Good Friday Grand Final Re-Match to Launch 2023 WAFL SeasonWednesday, February 1, 2023 - 10:05 AM - by Mark Readings

Reigning Premiers West Perth will host last year’s Grand Finalists Claremont to kick off a bumper opening round of the 2023 WAFL season on the Easter Long Weekend in April. 

After winning a thrilling Grand Final to decide the 2022 flag, the Falcons will unfurl the 2022 Premiership flag before playing the Tigers at Pentanet Stadium, one of three matches set for Good Friday. 

Also scheduled for the opening day of the season are Peel Thunder and East Fremantle as the two clubs continue their Good Friday rivalry and East Perth takes on Swan Districts at Leederville Oval, a match featuring new coaches Ross McQueen (Royals) and Andrew Pruyn (Swans). 

Easter Saturday will see Perth play Subiaco at Mineral Resources Park as Peter German takes control of the Demons for the first time against his former club, while South Fremantle begins its campaign against the West Coast Eagles. 

A focus on traditional rivalries and feature rounds will bring excitement across the season, with ANZAC Day, WA Day, Mental Health Round, and NAIDOC Rounds all standouts. 

In a boost for local football, with the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers travelling to South Australia for the AFL’s inaugural Gather Round, the local spotlight will focus on Round 2 of the WAFL on the weekend of April 15/16. 

The competition will again head to the regions, with Claremont hosting East Fremantle in Broome in Round 7, and discussions are underway between stakeholders for a match to be played in Karratha. 

Supporters will get their first taste of Derby action in Round 8 on WA Day, with East Fremantle facing South Fremantle, while East Perth meets West Perth, also on Monday June 5. 

On the bye weekend for the competition, WA will play South Australia in a KIA Australia State Game on Saturday May 20 in Adelaide. 

The 20-round home and away season will be followed by a four-week finals series, culminating with the WAFL Grand Final on Sunday 24th September, a long weekend in Perth at a venue yet to be decided. 

WAFC Executive Manager Football Operations Scott Baker said players, clubs and fans should be excited about another highly competitive WAFL season. 

“After three years affected by the pandemic, the fixture’s priority is to grow and enhance the WAFL, and with every game streamed live on the AFL and Streamer (Colts) app, as well as a game a week broadcast on Channel 7, the competition is more accessible than ever before,” Baker said. 

Viewership for the competition in 2022 attracted nearly 750,000 people across the 7 Network and AFL.com.au as fans consume the best in local football. 

Grand Final Day also produced an audience of nearly 240,000 across the screens of 7 through metropolitan and regional WA. 

The 20-round-home-and-away season aims to provide the fairest fixture for the most exciting state league competition in Australia. 

Opening the season on the Easter Long Weekend is designed to attract strong crowds, allowing our family friendly audience to experience a WAFL match day full of activities. 

WAFL clubs continue to create a fantastic atmosphere for fans and families, alongside the unique chance to listen to coaches and enjoy a kick on the ground at breaks,” Baker said. 

While the traditional timeslot of Saturday afternoon will be consistent throughout the season, the addition of alternative matchdays, including Sundays, provides fans with more opportunities to see their favourite clubs. 

“Playing games across the weekend creates opportunities for the WAFL, including attracting a larger audience, both at the ground and on Channel 7, as well as supporting initiatives such as WA Day and NAIDOC Week,” he said. 

View the full fixtures here.