Young Talent Time: Swadling, Curtin, D'Addario, Kelly and moreTuesday, August 26, 2025 - 5:23 PM - by Denholm Melrose

Each week we are shining the spotlight on some of the young WA talent that has been in brilliant form at WAFL level in the lead up to November’s AFL draft.

Whether its WAFLW, Hart Sport Rogers Cup, Sullivan Logstics WAFL, EGT WAFL Colts top-agers, bottom-agers or Futures, there is talent bursting at the seams and with a big finals campaign ahead for some, it’s going to be a crucial stretch of football over the next few weeks.

Swadling's stunning EGT WAFL Colts return

West Perth draft prospect Sam Swadling put up career-high numbers in his EGT WAFL Colts return to help his side qualify for finals in thrilling circumstances.

The Under-18s All-Australian featured in his first colts game since Round 6, after spending a four-week post-National Championships stint with the Falcons’ senior side.

His crazy stat line against fellow finals-bound outfit East Fremantle also included nine clearances and seven marks as West Perth prevailed by just four points to snatch fourth spot on the colts ladder.

Swadling put his name on the map last year as a bottom-age talent, playing mostly forward and booting 15 goals from 16 games.

With his long socks and ability to rack up the football, he’s hard to miss, but he has taken his ball-winning ability to another level this season, averaging an outrageous 36.7 disposals per game.

In his last six WAFL Colts games, Swadling has amassed 39 disposals per game.

Swadling posted impressive numbers in the League team as well so show he can take the next step as he continues to rise up the AFL draft boards, with 45 possessions and nine marks over a two-round period against Subiaco and East Perth.

The Falcons take on Swan Districts in a do-or-die final at The Good Grocer Park on Sunday morning.

Curtin's successful injury comeback

Claremont draft fancy Cody Curtin also returned to the EGT WAFL Colts competition over the weekend, after playing just one game for the Tigers since round six.

Curtin rarely misses a beat in the Colts team, and proved he was far too good for the level again on the weekend, booting five goals in managed minutes in a vital win over the Royals.

That gives Curtin 11 goals in his last two appearances at the level and 19 goals in his five total Colts games this season.

Curtin spent most of last year’s premiership season as a key defender, proving his versatility, before his magnet was swung to the other end of the ground and he kicked eight goals against Subiaco in a pre-season match.

Since then, Curtin’s 19 goals have been good enough for equal fourth in the competition’s leading goal-kicker award, having played three times less games than many of those in front of him.

Like Swadling, Curtin is one to watch for the upcoming colts finals series, with Claremont's first assignment against second-placed East Fremantle at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday morning.

Swans midfield bull's big day out

Inside midfield bull Blake Kelly has quietly put together a very strong top-age campaign and after returning from the National Championships, he has averaged 29 disposals and more than seven tackles per game.

The WA under-18s leadership group member had his best game of the season against Peel Thunder in Round 4 where he posted a 30-disposal, seven-mark and three-goal performance.

He backed that up on the weekend with 33 disposals, eight inside 50s, six tackles and five clearances to lead his side to an imperative comeback win to secure a spot in the Colts finals

Kelly was a strong contributor in Swan Districts’ 2024 Grand Final side as a bottom-ager, so expect some big games from him come finals time as he tries to replicate the success of last season.

Carys continues rise in heartbreaking WAFL Grand Final loss

Though the result was heartbreaking for Swan Districts’ top draft prospect on the weekend, Carys D’Addario starred once again in Sunday’s narrow Grand Final defeat.

Her 25 disposals, nine clearances and nine tackles on the weekend would have put her in prime position to win the Lou Knitter Medal had Swan Districts won.

She averaged over 25.5 disposals and six tackles per finals game and booted her only goal of the season in a pivotal Preliminary Final first quarter to set the Black Ducks in motion.

After an impressive AFLW National Under-18s Championship, where she was named in the All-Australian team and won WA's MVP award, D’Addario would take her game to another level in the finals series, stepping up in big moments to lead her side to their third WAFLW era Grand Final.

Who else caught the eye

Perth defender Dale Sutherland finished his colts campaign with 29 disposals and 10 marks, Claremont midfielder Juliet Kelly tallied 18 disposals and eight tackles in her side's WAFLW premiership on Sunday, son of a gun Charlie Banfield (12 disposals and one goal) made an exciting return to league level with West Coast and talented Swan Districts goalsneak Leon Kickett who had nine disposals and two goals in the seniors in an eye-catching performance which included a huge mark in the final term.