wafl.com.au Team and Player of Round 15Tuesday, July 4, 2017 - 12:53 PM - by Chris Pike

HORRIBLE weather conditions on Saturday set the scene for Subiaco's Kyal Horsley and Leigh Kitchin, Swan Districts' David Ellard and Adam Faulkner, Claremont's Jye Bolton and East Perth's Patrick McGinnity to shine, but it was a string of big men and a Peel premiership defender who also starred.

The worst weather of the season greeted all eight clubs in the four games on Saturday afternoon but it did produce some fascinating and important results.

Subiaco held off West Perth at HBF Arena to win 6.11 (47) to 4.12 (36). It was a 12th straight win for the Lions on the back of strong midfield efforts from Horsley and Kitchin. 

East Perth kept its finals hopes alive with a 16.7 (103) to 6.6 (42) victory over East Fremantle at Leederville Oval with Scott Lycett and Jonathan Giles combining for 122 hit outs, and McGinnity racking up 37 possessions.

Peel Thunder also scored a third successive victory beating Claremont 8.5 (53) to 6.15 (51) at Bendigo Bank Stadium with Ryan Nyhuis outstanding down back for the reigning premiers.

Swan Districts also had to come from behind to beat Perth 11.7 (73) to 9.12 (66) at Lathlain Park with Ellard and Faulkner strong performance, and big men Ricky Cary and Corey Gault standing tall.

The Round 15 results leave Subiaco (12-1) clear on top of the ladder ahead of South Fremantle (9-4) who had the bye. Peel Thunder (8-5) is third in front of Swan Districts (8-5) and West Perth (7-6).

Claremont (6-7) is sixth and East Perth (6-7) seventh with Perth (2-12) and East Fremantle (1-12) fighting over avoiding the wooden spoon.

wafl.com.au PLAYER OF THE ROUND – RYAN NYHUIS (Peel Thunder)

The premiership defender had a slow start to 2017 through injury but he is building form nicely and he must be closing in on an AFL debut at Fremantle following Saturday's showing in the important win over Claremont.

He was given a lot of big jobs last year in his first season after being drafted to the Dockers from the Northern Territory Thunder. He was tasked with playing on the best opposition small forwards pretty much all season and was pivotal in the run through the finals all the way to Peel's maiden premiership triumph.

He then missed the opening month of the 2017 season, but his form has been coming together impressively again in recent weeks and he likely played the best of his 25-game league career on Saturday.

It was a crucial two-point win for Peel against Claremont to remain in third position and he was instrumental in the back-line finishing with 30 possessions, six marks, four tackles and three entries inside the forward 50.

wafl.com.au TEAM OF THE ROUND (times named)
BACK: Scott Nelson (2), Haydn Busher (2), Ryan Nyhuis (3)
HALF-BACK: Corey Adamson (3), Alex Howard (3), Kody Manning (5)
CENTRE: Kyal Horsley (6), Jye Bolton (4), Kurt Mutimer (1)
HALF-FORWARD: Zac Langdon (3), Fraser McInnes (3), Ben Miller (1)
FORWARD: Callum Papertalk (2), Ricky Cary (5), Adam Creeper (1)
RUCK: Scott Lycett (1), Leigh Kitchin (5), Patrick McGinnity (1)
INTERCHANGE: Corey Gault (4), Craig Hoskins (2), Clint Jones (5), David Ellard (4)

BACK POCKET – SCOTT NELSON (West Perth)
The first-year small defender continues to show that he is among the best in his position in the competition despite being just 19 years of age. Was given the job on his ex-colts teammate at West Perth Liam Baker on Saturday and blanketed him. At one point when the pair was in West Perth's forward-line, he also caught Baker holding the ball and went back to kick the first league goal of his career.

FULL-BACK – HAYDN BUSHER (Claremont)
He really has found his place as a key defender at Claremont having spent the early years of his career both at Perth and then the Tigers as a forward, pinch-hit ruckman and even a big midfielder or wingman. But as a defender he is showing he can do well opposed to some of the best key forwards going around, but also do well intercepting attacks and setting up play going the other way. Had another 21 possessions and six marks against Peel on Saturday.

HALF-BACK FLANK – COREY ADAMSON (Subiaco)
He always appeared to be developing well the past two years as a rookie at West Coast while playing in the WAFL at East Perth having made the transition from baseball. But now he has gone to another level with Subiaco in 2017 and has settled into a role at half-back. He was rewarded with state selection and his big body and hardness were well suited to the tough conditions on Saturday and delivered 22 possessions and 11 tackles in the win over West Perth. Also kicked the only two goals of his season to date in the second quarter.

CENTRE HALF-BACK – ALEX HOWARD (Swan Districts)
Swan Districts' back-line has been the club's great strength this season conceding just 77.6 points a game and now as a 104-game player, he is a strong, experienced presence in the defence. Without Tallan Ames, stood tall again in Saturday's win over Perth and finished with a composed 19 touches, four marks and four tackles.

HALF-BACK FLANK – KODY MANNING (West Perth)
The hard man of the competition continues to show that there's much more to his game than his toughness and fierce attack on the ball and opposition, but if anyone was suited to Saturday's conditions it was him. He was again given the job on Subiaco livewire Liam Ryan and they were often isolated deep in the Lions' forward-line. Ryan still kicked two goals from five shots, but he was tremendous winning the majority of their contests and finishing with 19 possessions and six tackles.

WING – KYAL HORSLEY (Subiaco)
The Subiaco skipper moved into a role as an inside midfielder given the conditions on Saturday at HBF Arena against West Perth and he was outstanding. The conditions called for winning the ball in close and getting it onto your boot quickly to gain territory. He proved he was the best at that on the field in his 28 possessions, 12 tackles and five inside-50 entries.

CENTRE – JYE BOLTON (Claremont)
The Sandover Medallist might have had his first half of 2017 hindered by a sore knee he battled through, but he looks to be back to full health now and his form is illustrating that. Was instrumental again in the midfield for Claremont on Saturday to give the Tigers a shot at a fourth straight win even if he will rue his three behinds. Still was tremendous with 29 possessions, seven tackles, five marks and five entries inside the forward 50.

WING – KURT MUTIMER (East Perth)
Continues to put his name up for a recall into the West Coast team after his hot early season form earned him his AFL debut. Handled the difficult conditions at Leederville Oval against East Fremantle well on Saturday to finish with a damaging and impressive 32 possessions, eight inside-50 entries, seven tackles and two goals.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – ZAC LANGDON (Claremont)
The livewire half-forward had a blistering start to the 2017 along with his team before suffering a nasty concussion against South Fremantle on Good Friday. Was playing his third league game back in Mandurah on Saturday and the conditions weren’t suited for forwards, but he worked hard and still contributed two goals from 10 kicks and eight tackles.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – FRASER MCINNES (East Perth)
The conditions were hardly tailor made for big men on Saturday but East Perth's tall department from West Coast were all strong contributors in the big win over East Fremantle. He was included in that spending the day as a forward target and kicking three goals from 17 possessions, four marks and four inside-50 entries.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – BEN MILLER (East Perth)
It was a day for East Perth to showcase some of its emerging youth in the win over East Fremantle on Saturday. He was one of four debutants alongside Nelson Waite, Jack Hick and Asher Samelko, and he was outstanding in the difficult weather. Finished with a tremendously impressive two goals from 22 disposals and six tackles.

FORWARD POCKET – CALLUM PAPERTALK (Perth)
He has been around a long time at East Fremantle, West Perth and Perth while also spending time at West Coast, but Saturday was just the sixth league game for the 24-year-old. Again the weather meant it was never a day cut out for forwards, but he continues to show he can make his mark as an opportunist goal kicker at WAFL level booting two majors while also working hard for 17 possessions, four marks and three tackles.

FULL-FORWARD – RICKY CARY (Swan Districts)
It was hardly a day made for key forwards of his size. But with Swan Districts needing to come from behind to Perth at Lathlain Park on Saturday, he stood up well in the second half to kick three goals from 13 possessions. Has now kicked 10 goals the past fortnight.

FORWARD POCKET – ADAM CREEPER (Subiaco)
The conditions certainly went made for a man his size at 194cm, but whether in the ruck or playing deep forward he had a tremendous impact and played the best of his three league games with Subiaco. Put his body on the line and was tremendously impressive in his 19 possessions, six tackles, 26 hit outs and then the first goal of his career that steadied the Lions early in the last quarter with an impressive snap.

RUCK – SCOTT LYCETT (East Perth)
Was playing his fourth game of the season on return from injury and couldn’t have possibly been more impressive in conditions hardly suited to someone his size. The weather did create more stoppages than usual and he took full advantage in the ruck with a monstrous 67 hit outs opposed to former Carlton key position player Matthew Watson. Added 21 disposals, six tackles and a goal as well to put his hand up for his first AFL game of 2017.

RUCK ROVER – LEIGH KITCHIN (Subiaco)
The prolific and hard-nosed ball winner thrived in the tough conditions against West Perth at Joondalup on Saturday and had another big say in Subiaco claiming its 12th consecutive victory. His clean hands in the conditions and ability to drive the ball forward quickly were important. Finished with 27 disposals, including 21 kicks, to go with five tackles and four inside 50s.

ROVER – PATRICK MCGINNITY (East Perth)
Delivered his best performance as East Perth captain this season in the 61-point win over East Fremantle. Thrived in the challenging wet, windy and cold conditions at Leederville Oval by producing 37 possessions, five tackles, six inside-50 entries and a goal.

INTERCHANGE – COREY GAULT (Swan Districts)
Had it not been for the efforts of Scott Lycett, he would have been the standout ruckman for the round after delivering 23 possessions, 51 hit outs, four marks and three tackles in Swans' win over Perth on Saturday. Continues to thrive in the ruck in his first season back at Swan Districts after his AFL stint with Collingwood.

INTERCHANGE – CLINT JONES (Perth)
The Demons skipper continues to perform at an outstanding level no matter how his team is going, the conditions or what sort of attention he receives. Is the most consistent midfielder in the WAFL and had another strong 36 possessions, nine tackles, eight inside 50s and five marks in Saturday's narrow loss to Swan Districts at Lathlain Park.

INTERCHANGE – DAVID ELLARD (Swan Districts)
In the absence of Tallan Ames, is leading Swan Districts tremendously well and while injury limited his impact in the AFL at Carlton, his body is holding up well to the rigors as a midfielder in the WAFL. Led from the front again in the come from behind win over Perth with 24 possessions and nine tackles.

INTERCHANGE – CRAIG HOSKINS (Subiaco)
Continues to be an unheralded yet supremely important member of the Subiaco team in the midfield. Was given the job on prolific West Perth ball winner Shane Nelson and held him to just 16 disposals while racking up 20 himself to go with seven tackles.

UNLUCKY BUNCH
There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 15 but couldn’t quite squeeze into the Team of the Round, including:

Perth's Corey Byrne and Devin McFarlane.

Swan Districts' Kirk Ugle and Adam Faulkner.

West Perth's Luke Meadows, Andrew Strijk and Aidan Lynch.

Subiaco's Scott Hancock and Adam Cockie.

East Perth's Stan Wright and Tom Lamb.

East Fremantle's Cameron Eardley, Dion Anthony and Josh Cuneo.

Peel Thunder's Sam Collins, Rory O'Brien, Garrick Ibbotson, Traye Bennell, Taylin Duman.

Claremont's Keifer Yu, Ian Richardson, Jared Hardisty and Bailey Banfield.