TABtouch Team of Round 3Tuesday, April 23, 2019 - 10:57 AM - by Chris Pike

EASTER Round in the WAFL saw wins for Subiaco, Peel Thunder, Perth, Claremont and South Fremantle with some standout individual performances including from Haiden Schloithe, Declan Mountford, Blair Bell and Bailey Banfield in the race for Player of the Round honours.

Round 3 in the WAFL across Easter began on Good Friday with Subiaco hosting the West Coast Eagles at Leederville Oval. The Lions came from behind in the last quarter to win 8.12 (60) to 6.9 (45).

The other Good Friday fixture took place at Mandurah's David Grays Arena with Peel Thunder also coming from behind to beat East Fremantle 12.13 (85) to 11.7 (73).

There were two more matches that took place on Saturday with Claremont proving too strong for East Perth, winning 11.9 (75) to 5.5 (35) at Leederville Oval while Perth held off Swan Districts to win 11.8 (74) to 8.17 (65) at Steel Blue Oval.

The round concluded on Sunday afternoon at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with South Fremantle beating West Perth 11.12 (78) to 10.2 (62).

The results after three rounds leave Claremont, Subiaco and Perth all undefeated after winning their opening three matches of the season.

South Fremantle and Peel Thunder both hold 2-1 records with the West Coast Eagles and East Perth both 1-2. Swan Districts, West Perth and East Fremantle are all 0-3.

PLAYER OF THE ROUND – HAIDEN SCHLOITHE    
With the loss of a host of champions from last season at Subiaco, the 2017 Sandover Medallist will be called upon even more in 2019 but in turn will also receive even greater attention from the opposition.

But he showed his quality on Sunday in a best on ground performance in South Fremantle's 16-point win against West Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Having started the season solidly enough for the Bulldogs in the win over Swan Districts and loss to Perth where he split his time between playing on the ball and up forward, he did the same on Sunday but perhaps spent a little more time in the midfield.

He also had to deal with West Perth's Laine Rasmussen running with him throughout the afternoon, but that only seemed to spur him on further as he delivered a tremendous performance.

His afternoon ended up being made up of 27 possessions, five tackles, five inside-50 entries, three marks and two goals with his class and ability to use the ball while having plenty of time making him a quality above most on the field.

Now a 131-game WAFL veteran on top of being a Sandover Medallist and dual fairest and best winner, he looks primed for a standout 2019 season for the Bulldogs.

Players of the Round
Round 1 – Kyal Horsley (Subiaco)
Round 2 – Anton Hamp (Claremont)
Round 3 – Haiden Schloithe (South Fremantle)

BACK POCKET – ANGUS LITHERLAND (Subiaco)
The reliable defender has made another solid start to the season with Subiaco on the back of last year's premiership triumph. It's a rock solid combination he's part of with Aaron Heal back and Jordan Lockyer, Hayden Kennedy and Greg Clark alongside. Delivered a strong showing in Good Friday's win over the Eagles 23 possessions, two marks and two inside-50 entries.

FULL-BACK – ALEX HOWARD (Swan Districts)
Is one of the great quiet achievers of the WAFL who now has racked up 134 games with Swan Districts and continues to do his job week after week in the Swan Districts' back-line. Along with Tony Notte, the pair kept Perth key forwards Sam Garstone and Guy Langdon in check on Saturday while he also finished with 21 possessions and seven marks.

BACK POCKET – TOBE WATSON (Peel Thunder)
Having cemented himself as a quality league footballer with Swan Districts last year, the Dockers rookie continues to grow in his first season on an AFL list and wouldn’t be too far away from an AFL debut if his strong start to 2019 continues. Had another strong showing on Good Friday in the win over East Fremantle with 24 possessions, eight marks, four tackles and three inside-50 entries.

HALF-BACK FLANK – JAYDEN SCHOFIELD (East Fremantle)
The East Fremantle fairest and best winner of 2017 is right back to top form based on his showing on Good Friday in East Fremantle's narrow loss to Peel in Mandurah. Whether off half-back or the wing, or drifting forward, he had a significant impact on the contest finishing the afternoon with 27 possessions, six marks, four tackles and two goals. It's the first time he has kicked multiple goals in a match since 2014.

CENTRE HALF-BACK – MICHAEL SINCLAIR (Perth)
The ever reliable and consistent Perth defender just continues to perform week after week. Even when the Demons have been struggling throughout his career, he has been a shining light as an intercept and setup defender and that is continuing in an improved team in 2019. While Mitch Lague and Clayton Giblett are holding down the key posts, he is able to play the third tall to a tee and had another 23 disposals, seven marks and three tackles.

HALF-BACK FLANK – BAILEY ROGERS (Claremont)
The creative half-back has started the 2019 season in outstanding form and for the second week out of the opening three rounds, finds himself in the Team of the Week. It's an impressive defensive unit he's part of alongside the likes of Anton Hamp, Declan Hardisty and Lachlan Martinis, and he is providing the Tigers with great run and drive out of defence. Had another 28 possessions and 10 marks in Saturday's win over East Perth.

WING – KYAL HORSLEY (Subiaco)
The ex-skipper looks to be enjoying the freedom of just focusing on his football and not the captaincy. Not to say he didn’t thrive with the captaincy as well because he certainly did, but he has started the new season tremendous fashion for the Lions and produced another 29 disposals, five marks, five tackles and four inside 50s on Good Friday against West Coast.

CENTRE – JACKSON RAMSAY (East Perth)
His season was over before it started in 2018 due to requiring a knee reconstruction on his return to East Perth, but he has started 2019 in tremendous form in the midfield for the Royals 12 months on from that. Showing no ill-effects from a year out of the game, he had another 29 disposals, seven marks, five inside-50 entries and three tackles in Saturday's game against Claremont.

WING – CLINT JONES (Perth)
The former Perth skipper is enjoying being part of an undefeated team so far in 2019. With 149 AFL and now 144 WAFL games under his belt, he's showing no signs of slowing down. Spend most of Saturday's game opposed to Swan Districts' Steven Payne on the win in the narrow win for the Demons. Also had stints on the ball and ended up with 32 possessions, six marks, six tackles and four inside 50s.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – LEIGH KOHLMANN (Swan Districts)
He returned to Swan Districts this season with the hopes of providing a strong marking target in attack. The first two weeks didn’t quite go to plan but he was persevered with and that paid off on Saturday against Perth where his strong marking was instrumental in the Black Ducks almost beating Perth. Finished the afternoon with three goals from 15 possessions and seven marks.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – JOSH CIPRO (Swan Districts)
Is one emerging player to grab his opportunities and improve rapidly already in 2019 at Swan Districts and he did well combining his role of playing in the midfield and then swapping in the forward-line on Saturday against Perth. Ended up kicking three goals to go with 21 possessions and five marks.

FORWARD POCKET – RHYS WATERS (Subiaco)
Has now turned himself into a consistently reliable and solid option in attack for a dominant Subiaco outfit and put in another good showing against the Eagles on Good Friday. Ended up kicking three goals from nine kicks, three marks and four entries inside the forward 50.

FULL-FORWARD – BLAIR BELL (Peel Thunder)
The powerful dual premiership forward played his first game of the season on Good Friday and had a big say in Peel's eventual win over East Fremantle on home soil. Kicked five goals for the Thunder on the back of 15 possessions, four tackles and three marks in an imposing performance.

FORWARD POCKET – ALEC WATERMAN (Claremont)
After playing his first league game since 2015 last week in the win against West Perth, he backed up with an impressive display in the forward-line in Saturday's win over East Perth putting behind his horror run with illness behind him. Kicked three goals for the Tigers from 17 possessions, eight marks and four tackles.

RUCK – BROCK HIGGINS (South Fremantle)
The ultimate workhorse ruckman continues to thrive on the responsibility of carrying the load for South Fremantle in the middle of the ground. For the third straight week to start the season he is the standout ruckman in the WAFL and with West Perth opting to drop Troy Yukich against him on Sunday and going with Michael Lourey and debutant Ben Delaporte instead, he dominated the game with 19 possessions, 53 hit outs and four marks.

RUCK ROVER – BAILEY BANFIELD (Peel Thunder)
The Claremont fairest and best winner of 2017 and Fremantle AFL player who had a good season at the Dockers in 2018 made it tough for him to be overlooked for a call up this week after his performance on Good Friday for the Thunder. Led the way in the comeback victory over East Fremantle with 31 possessions, nine inside-50 entries, eight tackles, four marks and two goals.

ROVER – DECLAN MOUNTFORD (Claremont)
Returned to Claremont from North Melbourne this season with big expectations and isn’t disappointing to start 2019 as part of a Claremont midfield that also includes Sandover Medallists Jye Bolton and Kane Mitchell. He was superb in Saturday's win against East Perth with 30 touches, seven marks, three inside 50s and a goal.

INTERCHANGE – JARROD BRANDER (West Coast)
While initially drafted by West Coast as a key forward, is now showing his flexibility and at least for now is turning himself into a more than handy wingman who has good size and running ability to make him a challenging match up. Was terrific despite the Good Friday loss to Subiaco with 23 possessions, six marks, four inside 50s and two goals.

INTERCHANGE – KEEGAN BROOKSBY (West Coast)
The first-year ruckman for the Eagles has started impressively leading the ruck for West Coast in the WAFL. He clearly won his battle on Good Friday against Subiaco's Tim Sutherland, ending up with some impressive numbers including 21 possessions, 42 hit outs and six tackles.

INTERCHANGE – JAKE FLORENCA (South Fremantle)
He has been waiting for the opportunity that is presenting in 2019 for a regular spot in the South Fremantle midfield and looks ready to embrace the chance and become a regularly strong performer for the Bulldogs. Was tremendous in Sunday's win against West Perth with 29 possessions and five tackles.

INTERCHANGE – TONY OLANGO (East Perth)
The big man has been trying to find a role he is best suited to this year with East Perth and it might be as a key defender where he can make his mark with his athletic gifts, size and length, and ability to then lockdown on some of the best power forwards in the league. He had the job on Claremont's Tom Lee on Saturday and did an impressive job holding him to one goal and five kicks.
 

UNLUCKY BUNCH
There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 3 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Round, including:

Subiaco's Josh Deluca, Leigh Kitchin, Lachlan Delahunty, Rowen Powell, Braden Fimmano and Ryan Borchet.

West Coast Eagles' Brendon Ah Chee, Andrew Fisher, Matthew Allen and Jackson Nelson.

Peel Thunder's Bailey Bewley, Lachie Schultz, Tom North, Jackson Merrett and Sean Darcy.

East Fremantle's Cameron Eardley, Blaine Boekhorst, Milan Murdock, Kody Manning, Jarrad Jansen, Matthew Jupp and Corey Holmes.

East Perth's Patrick McGinnity, Nathan Blee, Shaquille McKenzie, Rohan Kerr, Angus Scott and Jaxon Cahill.

Claremont's Ryan Murphy, Jye Bolton, Kane Mitchell, Lachlan Martinis, Ian Richardson and Anton Hamp.

Swan Districts' George Hampson, Jesse Turner and Tony Stephens.

Perth's Corey Yeo, Brant Colledge, Corey Byrne, Matthew Taylor, Christian Eyres, Cody Ninyette and Mitch Lague.

South Fremantle's Jacob Dragovich, Brendan Verrier, Dylan Main, Kade Stewart, Chad Pearson, Blayne Wilson and Dion Munkara.

West Perth's Aaron Black, Mitch Peirce, Blake Wilhelm, Kris Shannon, Dean Munns and Tyler Keitel.