WAFL Team of the Week – Round 16Wednesday, August 2, 2023 - 11:59 AM - by Chris Pike

THERE might have been just the two matches in Round 16 of the WAFL but there were still plenty of contenders to make the Team of the Week once more in the drought breaking win from East Fremantle along with Subiaco ending East Perth's winning run.

Just the two matches in Round 16 didn’t mean there was any shortage of drama in the two contests or standout performers with players still having to put in some top notch performances to earn a place in the Team of the Week.

The action got underway on Saturday afternoon at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with South Fremantle attempting to win a record extending 16th consecutive derby against East Fremantle.

The Bulldogs were on track to do just that too when leading by 14 points early in the fourth quarter, but the Sharks managed to kick the last four goals to win 9.6 (60) to 7.6 (48) to claim a first derby victory since WA Day 2016.

From that victory for the Sharks, Matthew Jupp, Cam Eardley, Jonathon Marsh, Harry Marsh, Fraser Turner, Jarrad Jansen and Lennon Marlin all made the Team of the Week. Jordan Boullineau, Brandon Donaldson, Jimmy Miller and Tom Blechynden were also selected from South Fremantle.

The other game in Round 16 featured the two Leederville Oval co-tenants locking horns and it was Subiaco who proved too strong to end the eight-game winning streak of the league leading East Perth with the 15.5 (95) to 7.12 (54) victory.

From that win for the Lions, Zac Clarke, Stefan Giro, Angus Dewar, Liam Hickmott, Taj Schofield, Ben Sokol, Drew Rohde, Aaron Heal and Ryan Borchet all earned their places in the Team of the Week.

Stan Wright and Angus Schumacher also earned selection despite the loss for East Perth.

Claremont, Peel Thunder, Perth, Swan Districts, West Coast and West Perth all had byes in Round 16.

PLAYER OF THE ROUND – CAM EARDLEY (EAST FREMANTLE)

Cam Eardley continues to be at the peak of his powers this season with East Fremantle and he was tremendous once more in his team's drought breaking win, but ultimately all he would have cared about was that elusive derby triumph.

Coming into Saturday's derby with South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval and while East Fremantle had won four straight matches, the Sharks were up against a 15-game losing streak against their arch rivals.

That winning run from the Bulldogs was the longest in history of the Fremantle Derby dating back to 1900 but it just had to be a hoodoo that the Sharks ended in 2023 as they look to now focus on winning that even more elusive first premiership since 1998.

East Fremantle's last win against South Fremantle had been WA Day back in 2016 but Eardley didn’t play that day. However, he was one of just two players who lined up for the Sharks on Saturday who had tasted wins against the Bulldogs in East Fremantle colours with the victories he played in back in both 2014 and 2015.

But he had played in every single one of the 15 in-a-row that East Fremantle had lost to South Fremantle since and there would have been none that he lost sleep over more than WA Day last year.

No doubt he hates it ever being brought up, but it's part of his story that makes the eventual win on Saturday even sweeter. He had a late shot for goal last year but shanked it when he ordinarily is one of the best kicks in the competition.

Ultimately, East Fremantle lost by two points and South Fremantle's streak continued and given Eardley had played in all 15 losses to the Bulldogs over the last seven years, there would have been no one who felt more of a sense of relief on Saturday than him.

It wasn’t just the fact that he was part of the win either, Eardley was outstanding as he continues to thrive in his role as a defender for the Sharks. Whether it's doing his best defensively, taking intercept marks or then setting up play in the back-line, he remains one of the elite performers in the competition.

He is playing what could very well be the best and most consistent football of his life as well 161 games into a career that started back in 2014, and the 30-year-old remains a key to everything the Sharks are doing in 2023.

He finished Saturday's breakthrough derby win with 22 possessions, nine marks, two tackles and two inside-50 entries to book himself a spot in the Team of the Week for a fourth time this season on the back of already having been named to the WAFL Team of the Year in both 2020 and 2022.

Players of the Round
Round 1 – Max Walters (Subiaco)
Round 2 – Tyler Keitel (West Perth)
Round 3 – Ryan Borchet (Subiaco)
Round 4 – Brady Grey (Peel Thunder)
Round 5 – Jaiden Hunter (Perth)
Round 6 – Cody Leggett (East Fremantle)
Round 7 – Zac Clarke (Subiaco)
Round 8 – Nick Robertson (East Perth)
Round 9 – Talon Delacey (Claremont)
Round 10 – Dillon O'Reilly (East Fremantle)
Round 11 – Nathan Blakely (Swan Districts)
Round 12 – Jack Maibaum (Claremont)
Round 13 – Hamish Brayshaw (East Perth)
Round 14 – Harry Marsh (East Fremantle)
Round 15 – Liam Tedesco (East Perth)
Round 16 – Cam Eardley (East Fremantle)

WAFL TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND 16

BACK: Jordan Boullineau (SF), Matthew Jupp (EF), Angus Dewar (S)
HALF-BACK: Cam Eardley (EF), Aaron Heal (S), Tom Blechynden (SF)
CENTRE: Stefan Giro (S), Angus Schumacher (EP), Fraser Turner (EF)
HALF-FORWARD: Jarrad Jansen (EF), Jonathon Marsh (EF), Taj Schofield (S)
FORWARD: Brandon Donaldson (SF), Ryan Borchet (S), Ben Sokol (S)
FOLLOWERS: Zac Clarke (S), Harry Marsh (EF), Liam Hickmott (S)
INTERCHANGE: Jimmy Miller (SF), Stan Wright (EP), Drew Rohde (S), Lennon Marlin (EF)

BACK POCKET – ANGUS DEWAR (Subiaco)
The triple premiership winning Subiaco veteran is now 112 games into his WAFL career after the time he spent at Hawthorn and it's unlikely he's ever played better and more consistent football at any other point. Took on the job on East Perth big man Nick Bonomelli on Saturday before he had to take over in the ruck and whoever he was matched up on, he was rock solid defensively and also had 12 touches, four marks and four tackles to make the Team of the Week for a fifth time in 2023.

FULL-BACK – MATTHEW JUPP (East Fremantle)
The East Fremantle captain was the lone player who was there the last time the Sharks won a derby back on WA Day in 2016 and for the first time as skipper, he led his team to a win against the old enemy on Saturday. He took on the job against South Fremantle 170-game veteran Zac Strom too and held him to one goal and just seven kicks while having 12 touches and nine marks himself. But ultimately all he would have cared about was the drought breaking win and making the Team of the Week for a seventh time in 2023 is just a bonus.

BACK POCKET – JORDAN BOULLINEAU (South Fremantle)
He returned from a hamstring injury just at the right time to help pick up the slack of the absence of Chad Pearson and Toby McQuilkin in Saturday's derby against East Fremantle. He took on the job on Cody Leggett who had been in potent goalkicking form for the Sharks this season and limited him to three kicks and no score for the day while having 16 touches and five marks himself to earn a spot in the Team of the Week for a second occasion this season.

CENTRE HALF-BACK – AARON HEAL (Subiaco)
The four-time premiership winning defender is now 156 games into his WAFL career across Subiaco and Peel, and is back to his best defensively for the Lions at 31 years of age. Had the job for a lot of the game on Saturday on East Perth's Liam Tedesco who was fresh off six goals the previous week, but he helped hold him to six kicks, two marks and one goal for the day while having seven touches and three marks himself.

HALF-BACK FLANK – TOM BLECHYNDEN (South Fremantle)
With the absence of Chad Pearson and Toby McQuilkin who set up so much of South Fremantle's play out of the back-line, the usual midfielder spent most of the game off half-back in Saturday's derby and did tremendously in the role. Is already having the best season of his 63-game career as a midfielder, but did well as an attacking defender despite tasting a derby defeat for the first time with 29 possessions and seven tackles.

WING – STEFAN GIRO (Subiaco)
The hard running Subiaco wingman produced another impressive and damaging performance in the Lions' win against East Perth in the battle of the Leederville Oval co-tenants on Saturday. The reigning Subiaco fairest and best winner produced another showing made up of 22 disposals, six marks and two goals to earn a place in the Team of the Week for a sixth time already for the 2023 season.

CENTRE – ANGUS SCHUMACHER (East Perth)
It might not have been a good day overall for his team on Saturday against Subiaco as their eight-game winning streak came to an end, but he couldn’t have possibly done more as he continued his outstanding form this season. The Simpson Medallist from the State Game in Adelaide earlier this season finished with another 29 possessions, seven tackles, five marks, three inside-50 entries and two goals for the Royals to make the Team of the Week for a seventh time in 2023.

WING – FRASER TURNER (East Fremantle)
The South Adelaide recruit continues to thrive on his move to the WAFL and enjoying the more expansive spaces out on the wing than what he encountered in the SANFL. He is having a fine season with the Sharks after crossing over in the off-season and that continued in his first game at Fremantle Community Bank Oval against South Fremantle on Saturday. Was instrumental in the eventual win for the Sharks finishing with 25 touches, six marks and three tackles to make the Team of the Week for a second time this season.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – JARRAD JANSEN (East Fremantle)
The East Fremantle 89-game veteran has turned himself into quite the versatile player for his coach Bill Monaghan to have at his disposal, but it is in the role as a big-bodied midfielder that he's perhaps at his most influential. He can play forward or back in different roles, he can even be a backup ruckman if need be, but as that on-baller he gets to use his size and aerobatic capacity to full effect. He did that well in Saturday's derby win for the Sharks finishing with 22 possessions, six tackles, four marks and four inside 50s.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – JONATHON MARSH (East Fremantle)
The East Fremantle powerhouse renewed his rivalry with South Fremantle's Noah Strom and the pair had another fascinating derby battle on Saturday. He just willed his team to victory in the end, though, in the first derby win he's played in over his 76-game WAFL career with the Sharks. He revelled in the big moments and wanted his team to jump on his back, and finished with three goals and four behinds from 10 kicks, five marks, five tackles and four inside-50 entries. That included an amazing effort where he kicked it out of the air in a ruck contest in front of goal to set off some big celebrations.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – TAJ SCHOFIELD (Subiaco)
The 20-year-old has hit a rich vein of form with the Lions after suffering an injury back in Round 8. He missed Round 9 but has been in brilliant form ever since splitting his time between playing at half-forward and showing his smarts around goal and then doing well while playing in the middle on the ball. He kicked another three goals for the day to go with 18 touches, four marks and four tackles to earn a spot in the Team of the Week for a fourth time in the past five rounds.

FORWARD POCKET – BRANDON DONALDSON (South Fremantle)
For just the fourth time in his 112-game WAFL career with South Fremantle did the small forward kick at least four goals in a game, and remarkably three of those occasions have come in derbies against East Fremantle. His career-best five-goal effort came back in the corresponding late season derby in 2021 while he also kicked four goals on WA Day in 2018 and then repeated that on Saturday in his first loss against the Sharks. Kicked four goals from his eight kicks for the day to make the Team of the Week for a second time this season.

FULL-FORWARD – RYAN BORCHET (Subiaco)
The Subiaco key forward started Saturday's clash with East Perth impressively with a quick goal and ended up having a fascinating battle all afternoon with impressive Royals defender Harrison Macreadie. Still was able to be a strong target for the Lions and make the most of his chances by kicking four goals from six kicks along with five marks and three tackles.

FORWARD POCKET – BEN SOKOL (Subiaco)
He regained the lead from West Perth's Tyler Keitel in the Bernie Naylor Medal race on the back of his performance against East Perth for Subiaco on Saturday. Had a good battle with Royals hard man Nick Robertson for a lot of the day, but still kicked three goals from seven kicks and four marks to make a strong contribution to the 41-point win for the Lions as he earned a spot in the Team of the Week for a fourth time in 2023.

RUCK – ZAC CLARKE (Subiaco)
Jedd Edwards did what he could up against the dominant Subiaco ruckman in the first half, but once he went off injured just before half-time, East Perth had little hope against the man that could very well become the first ruckman since the versatile Lachlan Delahunty in 2019 or way back to Ryan Turnbull in 2001 to win a Sandover Medal. Earned selection in the Team of the Week for the 10th time in 15 games this season finishing with 24 touches, 46 hit outs, seven marks, four tackles and four inside-50 entries.

RUCK ROVER – HARRY MARSH (East Fremantle)
The dual Subiaco premiership winner and former Sydney Swans player continues to adjust wonderfully to life at East Fremantle and once more stood tall to play in his first derby win against South Fremantle. The longer the game went the better he got on Saturday and with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, he came up huge in the Sharks' drought breaking win. He ended up with 20 touches and nine inside-50 entries to make the Team of the Week for a third time in 2023.

ROVER – LIAM HICKMOTT (Subiaco)
After playing in the 2021 premiership, he already had a breakout season in 2022 with Subiaco making the Team of the Year but he continues to go up another level again throughout 2023. The 24-year-old was again prolific in the midfield for the Lions in Saturday's win against East Perth where he racked up 24 possessions to go with nine tackles, four marks and two inside-50 entries to book in a place in the Team of the Week for a fifth time this season.

INTERCHANGE – JIMMY MILLER (South Fremantle)
With Brock Higgins still out injured and Solomon James spending another week in the reserves, South Fremantle opted to go with him as their main ruck option in Saturday's derby. He stood up well too and produced what was perhaps the best performance of his 59-game WAFL career as the No. 1 ruckman. He finished with 15 touches, 40 hit outs, five tackles, four inside 50s and a goal. You couldn’t fault his performance but the question now is if the Bulldogs need him more in the middle or as a target in attack.

INTERCHANGE – STAN WRIGHT (East Perth)
He is now 87 games into his WAFL career with East Perth having some right through the system with the Royals and he's found his slot as a hard running defender. Has really made that role his own now in 2023 and produced another impressive performance on Saturday despite his team's eight-game winning run coming to an end at the expense of Subiaco. He delivered 24 possessions, four inside-50 entries and three marks.

INTERCHANGE – DREW ROHDE (Subiaco)
Has played in three premierships since joining Subiaco from West Perth and continues to shine in the back-line for the Lions. Is such a poised performer and calming influence where he can play on a variety of forward opponents, can intercept mark and then is always a terrific set up player on his right boot out of the defensive 50. Was terrific again on Saturday against East Perth finishing with 17 possessions and five marks. 

INTERCHANGE – LENNON MARLIN (East Fremantle)
Having played his first 45 WAFL matches up to the end of 2021 split between Perth and West Coast, he lobbed at East Fremantle this season and has become an important part of the defensive set up. Playing as that third tall defender alongside Matthew Jupp and Lachlan Bailey, he's proven himself capable of playing on a variety of different forwards and in Saturday's derby win he did a terrific job on in-form South Fremantle captain Dylan Main. He held him scoreless and to just six kicks and one mark while having 12 touches, three marks, three inside 50s and two tackles himself.
 

UNLUCKY BUNCH

There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 16 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Round, including:

East Perth's Angus Scott and Nick Robertson.

Subiaco's Leigh Kitchin and Michael Braut.

South Fremantle's Glenn Byron, Jake Florenca and Caleb Stephens.

East Fremantle's Lachlan Bailey, Jack Cleaver and Tom Bennett.