TABtouch Team of Round 12Wednesday, June 27, 2018 - 12:24 PM - by Chris Pike

THERE were just the three games in Round 12 of the WAFL on Saturday but that didn’t mean there weren’t plenty of standout individual performances especially coming from the winning Subiaco, West Perth and Claremont teams.

With the second placed South Fremantle, eighth placed reigning premiers Peel Thunder and last placed East Fremantle having the Round 12 bye, there were the three matches that took place on Saturday afternoon.

That started at Leederville Oval with Claremont moving to being within percentage of a finals position beating East Perth 14.11 (95) to 9.9 (63) with Jye Bolton and Bailey Rogers especially outstanding while captain Ian Richardson kicked four goals in his 201st game.

West Perth made it 15 straight wins against Perth with the Falcons beating the Demons 15.6 (96) to 11.9 (75) at Joondalup Arena on the back of huge games in the midfield from Aaron Black, Luke Meadows and Shane Nelson, and another four goals from evergreen veteran Andrew Strijk.

Subiaco then again flexed its muscle remaining undefeated atop the ladder in 2018 with a hammering of Swan Districts 19.15 (129) to 6.11 (47) at Steel Blue Oval with most of the Lions team capable of making up the TABtouch Team of Round 12.

Following 12 rounds of the 2018 WAFL season, Subiaco (10-0) sits clear on top of the ladder ahead of South Fremantle (7-3) and West Perth (7-4).

Swan Districts (5-5) and East Perth (4-6) round out the top five in front of Claremont (4-7), Perth (4-7), Peel Thunder (4-6) and East Fremantle (2-9).

M & J CHICKENS PLAYER OF ROUND 12

TABtouch TEAM OF THE ROUND (times named)
BACK: Zac Guadagnin (2), Aaron Heal (4), Michael Sinclair (4)
HALF-BACK: Blake Wilhelm (3), Anton Hamp (4), Bailey Rogers (2)
CENTRE: Aaron Black (5), Leigh Kitchin (2), Josh Deluca (3) 
HALF-FORWARD: Chris Phelan (4), Lachlan Delahunty (7), Brayden Ainsworth (1)
FORWARD: Andrew Strijk (6), Ben Sokol (4), Ian Richardson (1)
RUCK: Zac Clarke (2), Kyal Horsley (8), Jye Bolton (6)
INTERCHANGE: Tobe Watson (2), Luke Meadows (2), Tom Curren (3), Braden Fimmano (1)

BACK POCKET – ZAC GUADAGNIN (West Perth)
For the second straight week he was given a big defensive job by coach Bill Monaghan and the 10-game 20-year-old produced the good to shut down one of the opposition's most dangerous forwards. After a good job on Claremont captain Ian Richardson seven days earlier, he lined up on Perth's leading goalkicker from last year, Cody Ninyette, who kicked five goals last week. He was able to restrict him to just five kicks and no score and West Perth won by 21 points.

FULL-BACK – AARON HEAL (Subiaco)
As much as Subiaco's midfield and dominant might be garnering all the headlines, their defence is equally as effective right now and he led them in that department on Saturday in the 82-point victory against Swan Districts. He finished the afternoon with 28 possessions and eight marks.

BACK POCKET – MICHAEL SINCLAIR (Perth)
He continues to show just how much he was missed through the first half of this season and part of 2017. The 2016 fairest and best winner has a cool head, is strong overhead and at ground level, is solid defensively and tremendous setting up play out of the back half for the Demons. He finished with another 31 possessions and nine marks in Saturday's loss to West Perth.

HALF-BACK FLANK – BLAKE WILHELM (West Perth)
He has virtually stepped into the role that had been filled by either Andrew Strijk or Kody Manning in recent years in the absence of Manning and by doing so, it's allowed Strijk to play forward to great effect. He is doing such a good job off half-back for the Falcons to allow that and he delivered another impressive performance in Saturday's win against Perth with 26 possessions, eight marks, six tackles and three inside-50 entries.

CENTRE HALF-BACK – ANTON HAMP (Claremont)
The experienced Claremont key defender is now in some of the best and most consistent form of his career, both as a defensive stopper and then with the way he's setting up play for the Tigers out of the back-line. Put together another impressive performance in Saturday's important victory against East Perth with 20 possessions and seven marks.

HALF-BACK FLANK – BAILEY ROGERS (Claremont)
He is another Claremont player now in career-best form too. He was on track early last season before suffering a knee injury but now is having a terrific 2018 campaign off half-back for the Tigers. He is now a 40-game player at the Tigers and had the best performance of his career in the win against East Perth finishing with 35 possessions and 16 marks.

WING – AARON BLACK (West Perth)
The West Perth captain led his team from the front in fine style at Joondalup Arena on Saturday helping the Falcons to a solid 21-point win over Perth to stay in touch for a top two finish. He was at his prolific ball-winning best in his 162nd WAFL appearance racking up 39 possessions to go with 11 marks, seven inside-50 entries and a goal.

CENTRE – LEIGH KITCHIN (Subiaco)
It was a remarkably dominant showing from all of Subiaco's midfield in Saturday's win against Swan Districts and he continued his superb form. Ended the game with 37 possessions, six marks, four tackles and a goal.

WING – JOSH DELUCA (Subiaco)
His season might have been interrupted by the three-game suspension, but he has had a superb return to Subiaco this season as a triple WAFL premiership player. Was brilliant once again on Saturday both with his ball-winning ability and pressure on Swan Districts ending up with 31 possessions, 11 tackles, five marks, five inside 50s and a goal.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – CHRIS PHELAN (Subiaco)
The 159-game dual fairest and best winner, and premiership player is right back to his very best form in 2018 after a knee injury hampered his 2017 campaign. Playing in the midfield and also getting forward to be dangerous in front of goals, he is playing remarkably consistent football and had another 31 possessions, five marks and two goals in the big win over Swan Districts.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – LACHLAN DELAHUNTY (Subiaco)
No player is enjoying life at Subiaco more in 2018 than him and it's the continued performance in the ruck of Zac Clarke that's making him all the better. Allowing him to split his time between playing deep forward, roaming up the ground as a hard-leading centre half-forward and having stints in the ruck or as a big-bodied midfielder or wingman, he is doing a bit of everything and is proving unstoppable. Finished with another 22 disposals, 12 marks, nine hit outs, five inside 50s and a goal.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – BRAYDEN AINSWORTH (East Perth)
The first-year West Coast draftee continues to play solid WAFL football with East Perth as he tries to bang down the door to break into the Eagles' AFL side. It was another tough day for the Royals against Claremont on Saturday, but through no fault of his as he delivered 22 disposals, six marks, six tackles and kicked three goals.

FORWARD POCKET – ANDREW STRIJK (West Perth)
The 217-game 30-year-old is enjoying his time playing as a deep forward immensely right now and had another strong showing in Saturday's win against Perth. He has played plenty of great football at half-back and half-forward throughout his glittering career, but he is unstoppable right now deep forward and kicked another four goals to have 17 in his past three games. He also had eight kicks and six marks.

FULL-FORWARD – BEN SOKOL (Subiaco)
Different players in Subiaco's forward-line have continued to stand up right throughout the season and with Brad Stevenson missing on Saturday against Swan Districts, and Rhys Waters and Clancy Wheeler quiet, he had a standout performance in attack for the Lions. Continued his career-best season by kicking three goals from 22 possessions and 14 marks.

FORWARD POCKET – IAN RICHARDSON (Claremont)
The Claremont captain celebrated a significant milestone last week and backed up with a tremendous performance in his 201st game with the Tigers in Saturday's win over East Perth at Leederville Oval. He kicked a game-high four goals to go with 15 disposals, six marks and four tackles.

RUCK – ZAC CLARKE (Subiaco)
Had a bit of a slow start to the 2018 season upon joining Subiaco following his 101-game AFL career at Fremantle given he missed all of 2017 with a knee injury, but he's now thriving with the Lions and putting together some dominant performance. Put together another big game against Swan Districts with 24 possessions, 33 hit outs, nine marks and two goals.

RUCK ROVER – KYAL HORSLEY (Subiaco)
The captain is in some unstoppable form in Subiaco's midfield this season and it was only a matter of time before he was named M & J Chickens Player of the Round like he has been this week. He produced 37 disposals, 11 inside-50 entries, seven marks and two goals in the big win against Swan Districts.

ROVER – JYE BOLTON (Claremont)
Another player in stunning form right now and he has been all season long. He might even be surpassing what he did back in his Sandover Medal season of 2016 when he first arrived at Claremont and he was superb too for most of 2017 when he overcame a sore knee. Was brilliant again on Saturday in the midfield for the Tigers racking up another 35 possessions to go with nine inside-50 entries and five marks.

INTERCHANGE – TOBE WATSON (Swan Districts)
He burst onto the scene in Swan Districts' defence late last season and even during the finals series, showed he had a bright future. Has continued that form right throughout 2018 so far having inherited the No. 11 jumper from Tallan Ames and despite the heavy loss to Subiaco, he finished with 26 possessions, five marks, five tackles and five inside-50 entries on Saturday.

INTERCHANGE – LUKE MEADOWS (West Perth)
In a dominant West Perth midfield on Saturday that included Aaron Black, Shane Nelson, Trent Manzone and Corey Chalmers delivering standout performances, he was superb and continued what is likely his best run of form as an on-baller. Ended the afternoon against Perth with 34 possessions, nine tackles, eight inside-50 entries and seven marks.

INTERCHANGE – TOM CURREN (Claremont)
The former St Kilda AFL player had a slow start to his WAFL career with Claremont this season but he's warming to the task nicely now and has been in outstanding form over the past month. Produced another impressive performance in the win against East Perth at Leederville Oval with 29 possessions, seven marks, three tackles and a goal.

INTERCHANGE – BRADEN FIMMANO (Subiaco)
One of the most impressive aspects of Subiaco's dominant season is the fact they continue to blood debutants and provide opportunities to other players who are grabbing them with both hands. The former South Fremantle player is certainly one of those and played the best of his 22-game WAFL career on Saturday with 26 possessions, nine marks, four tackles and three inside-50 entries.

UNLUCKY BUNCH
There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 12 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Round, including:

West Perth's Shane Nelson, Trent Manzone, Steve Potente, Ben King and Tyler Keitel.

Perth's Clint Jones, Brant Colledge, Matt Taylor, Ben Giobbi and Michael Bennell.

Swan Districts' Matt Riggio, Matthew Rogers, Corey Gault and Brayden Hackett.

Subiaco's Greg Clark, Max Walters, Jordan Lockyer and Drew Rohde.

East Perth's Luke Partington, Dom Sheed, Stan Wright, Francis Watson and Brendon Ah Chee.

Claremont's Kane Mitchell, Lachlan Martinis, Jared Hardisty, 100-gamer Haydn Busher and Tom Lee.