WAFLW 2023 Season PreviewThursday, March 9, 2023 - 4:31 PM - by Chris Pike

ANOTHER new team enters the WAFLW competition for the 2023 season beginning this weekend with East Perth the latest entrant making eight sides competing for the premiership.

Last season's WAFLW competition saw the level of play across the competition, the depth of talent and the interest in it all continue to rise which culminated in a remarkable Grand Final where Claremont secured the upset against the previously undefeated East Fremantle.

With Peel Thunder and Swan Districts also right in the mix, Subiaco not far behind and then South Fremantle emerging as a competitive outfit, and West Perth learning the lessons of a new team, it was a fascinating 2022 season.

Now in 2023, those teams are all looking to put themselves in the mix for a premiership again with South Fremantle trying to make the leap from being competitive to playing finals, and West Perth chasing that elusive first win.

East Perth is the latest team to enter the league and with eight clubs now vying for the 2023 WAFLW premiership, let's take a look at how they shape up coming into the season.

CLAREMONT
Last season: Premiers. 11-3 record, second position
Coach: Jack Schwarze
Co-captains: Rachel Ortlepp, Andie Payne

Claremont pulled off a stunning Grand Final upset last year to beat the previously undefeated East Fremantle to claim the 2022 WAFLW premiership. It was a performance that capped off the Tigers' rise to being the trend setters in female football and that's why they are confident of remaining a force throughout 2023 despite the loss of plenty of that premiership talent. That includes Ella Smith, Sasha Goranova, Mikayla Western, Emily Elkington, Maddie Scanlon, Tessa Doumanis, Brooke Hongell, Katherine Bennett, Mhicca Carter and Tayla Thorogood. But the Tigers like the talent they still have, have plenty to call up from last year's reserves premiership team and their Rogers Cup and will be around the mark once more.

From the coach:
"The squad is connecting really well despite a large turnover from the premiership side. They train well together and challenge each other to be better and it’s probably the closest I’ve seen this team and the best culture I’ve been a part of," Schwarze said.

"It’s a very hungry squad so there’s no complacency here. We’re fired up and relishing the challenge of no longer being the underdog. We have an internal philosophy around growth and constantly looking to improve which is driving everyone as much as the lure of going back-to-back.

"There’s no hiding the fact our outs list is longer than our ins with six players moving to the AFLW. Players such as Ella Smith, Sasha Goranova, Mikayla Western, Emily Elkington, Madeleine Scanlon and Tessa Doumanis, as well as Brooke Hongell and Katherine Bennett moving back to West Perth.

"Then there’s Mhicca Carter and Tayla Thorogood who’ve moved on from football. But those holes have already been filled, mostly from within, whether its graduating Rogers Cup players to reserves premiership players who’ve stepped up. We’ve also welcomed Jayme Harken and Taylah Orzel to the club."

From the captain:
"It’s the first time in Tigers history that we’ve been on this position and I think it’ll definitely present some interesting challenges as the season goes on," Ortlepp said.

"We had a lot of supporters in the grand final who were cheering for us as underdogs, but we know that we’ll have teams eager to knock us off this year. We have some nice rivalries across the competition, and I’m sure we’ll add some more chapters to those.

"Even though my co-captain from last year, Ella Smith, has moved onto West Coast, there has been a heap of support from other leaders in the group. We like to think we're the sort of skippers who'll speak up when we believe it’s necessary but will also trust the team around us. 

"There are so many natural leaders at Claremont, and I believe it’s important that your captaincy style is adaptable to the people and the team."

EAST FREMANTLE
Last season: Lost Grand Final. 14-0 record, minor premiers
Coach: Steph Walding
Captain: Ashleigh Gomes

East Fremantle were the dominant team of the 2022 WAFLW season going through undefeated heading into the Grand Final where they were upset in stunning fashion by Claremont. While that certainly wasn’t the finish they were after, having such a standout season means plenty is being done well at the Sharks even if they have a fourth coach in as many seasons, and have had some significant player turnover. Steph Walding replaces Matt Templeton as coach while Alex Williams, Torrie Revel and Kate Inglis-Hodge are among the players to move on, the Sharks are still full of talent and motivation coming into 2023.

From the coach:
"I'm really familiar with the group so the step up has been pretty smooth so far. There's obviously a lot of extra responsibilities and planning involved but that's a part of football I really enjoy so it's been nice," Walding said.

"I've got really good support around me in terms of assistants so they allow me to focus on what's important. If anything, we'll just look to build on what Matt did last year. We finished two goals off a premiership so I'd be crazy to try and move away from what Matt was doing.

"We'll play a similar style, but we're looking to take it up a few notches and add some extra strings to our bow to enable us to continue to improve and stay in the premiership hunt. Our biggest inclusions might come from our Youth Girls Squad. The likes of Maya Louvell-Finn and Caylen Crook will be knocking on the door for a league debut.
 
"Young Madi Evans has also had a great pre-season, and when you add some recruits from the Amateurs the depth of the squad is fantastic. The group has gone to another level since we returned to training in January and the competition is really on for positions come Round 1."

From the captain:
"Being captain is always a huge honour and I’d describe my style as approachable, loyal, determined, and authentically myself," Gomes said.

"I love to drive standards but in saying that I also like to have fun, with a healthy balance of setting the tone and being serious. I’ve been around for a while now and I think new coach Steph Walding has really pushed up our standards.

"The vibe this year is exciting, fresh and really positive. We’ve all come into the pre-season eager and determined, with Steph backing us in and challenging us. For me, Steph has been a great mentor and role model over the past few years, so to be playing under her again it feels surreal.

"Last year our trademark word was 'redemption' and I believe we did that after a disappointing 2021 season. We’re not going to let last year’s Grand Final loss define us as a football club. In 2023 we have 'unfinished business'."

SWAN DISTRICTS
Last season: Lost preliminary final. 6-8 record, fourth position
Coach: Adam Dancey
Captain: Jess Cox

On the back of being the standout team of 2021 before losing heartbreakingly in the Grand Final to Peel Thunder, Swan Districts were again around the mark in 2022 and reached the preliminary final before just falling short of Claremont. There have been significant changes on the personnel front at Steel Blue Oval coming into 2023 as they look to put themselves back in the premiership hunt. There are the arrivals at Swan Districts of Daisy Rigby, Indiana West, Brooke Edwards, Jasmine Ware, Lauren Quaiffe and Meg Clayton. Some quality and experienced players have also moved on including Lauren Osborne, Ashley Sharp, Emily McGuire, Amy Ralph and Melisha Hardy. With Adam Dancey remaining in charge as coach, he'll be looking to take Swans to that elusive first WAFLW premiership.

From the coach:
"We're different again and we've been different every year. This is my third year with the club so I suppose you look at the first year and think it was really cool," Dancey said.

"The second year, we didn’t do too bad but we had a lot of different challenges and disruptions. Now this season, we've deliberately gone different and we are going to look different with our jumpers, the way the team is structured is different and our size and speed will be different. 

"We've really tried to make sure that we're grabbing hold of talent who wants to be part of what we're building. That's going to represent change for us which is really good. Where that leads us nobody knows, but the reality is that we want to win the flag. 

"We're chasing a premiership and were not going to hide from that, and we've spoken to the girls about it. It may or may not happen, a lot of things have to go right to win a premiership throughout the entirety of the year. But that's what we're chasing, it's state league footy and we want to be the best. 

"We think we've got the group to do that, but every team at this stage is going to say that. With the player movement and the extra teams coming in, I think everyone will look a little bit different so it will be about assessing after the first half of the season where we sit and what we need to do to make sure we're still in the hunt for the premiership."

From the captain:
"Being elected captain for a second year straight is super special and it is a huge honour to work with such great characters at the club," Cox said. 

"The opportunity to build off of last year and go into a new season with a strong and true leadership group gives us the best opportunity to continue our growth as one. "I enjoyed every moment of challenge, vulnerability and joy that my first year of captaining came with and has to be one of my highlights in my football career.

"This opportunity has been a massive learning curve and a journey of figuring out how we as a team can create a culture of trust so that we could feel safe and improve with the team values as our guidance. One club……one team. It was super important to be honest in understanding that I didn’t have to have all the answers and knowing your team on and off the field was key."

PEEL THUNDER
Last season: Lost elimination final. 8-6 record, third position
Coach: Steve Markham
Captain: Ebony Dowson

Peel Thunder's quest for a premiership hat-trick didn’t quite come to fruition in 2022 but they did again play finals and there's every reason to suggest they will be among the teams to beat again in 2023. The Thunder are another team to have undergone significant player turnover this off-season too with the departures of Ella Roberts, Kate Bartlett and Jaide Britton into the AFLW with Whitney Benson and Lauren Quaiffe also moving on. However, Abby Barnden has returned to Peel after a year off with Evie Cowcher among the players ready to step up from the Rogers Cup team.

From the coach:
"2022 was frustrating because of Covid and we struggled to settle the side down with five or six changes a week. Our best football was as good as anyone but consistency let us down, so to finish third on the ladder with limited players available was a decent result," Markham said.

"The final we played against Swans was a cracker and much like our season we didn’t quite get the job done and losing Kate Bartlett just before the finals was a massive loss. But we also had some huge positives with the emergence of Joria Haines, Arianne Norris, Lara Thomas and Ciera O’Donnell playing regular WAFLW matches as underage players.

"We’re a young side and I’m excited about how the group is progressing. We had a big off season trying to recruit some experience after a big turnover of players, but because we didn’t secure as many as we would have liked we’ll focus on developing talent.

"The hunger and drive are still there and the players who’ve tasted success want to get back to the top again. With the enthusiasm of the younger players to make a mark in the competition, we’re in a good place."

From the captain:
"I was really excited when offered the position. I’ve worked hard to be myself and a role model, so this is rewarding to be recognised by my teammates," Dowson said.

"I want to be someone that everyone on the team and in the stands watching can look up to. Working hard on and off the field is a quality I hope I can pass on to young players coming through.

"My aim is to be approachable and supportive while pushing the players to be the best versions of themselves.

"We have a lot of new faces at the club who have a lot of potential and are working hard to play WAFLW. We’re always going to push to play finals but we also want to develop our club and take our team on a journey. 

Of course we all want another flag, but we won’t put that sort of pressure on ourselves. We know what the goal is but we’ll take each game on as it comes. We have a great group of people around us, players, families, Peel staff and supporters and we’ll take the season on together. Bring on 2023."

SUBIACO
Last season: 6-8, fifth position
Coach: Michael Farmer
Captain: Tarnica Golisano

Subiaco narrowly missed out on finals in 2022 but were once again a competitive WAFLW outfit after a slow start to the season and while the Lions are another team to have lost plenty of experience and quality this off-season, there is every reason to suggest they are going to be right in the finals mix once more. Joanne Cregg is one new arrival at Subiaco in 2023 with a Gaelic football background while Kia Buckley has returned after a year off and the Lions squad will still feature the likes of Tarnica Golisano, Tiah Toth, Madizen Wilkins, Liana Burchell and Tess Lyons.

From the coach:
"We reflected and reviewed pretty hard as a group last year and the biggest change we implemented was having more support around the players," Farmer said.

"We have an amazing strength and conditioning coach, a really good wellbeing program and introduced a leadership role which Janelle Cuthbertson oversees. 2022 was a really good learning opportunity for the group.
 
"We want to be competitive and consistent. We believe we have a really good group but it’s a vastly different group to last year so preparing new players for league footy is the challenge.

"The group has changed so much since I started in 2021, but I feel we have a number of players in our squad that have played more than 25 games at league level and most of those are 20-22 years of age, so the experience is there.

"Top that up with Tarni Golisano, Tiah Toth, Madizen Wilkins, Liana Burchell and Tess Lyons and we have a really balanced side of youth and experience. What really excites me though is the level of talent coming through aged 16-18 who are going to play a part in the club’s push for success over a number of years."

From the captain:
"I’m sure you can imagine, we were extremely disappointed to miss out on the finals last year. There’s no doubt that’s fuelling us, and we identified areas that needed improvement at the end of last season and have been working really hard on those throughout the pre-season," Golisano said.

"I’m extremely excited to have been selected to captain the girls again this year, for the third year in a row. I love to share my passion, knowledge and experience with others and especially with the young girls who are the future of our club.

I’m humbled and proud to have this role and can’t wait to see what we can do as a collective this year. My leadership has definitely grown over the years and I feel through my job during the week as a teacher I’ve learnt how to approach a variety of situations, especially with young athletes.

"I’m extremely passionate about supporting and mentoring the future of not only our club but the AFLW as well. This year we have a relatively new and fresh group of girls. In my opinion, we’ve had one of the best pre-seasons in a while and I’m really excited to see how we begin in March.

"We have really strong expectations this year and are making sure we hold one another accountable. The group is really excited, firing and ready to go."

SOUTH FREMANTLE
Last season: 4-10 record, sixth position
Coach: Craig McNaughton
Captain: Lauren Vecchio

South Fremantle broke through not only for a first ever WAFLW win last year after tough initiation into the competition, but the Bulldogs pulled together four wins, unearthed some exciting and really, weren’t too far away from being a legitimate finals contender. That's now the goal of the Bulldogs in 2023 and they aren’t shying away from that. While the Bulldogs have lost Lauren and Zoe Wakfer, and Poppy Stockwell, they have plenty of emerging talent, have added some new faces and will be looking to continue their rise this season.

From the coach:
"We learnt a lot in 2022 being a new coaching group and support staff, and we only had a League squad with no reserves team which was different," McNaughton said.

"It was a year of getting to know one another and work out how we wanted to play. With all that behind us we’ve been able to focus on player development and the 2023 squad has changed by a third as we’ve focussed more on recruiting than just internal development.

"We wanted to educate and establish new standards across the board, and for the group to take ownership of those standards. We wanted to increase our game day competitiveness and started the process of making sure everyone understood what that meant and what was required to achieve that.

"It was great to get a few wins, especially for the players who’ve been at the club for some time, but also for the new and younger players. Everyone gets a buzz from a win and it provides a lift for the whole program. We were really close in several games and with just a little more composure could have ended up with a couple more wins."

On the flipside, the Bulldogs have welcomed several players from the Perth Football League, WAFLW players looking for a fresh start at a new club and several players returning from long term injuries, including Zoe Huggett.

From the captain:
"I’m entering my fifth season as skipper and it’s definitely taught me valuable lessons on and off the field. Firstly, the importance of open communication before, during and after training and game day," Vecchio said.

"Another is to remember why we play this amazing sport. We’re lucky enough to have the opportunity so enjoy the experience. The role of skipper during pre-season is one she takes seriously. Pre-season is arguably the most important part of the year for any player.

"It sets the tone coming into the season and my role as captain is to encourage and push the girls to improve and get the best out of themselves. Another focus is building solid relationships within the playing group and coaching staff.

"It’s been valuable to have spent two years in the competition, but the WAFLW is constantly evolving so it’s hard to be fully prepared for what the season has in store. I feel the standards, along with the talent is always improving, so I feel it’s a new experience each season."

WEST PERTH
Last season: 0-14 record, seventh position
Coach: Steve Hazell
Co-captains: Katherine Bennett, Brooke Hongell

It was a tough year for West Perth to enter the WAFLW competition in 2022, but it was nothing that wasn’t expected. South Fremantle went through something similar as the first new entrant into the league a couple of years earlier and East Perth might have some similar growing pains. But the reality is, the Falcons did learn a lot out of that season and found out a lot about what it will take to be competitive in the competition, and now those lessons will be put into practice into 2023. The first goal is to get that elusive first win on the board and then remain as competitive as possible the rest of the way.

From the coach:
"Although 2022 highlighted the need for greater maturity, more experience on the park and increased intensity, I remain proud of this group and their resilience to return as well as they have is a testament to their characters," Hazell said.

"Last year was tough as a coach and I don’t shy away from that feeling of vulnerability. But in my years of football, I’ve learnt that it’s within those losses and times of stress that we can learn the most.

"I learnt a lot about myself and the direction I’m headed, and I learnt even more about the great group of young women we have at the West Perth Football Club. We’ve taken huge steps forward to ensure our 2023 is a positive one for the club and our players.

"I’m immensely proud of our sides’ ability to return to training with such optimism and positivity. They could have easily left the sport or chosen to shift clubs, but what we’ve seen is their ability to stay connected by red and blue with a desire to promote sustainable success,” he said.

"One of our key club values is ‘Resilient – We never give in’ and that’s very much our attitude this year. We now have a great mix now of enthusiastic and talented players who have graduated from our successful Rogers Cup system, stand out characters from the 2022 Amateur competition, along with WAFLW and AFLW talent coming home."

From the captains:
"We were honoured to be recognised by the group as leaders. Being entrusted to this role of helping this young group of talented girls despite us being new is exciting and heart-warming," Bennett and Hongell said.

"Both of us started our football careers at West Perth, so it now feels surreal to be captaining the WAFLW side. The growth and potential this club has for future success is clear and we can’t wait to part of it.

"We hope to be advocates for the group, leading by example when we train and how we go about our business on game day. With such a young squad we hope to share our knowledge, be approachable and be leaders who can challenge the squad to be the best player they can be."

EAST PERTH
Last season: N/A
Coach: Jason Bloom
Captain: Jessica Valvasori

If the experiences of winless seasons for South Fremantle and West Perth when first entering the WAFLW competition is anything to go by, then it could be a tough initiation in 2023 for East Perth, but the Royals aren’t going into their debut season fearing the worst. East Perth will be hopeful of being as competitive as possible but the big picture is that you can only turn yourself into a powerful WAFLW club by being part of the competition. This is the first step in the process and the Royals will only grow from here as a result.

From the coach:
"This is one of the most significant milestones for the club to have a full talent pathway for male and female footballers in our district. We can now facilitate talented athletes to play in the top state-based competition regardless of gender," Bloom said.

"This can only grow the game and female participation for our community clubs and we hope to assist all of our district junior clubs to field full pathways for females. Of immediate concern is preparing a team to be competitive in the inaugural year.

"We’ve had the benefit of working towards this for 18 months. We talent identified 105 players from the WAFLW and the PFL, including our own Rogers Cup squad prior to our submission even being approved.

"Once it was announced the reserves competition was being abolished, we also held a come try day which uncovered another handful of players. In our exclusive player talk window we held over 70 player discussions.

"Word of mouth from the playing group has helped draw players to the club and we have a great mix of senior experienced WAFLW players and emerging talent from the PFL who’ve also played a fair amount of footy."

From the captain:
"Honestly, I was incredibly surprised and humbled to be chosen to lead our inaugural team. When I moved to East Perth, I had been intending to play out my football days offering on-field leadership and a strong work ethic in terms of how I conduct and apply myself at training," Valvasori said.

"I had always intended to lead in this way, but I was never anticipating stepping into anything more formal. The vote to be captain has challenged me to reassess the extent of what my influence at the club can be and what my experience can provide to this playing group.

"I believe strong leadership qualities come naturally to me and I’m excited to share these at East Perth, especially as we emerge as a new group and an unknown force in the WAFLW. To have unanimous support and belief from the players and coaching staff fills me with a great sense of pride and responsibility."