FLANK – JAYDEN SCHOFIELD (East Fremantle)
His team was well beaten again but the ball was in East Fremantle's defensive 50 a lot throughout the day, and he did all he could to provide some run and drive out of the back-line. Finished with 35 possessions and 10 marks despite the Sharks losing by 86 points.

CENTRE HALF-BACK – ALEX HOWARD (Swan Districts)
Is another Swan Districts defender to have started the season in strong fashion to have had a big say in the wins over Perth and South Fremantle. Did well keeping Mason Shaw to just seven kicks and three behinds on Saturday with 17 disposals and eight marks himself.

HALF-BACK FLANK – KODY MANNING (West Perth)
Was back to his more familiar role across half-back in Sunday's derby against East Perth and was back to his hard-nosed, high-pressure best. Finished the clash with 17 possessions, six marks and three tackles to have a big say on the final result.

WING – TRAYE BENNELL (Peel Thunder)
After crossing to Peel from South Fremantle midway through last season, is a virtual new recruit for the Thunder in 2017 and showed he is going to prove outstanding value. Played mostly up on the wing and gave great run and carry all day to end up with 28 disposals, seven marks, four tackles and four entries inside-50.

CENTRE – TIM KELLY (South Fremantle)
The state midfielder looks to have gone to another level again so far in 2017 and put in a career-best performance in Saturday's loss to Swan Districts. Ended the afternoon at Bassendean with 38 possessions, 12 marks, seven inside-50 entries and a goal.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – LEROY JETTA (Peel Thunder)
Proving that his four-goal return in Round 1 against East Perth wasn’t done on emotion after he was forced to miss all of 2016, the former Essendon small forward backed up with another tremendous performance in Saturday's win over East Fremantle. Kicked five goals making the most his chances scoring with each of his seven kicks for the game.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – RICKY CARY (Swan Districts)
Has long been an untapped talented big man who struggles for consistency not only from game to game, but quarter to quarter. But he has now started 2017 impressively and was a strong performer largely from centre half-forward on Saturday with 20 possessions, 12 marks and two goals.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – BRANDON DONALDSON (South Fremantle)
There isn’t much of him in terms of size, but he plays with tremendous heart and skill and had a good performance in South Fremantle's forward-line on Saturday. Ended the afternoon with 23 disposals, six marks, four inside-50 entries and a goal.

FORWARD POCKET – TOM LAMB (East Perth)
Has struggled to have a consistent impact over his career to date on West Coast's list and with East Perth, but showed on Sunday again the huge potential he possesses. Was the dominant forward presence in the game and kicked five goals from 23 possessions and eight marks.

FULL-FORWARD – MATT TABERNER (Peel Thunder)
Is being made to earn a call up into Fremantle's AFL team as a key forward target. Needed to make a statement in the WAFL and did so on Saturday for the Thunder with 20 possessions, seven marks, five tackles and five goals in a dominant performance.

FORWARD POCKET – LIAM RYAN (Subiaco)
He kicked 40 goals in his 16 games of 2016 to make his presence felt and give himself a chance of making it into the AFL. That didn’t happen to Subiaco's benefit but he could be there in 2018 if he keeps his early season form up for the Lions. Was outstanding in attack kicking six goals from 18 disposals and three marks.

RUCK – COREY GAULT (Swan Districts)
The big man is back at Swan Districts from Collingwood and while capable of playing at either end of the ground, is having his biggest impact in the ruck right now. That led to him having 19 possessions, 19 hit outs and a goal in Saturday's win over South Fremantle.

RUCK-ROVER – HARLEY BALIC (Peel Thunder)
The young on-baller again delivered his second straight prolific performance in the midfield for Peel and it looks only a matter of time for him to make his AFL debut. Once there, he could be a permanent fixture for the Dockers for years to come. Had 33 possessions and a goal in Saturday's big win over East Fremantle.

ROVER – LUKE MEADOWS (West Perth)
The state defender had a tremendous season in 2016 coming off half-back, but was moved into the midfield on Sunday with tremendous results. He is hard at it, can win his own football and then his skill level on his right boot is outstanding. That all led to a best on ground showing with 29 possessions, 13 inside-50 entries, five marks, four tackles and the last goal of the game from outside 50.

INTERCHANGE – CHRIS PHELAN (Subiaco)
The ever-reliable 143-game dual premiership player and fairest and best winning star midfielder showed he is going to have another strong season for the Lions with a big game on the ball. Ended up with 29 possessions in a strong performance.

INTERCHANGE – DAVID ELLARD (Swan Districts)
Has returned from Carlton in the AFL back home to Swan Districts after a tough run with injuries, but is up and going in 2017 early on. Is playing in the midfield for the black-and-whites and had another impressive performance on Saturday with 24 possessions, eight tackles and a goal.

INTERCHANGE – SHANE NELSON (West Perth)
Just picked up from where he left off throughout 2016 either side of some injury troubles. Was prolific in the midfield again for the Falcons ending up with 34 disposals and six inside-50 entries.

INTERCHANGE – JONATHON MARSH (East Fremantle)
It wasn’t an easy task in a well-beaten team to keep working hard especially spending most of the game at centre half-forward. But he did all he could and finished with 27 possessions, eight marks and a goal.

UNLUCKY BUNCH
Peel Thunder captain Gerald Ugle and veteran Rory O'Brien.

East Fremantle defender Ryan Lester-Smith.

Subiaco ruckman Damon Guiness along with teammates Max Walters and Craig Hoskins. 

Perth's Brett Edmonds, Cody Ninyette, Gordon Narrier and Corey Byrne.

South Fremantle's Brendan Verrier, Blayne Wilson and Ryan Cook.

West Perth's Aaron Black, Andrew Strijk, Michael Lourey and Trent Manzone.

East Perth's Luke Partington and Kurt Mutimer.