FOOTBALL participation in Western Australia has reached a record 302,662 following the official release of 2016 AFL Census figures today. The total number includes a 27% increase on WA’s 2015 participation total, plus an additional 15,570 captured for the first time in the AFL Census under one-off club-based programs such as the Nicky Winmar Cup, Kirby Bentley Cup and remote and regional carnivals. The overall growth has been driven by strong club participation, continued growth of female football, quality Inter School competitions and a rise in the number of Introductory School Programs. WA football participation was the highest for any State outside Victoria and made up 20.4% of Australia’s overall total of 1,404,176, which increased nationally by 12.5%. The number of players that joined football clubs in WA increased by 7.7% to more than 67,000 which included 5.9% growth in Youth Football and a 61.3% increase in the number of females playing club football. Read More ...

More than 300 females were put through their paces when the first 2017 Female Talent Academy testing session was held at All Saints College on Saturday, November 12.   Participants were identified across a number of teams, clubs and competitions from the metro area and regional areas including Bunbury, Kalgoorlie and Albany.   Players underwent strength and conditioning, and tactics and skills testing coordinated by Read More ...

The Western Australian Football Commission (WAFC) has confirmed that a redeveloped West Australian Cricket Association (WACA) Ground is the preferred option for the future home of the WAFC. The co-location proposal with the WACA remains subject to the WAFC finalising its negotiations with the State Government in regards to football’s future funding model, as well as agreeing to final terms with the WACA. WAFC Chairman Murray McHenry said the WAFC had confirmed its intent to co-locate with the WACA as part of a proposed redevelopment of the venue. Read More ...

The results of elections for Commissioners of the West Australian Football Commission were endorsed tonight, Wednesday November 16, by the Nominee Members of the WAFC (WA’s AFL and WAFL Clubs) at a meeting of WA Football stakeholders. Current WAFC Commissioners Hon. Cheryl Edwardes AM and Mr. Neil Randall were each reappointed for terms of three years. WAFC Chairman Murray McHenry congratulated both Commissioners on their reappointments. Read More ...

After months of speculation from music fans across the country Domain Stadium is excited to say…it’s official, Adele is heading down under early 2017 as part of the Australian leg of her Adele Live tour.   Adele’s first ever Aussie tour will hit stadiums across the country next year kicking it all off in Perth at Domain Stadium on Tuesday, February 28 2017.   Tickets will go Read More ...

As the anticipation builds towards the 2016 AFL National Draft on November 25 and young WAFL players eagerly wait for their name to be called out, we’ve taken a look back at some of the greatest AFL National Draft bargains to come out of the WAFL competition since 1986. From Norm Smith Medallist Andrew Embley to Hawks’ triple-premiership player Ben Stratton, some of the AFL’s great champions have been selected late in the National Draft, proving top talent can run deeper than the first couple of rounds. Recruiters are always searching to unearth a new star and the WAFL has proven to be a great source of AFL-ready talent over the past decades. The list of a dozen players below is compiled from those selected from the WAFL outside the Top 30 in AFL National Drafts between 1986 and 2015 who have gone on to achieve both individual and team success at the highest level. Read More ...

Students from Hamilton Senior High School recently completed a Leadership and Development Program that has provided them with the skills to co-ordinate football clinics for primary school-aged children. The course was the brainchild of former North Melbourne midfielder Liam Anthony as part of his role as Metro South District Community Engagement Coordinator for the WA Football Commission (WAFC). Liam led the Year 10 students through Read More ...

With eyes firmly set on the goal to play footy on the National stage, 21 of the newest Junior Female Talent Academy players launched into the 2017 pre-season with a special personal-development session with three-time Paralympian Brad Scott on Saturday, November 5.   Read More ...

The West Australian Football Commission and WA Football Media Guild hosted the annual WA Football Media Awards at Domain Stadium last night, Tuesday November 8, to recognise the season’s high achievers both on and off the field. This included awards for online, print, radio and television media, WAFL and AFL players and coaches, as well as special awards for outstanding service. Lachy Reid took out Read More ...

The 2017 McDonald's WAFL Premiership season will commence on the weekend of March 18, a week prior to the 2017 AFL season.  The season will consist of 20 games per club over 23 Rounds, with a full set of fixtures to be developed over the coming months that will take into account the timing for byes, feature rounds and venue availability.    WAFL General Manager Steve Hargrave said the WAFL had committed to retaining a 23-round season following a thorough investigation into alternative options. "The research undertaken and the data collected clearly demonstrated that there is merit in moving to an 18-game model," he said.  Read More ...

A group of 17 WAFL players were put through their paces under the watchful eye of AFL recruiters at the WA State AFL Draft Combine on Sunday, October 16. Held at Herb Graham Recreation Centre in Mirrabooka, the Combine included body composition, speed, agility and power tests consisting of the running and standing vertical jump, beep test, 20m sprint, agility test and repeat 30m sprints. East Perth's Tarir Bayok recorded one of the best results of the day with a 2.79 second 20m sprint, the fastest recorded at all AFL Draft Combines around Australia this year and only 0.01 seconds behind the current AFL record. Read More ...

AFTER two years straight as runner-up, West Perth captain Jay van Berlo has deservedly broken through to win a second Breckler Medal after being named the Falcons' fairest and best for the 2016 WAFL season on Friday night. At a glittering dinner to celebrate the 2016 season in the Lakeview Ballroom at Joondalup Resort, the night was capped with van Berlo crowned the Breckler Medal winner as the league fairest and best player. Having finished runner-up in Breckler Medal voting in each of the last two seasons behind Shane Nelson and Aaron Black, van Berlo now has a second fairest and best award in his career to go with the one he won back in 2008 prior to being drafted into the AFL by the Fremantle Dockers. Read More ...

EAST Perth has a new FD Book Medallist with small defender Mitch Fraser claiming the Royals' fairest and best award for 2016 on a night when the club paid tribute to four retiring stars who gave their all for the black and blue. East Perth once again played finals football in 2016 for the fifth straight season and it was a new winner of the league fairest and best award with small defender Fraser taking out the FD Book Medal for 2016. The Royals reserves and colts teams both made the Grand Final as well in 2016 despite losing each premiership decider to Claremont at Domain Stadium. Read More ...

Swan Districts Football Club has announced AFL Premiership duo, Steven Armstrong and Xavier Ellis, in coaching positions for the 2017 season. Senior Coach Greg Harding said he was extremely pleased to secure their services. “We are extremely pleased to have secured Steve as our forward line coach for season 2017. He brings with him a wealth of experience as a player and coach. His AFL career at Melbourne and West Coast culminated in a Grand Final victory in 2006 where he was an integral part of the success," he said.  "As a coach he has had great influence at senior and development level. A successful stint coaching the Subiaco colts led to a State 18s coaching berth, and he has spent last season coaching Kalamunda in the A grade amateur system. His vast experience coaching youth and men will be more than a valuable addition to the club. Read More ...

West Australian Football Commission Participation Manager Troy Kirkham has set his sights on improving the retention of youth in sport following his opportunity to learn from some of the leading sporting organisations in the world as part of a Churchill Fellowship. Churchill Fellowships are awarded by The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to provide an opportunity for Australians to travel overseas to conduct research in their chosen field that is not readily available in Australia. Mr Kirkham said his Churchill Fellowship was an incredible opportunity to investigate innovative and inclusive retention strategies for youth participants in community sport around the world, including Canada, New York, Washington DC, London and the UK. Read More ...