2018 Player Movements and News Thread

Season 2017 finished almost three weeks ago but there's been plenty of movement and talk during the off-season so far. The B&F's have been run and won so I'll be helping to keep everyone interested in the WAFL up to speed in the happenings in the WAFL world this off-season as we get ready for season 2018 next year.

- The WAFL season will be reduced to 18 matches in 2018, an initiative designed to save the WAFC and its clubs $170,000 per year. The season is forecast to run for a maximum of 26 weeks with Round One to begin at Easter while the Grand Final will be held at Perth Stadium the week before the AFL Grand Final. The reduction to 18 games sees the WAFL fall into line with the other state leagues, the VFL, SANFL and NEAFL.
- The WAFL will also try to fit an interstate game against the SANFL next year after the remaining state leagues including the VFL withdrew from the interstate league competition for 2018 leaving only the WAFL and SANFL remaining in the round-robin competition.
- Only four WAFL Colts coaches have been retained under the WAFC's shake up of the Colts' competition which saw them take control in order to improve development pathways. Claremont, South Fremantle, Subiaco and West Perth's Colts' coaches were retained under the model due to multi-year contracts while East Fremantle, East Perth, Peel Thunder and Perth are on the lookout for new coaches after contracts either expired or coaches weren't willing to work under the new model. Swan Districts will be looking to appoint a Colts coach in the near future.
- Kyal Horsley will take three months off over summer to contemplate whether to continue his WAFL career with Subiaco in 2018. Horsley has carried a serious hamstring injury during the 2017 season but has responded well to a period of rest in-season which may enable him to continue with the Lions next year.
- The WAFL to is set to further tighten WAFL finals eligibility rules regarding alignment clubs for 2018 with a review currently underway. 2017 saw a maximum of 15 AFL listed players eligible to play finals but this could be cut to 11 next year with the WAFL currently decided between three possible models to be implemented. This includes cutting the amount of eligible AFL listed players to 11, no more than the average number of players used over the season, or only players with more WAFL than AFL appearances.
- Garrick Ibbotson is unlikely to play with East Fremantle next season after undergoing hip surgery. Ibbotson recently retired after 177 games with Fremantle in the AFL but a series of injuries look likely to prevent him playing for the Sharks in 2018. It is possible however that Ibbotson could come back to East Fremantle in a coaching capacity next year.
- Adam Pickering has signed with Swan Districts as coach for the next two seasons. Pickering was previously the Colts coach at East Perth but makes his way to Bassendean to take on the senior coach role after the departure of Greg Harding who stepped down from the role at the end of 2017.
- Jarrad Jansen has signed with East Fremantle for 2018. Jansen returns to his old club from where he was drafted in 2013 by Geelong before being picked up by Brisbane Lions at the end of 2015. Overall Jansen played a total of eight games, all with Brisbane.
- Jarrad Schofield will continue as coach of Subiaco in 2018, honouring the final year of his contract with the club. Several AFL clubs had extensive interest in Schofield making the transition to the AFL but he will remain as coach of the Lions for another year.
- Peel Thunder midfielder Rory O'Brien has retired after the birth of his third child, citing that work and family were now his main priority. O'Brien retired after 247 games with Peel Thunder and East Fremantle which included 174 consecutively, the fourth longest streak ever in the WAFL.
- Perth midfielder Aidan Tropiano has left the club and looks likely to continue his career in the SANFL. Tropiano will follow his Canadian girlfriend to Adelaide where it is likely that she will commence a position in the fashion industry but could yet try ply his trade in the VFL as there remains a chance his partner could be posted to Melbourne.
- Clint Jones is keen to play on with Perth in 2018 but will await a review to commence this month into the club by external consultants Cumberland Consultancy. Cumberland were recommended to the Demons by the West Coast Eagles after former Eagle and Demon Darren Glass could not take the job. The Demons are financially viable and are believed to have $300,000 in their Centurions Fund account. The club has also ruled out an alignment with the West Coast Eagles from 2019.
- East Fremantle will look to lure former player Jonathan Griffin back to the Sharks after he was delisted by Fremantle after 97 career games. The Sharks have also secured the services of Liam Anthony who has signed on for another season after playing only one senior game in 2017 after a run of injuries.
- Kane Mitchell will return to Claremont in 2018 after a five year absence. Mitchell spent four years at Port Adelaide in the AFL playing a total of 35 games before spending this year travelling North America.
- Former Melbourne and Port Adelaide player Ben Newton will play with Subiaco in 2018. Newton played 16 matches in six years but was delisted from the AFL at the end of 2016 and spent this year rehabilitating his injured knee.


Best and Fairest Winners

Claremont - EB Cook Medal - Bailey Banfield
East Fremantle - Lynn Medal - Jayden Schofield
East Perth - FD Book Medal - Julian Ameduri, Nathan Blee & Fraser McInnes
Peel Thunder - Tuckey Medal - Sam Collins
Perth - Butcher Medal - Clint Jones
South Fremantle - WJ Hughes Medal - Haiden Schloithe
Subiaco - Outridge Medal - Leigh Kitchin
Swan Districts - Swan Medal - Corey Gault
West Perth - Breckler Medal - Shane Nelson
 
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Major List Changes 2018


Claremont

In: Tom Curren (Sandringham/St. Kilda), Kane Mitchell (Port Adelaide/returning)
Out: Bailey Banfield (AFL Draft - Fremantle), Matt Guelfi (AFL Draft - Essendon), Aaron Holt (retired), Anthony Morabito (retired)


East Fremantle

In: Blaine Boekhorst (Carlton/Swan Districts), Jonathon Griffin (Adelaide/Fremantle/returning), Jarrad Jansen (Geelong/Brisbane Lions/returning), Nick Kommer (Melton South/Essendon/East Perth), Cameron Loersch (Gold Coast Suns/returning)
Out: Matthew Watson (Victoria)


East Perth

In: Jackson Ramsay (Collingwood/returning)
Out: Josh Hill (West Coast Eagles delistee/Nothern Blues - VFL), Scott Jones (AFL Draft - Fremantle), Tom Lamb (West Coast Eagles delistee/Sandringham - VFL), Steven Payne (Swan Districts)


Peel Thunder

In: Ben Howlett (Essendon/returning)
Out: Zac Clarke (Fremantle delistee/Subiaco) Sam Collins (Fremantle delistee/Werribee - VFL, J)osh Deluca (Fremantle delistee/Subiaco), Garrick Ibbotson (AFL retiree), Aaron Naughton (AFL Draft - Western Bulldogs), Rory O'Brien (retired)


Perth

In: Matthew Taylor (North Melbourne delistee/returning), Corey Yeo (Williamstown/Claremont)
Out: Gordon Narrier (AFL Draft - North Melbourne), Aidan Tropiano (SANFL)

South Fremantle

In: Nick Suban (Fremantle delistee/Peel Thunder)
Out: Jarrod Garlett (AFL Draft - Carlton), Tim Kelly (AFL Draft - Geelong), Ben Newton (Subiaco), Josh Pullman (retired)

Subiaco

In: Zac Clarke (Fremantle delistee/Peel Thunder), Josh Deluca (Fremantle delistee/Peel Thunder/returning), Ben Newton (South Fremantle/Melbourne/Port Adelaide), Drew Rohde (West Perth), Shane Yarran (Fremantle/returning)
Out: Liam Baker (AFL Draft - Richmond), Liam Ryan (AFL Draft - West Coast Eagles)

Swan Districts

In: Rhys Palmer (Carlton/Greater Western Sydney/Fremantle), Steven Payne (East Perth)
Out: Tallen Ames (retired), Jamie Bennell (Norwood/Victoria), Ryan Crowley (retired), Clancee Pearce (Denmark/Walpole), Sam Taylor (AFL Draft - GWS Giants)


West Perth

In: Matthew Johnson (returning)
Out: Nick Rodda (Williamstown - VFL), Drew Rohde (Subiaco)
 
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- Claremont are making an ambitious play for former Fremantle, GWS and Carlton player Rhys Palmer who was delisted by the Blues last month after playing 123 matches across the three clubs. The move by the Tigers is expected to spark a tug-of-war with Palmer's original club East Fremantle from where he was drafted in 2007. The Sharks are believed to have been in contact with Palmer who has expressed an interest in returning to the WAFL.
- Jake Murphy has stood down as Claremont captain after four seasons in the role, citing the chronic leg problems he has suffered from in the past few seasons.
- Ryan Neates is also considering his future at the Tigers after a knee problem restricted him to only six matches in 2017.
- Former Adelaide and Fremantle ruckman Jonathon Griffin has signed with East Fremantle for two seasons. Griffin played 97 matches in the AFL during 11 years and finds himself back at East Fremantle, the club he was drafted from as a junior. Griffin's departure will cover the loss of Matthew Watson who is returning home to Victoria after two seasons with the Sharks. Watson played 40 games with the Sharks and finished second in the Lynn Medal in 2017.
- The AFL has tipped in an extra $1 million to fund better talent development pathways in the WAFL with that money along with money granted to WA clubs for draftees to be used to fund the new pathway scheme.
- Former Essendon forward Nick Kommer has signed with East Fremantle for 2018 after spending four years at the Bombers in the AFL. Kommer played 22 games for Essendon but was delisted at the end of 2016 and spent this year playing alongside Brendan Fevola at Melton South in the Ballarat Football League. Kommer originally started his career with East Perth but was drafted as a mature age recruit from the Royals in the 2012 national draft.
- Jacob Brennan will coach the East Fremantle Colts next season as part of a succession plan which could see him take over the League coach role of the Sharks from his uncle and current East Fremantle League coach Rob Wiley. The appointment of Brennan is part of the WAFC's new talent development plan which saw five coaches, including Brennan appointed to coaching roles in the WAFL Colts competition. Former Swan Districts coach Greg Harding will take charge of Swans' Colts side while Garry Moss is back at East Perth to coach the Royals, Brad Dodd will step back from Peel Thunder's Reserves to coach their Colts side while Michael Pratt will become Colts coach at Perth.
- West Perth are looking to target former Fremantle duo Nick Suban and Joshua Deluca who were both recently delisted by Fremantle last month as the Falcons look to shore up their midfield. Suban played 157 games for the Dockers in nine seasons while Deluca spent three seasons on Fremantle's list for a total of four games after being drafted from Subiaco.
- East Perth are looking to recruit former Collingwood and West Coast Eagle Sharrod Wellingham who was somewhat surprisingly delisted last week by the Eagles. Perth are also believed to be interested in securing their former player, with Wellingham playing a number of Colts matches for Perth before being drafted by Collingwood with pick number 10 in the 2007 rookie draft. Wellingham is still yet to make a decision and could yet decide to focus on his developing career in real estate. It is believed East Perth would be allowed to recruit Wellingham with their compensation pick given to them in exchange for letting Tyler Keitel go to West Perth in 2015.
- Former Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles played Josh Hill has nominated for this year's national draft but could yet play for Subiaco or former club Claremont with both expressing an interest in his services should Hill not be selected in the coming national, pre-season and rookie drafts or the delisted free agency periods.
- Claremont are confident of signing former St Kilda midfielder Tom Curren who played 25 games with the Saints in the AFL. Curren played with Tom Ledger, Tom Lee and Beau Maister while listed at the Saints and the four spent time together at Sandringham, St. Kilda's VFL affiliate. Curren was apparently recommended to the Tigers by current Sandringham coach Simon McPhee who also coached the Tigers.
- Another Sandringham product Elliott Le Grice, a key position player who has played 66 VFL games is also considering a move to the Tigers for next season.
- Perth has announced a new major corporate sponsor, signing a three year deal with City Toyota until the end of 2020. As part of the deal, the Demons were hand delivered five new Toyota cars to be used by the club throughout the sponsorship arrangement.
 
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Wellingham appears on Perth’s website on the senior list. Is this confirmed?

Interesting. Apparently Perth are interested in him although I haven't seen anything confirmed. East Perth are very keen too allegedly.
 

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I believe WA players are automatically relisted on to their original WAFL club's senior list when delisted from the AFL.
 

Freezin

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One would think players would be of more benefit to Perth than cars....but hey perhaps those cars will be given to potential recruits as a sweetner....
 
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One would think players would be of more benefit to Perth than cars....but hey perhaps those cars will be given to potential recruits as a sweetner....

Perth need to give Colin Lofts & Murray Couper shotguns, and then tell them to jog around Lathlain Oval whilst the team trains.

Perth players need some grapeshot to get them moving !!!!!!!!!!.
 
One would think players would be of more benefit to Perth than cars....but hey perhaps those cars will be given to potential recruits as a sweetner....

Or just park a Hilux at Full-back for them, they couldn't do any worse :p
 
Wellingham signs for East Perth...

The Demons going to sign anybody?

WAFL Administrators are a joke allowing this to happen.

1. Keeps another young Eagle from playing in the alignment League side.
2. How are other Clubs going to get stronger when a former player doesn't automatically revert back to their original WAFL Club, with out any compensation.

East Perth poach McGinnity last season from Claremont.
East Perth poach Wellingham this season from Perth.

Former WAFL administrations could not mange to police the salary cap now it seems like the current administration cant manage the point system....... is it now a thing of the Past.

So it leads to the next question just who does Subiaco poach this season as they seem to always land a former AFL listed player from an opposition WAFL Club.

What a joke.
 
Subi poached Ben Newton instead of him going back to Souths.

But the Subi gravy train is slowing as they have lost a few players as well.

Subiaco Oval :

:beercheers::beermug::beermug::beermug: $$$$$ :beercheers::beermug::beermug::beermug: $$$$$ :beermug::beermug::beermug: $$$ :beercheers: $$$$$$$............:package::dollar::dollar: :package: :dollar::dollar::dollar::dollar: :package: :dollar::dollar::dollar:
 
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- West Perth are close to signing former Fremantle pair Greg Broughton and Nick Suban. Broughton spent 2016 at his former club Subiaco before leaving the Lions to play with his brother at Toodyay in the Mortlock Football League this year. Suban was delisted by Fremantle last month but has done a medical at Greater Western Sydney in the hope that the Giants will add him to their list later this month.
- Former Essendon listed player Ben Howlett could play in the WAFL next season after being delisted by the Bombers last month. Howlett has had some interest from a few AFL clubs but has expressed an interest in returning to the WAFL should his AFL career not continue with another club. Howlett was originally recruited from Peel Thunder in the 2009 rookie draft as a mature age selection.
- South Fremantle has extended coach Todd Curley's contract for a further two years and will stay with the club until the end of 2019.
- Ashton Hams has also re-signed with the Bulldogs and could potentially play his 200th WAFL match in 2018.
- Josh Deluca has signed with Subiaco. Deluca had originally been linked with West Perth and South Fremantle but has opted to return to his original WAFL club after playing four games in three seasons with Fremantle in the AFL.
- Former West Coast Eagle Sharrod Wellinham will play in the WAFL next year after signing a two year contract with East Perth and is expected to begin training with the Royals on Monday.
- Cameron Loersch has returned to East Fremantle after spending two seasons with Gold Coast Suns on their rookie list. Loersch was delisted by the Suns without playing a game for the club.
- Jon Haines will leave his role as a Senior WAFC staffer to become General Manager of Operations at Gold Coast Suns. Haines was previously the WAFC's executive manager of operations, having held the role since 2015.
- Jamie Bennell has left Swan Districts to sign with Norwood in the Melbourne's Eastern Football League. Swans have also lost the services of Clancee Pearce who will relocate to Denmark to play for the Denmark-Walpole Magpies in the Great Southern Football League. Pearce missed all of 2017 with a ruptured anterior cruiciate ligament after playing 100 games with Fremantle in the AFL before being delisted at the end of 2016.
- Swans have also lost the services of Tallan Ames and Ryan Crowley to retirement but could regain Blaine Boekhorst after entering talks with the former Blue should he not receive a second chance at AFL after being delisted by Carlton recently.
- Swan Districts also won't regain the services of former player Ryan Davis who was delisted by Gold Coast Suns at the end of the 2017 season. Davis has decided to remain in Queensland and has signed with the Southport Sharks in the NEAFL for 2018.
- Tom Curren has signed with Claremont for two seasons. Curren spent 2017 with Sandringham in the VFL after spending seven years with St. Kilda in the AFL, playing a total of 25 games.
- Peel Thunder have extended coach Cam Shepherd's contract for a further two seasons keeping Shephard at the Thunder until the end of 2019.
 
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Any news on Perth signings yet?

You posted this in the wrong thread CC so I've moved your quote here.

Pretty quiet from Perth so far, there seems to be a focus on the corporate side of things of late. The club is apparently in talks with Matthew Taylor who was delisted by North Melbourne and also Simon Tunbridge who was delisted by the Eagles last month. Both were drafted from the Demons before they went into the AFL.

Gordon Narrier was also taken in the rookie draft by North so he won't be at the club next year.
 
- West Perth are close to signing former Fremantle pair Greg Broughton and Nick Suban. Broughton spent 2016 at his former club Subiaco before leaving the Lions to play with his brother at Toodyay in the Mortlock Football League this year. Suban was delisted by Fremantle last month but has done a medical at Greater Western Sydney in the hope that the Giants will add him to their list later this month.
- Former Essendon listed player Ben Howlett could play in the WAFL next season after being delisted by the Bombers last month. Howlett has had some interest from a few AFL clubs but has expressed an interest in returning to the WAFL should his AFL career not continue with another club. Howlett was originally recruited from Peel Thunder in the 2009 rookie draft as a mature age selection.
- South Fremantle has extended coach Todd Curley's contract for a further two years and will stay with the club until the end of 2019.
- Ashton Hams has also re-signed with the Bulldogs and could potentially play his 200th WAFL match in 2018.
- Josh Deluca has signed with Subiaco. Deluca had originally been linked with West Perth and South Fremantle but has opted to return to his original WAFL club after playing four games in three seasons with Fremantle in the AFL.
- Former West Coast Eagle Sharrod Wellinham will play in the WAFL next year after signing a two year contract with East Perth and is expected to begin training with the Royals on Monday.
- Cameron Loersch has returned to East Fremantle after spending two seasons with Gold Coast Suns on their rookie list. Loersch was delisted by the Suns without playing a game for the club.
- Jon Haines will leave his role as a Senior WAFC staffer to become General Manager of Operations at Gold Coast Suns. Haines was previously the WAFC's executive manager of operations, having held the role since 2015.
- Jamie Bennell has left Swan Districts to sign with Norwood in the Melbourne's Eastern Football League. Swans have also lost the services of Clancee Pearce who will relocate to Denmark to play for the Denmark-Walpole Magpies in the Great Southern Football League. Pearce missed all of 2017 with a ruptured anterior cruiciate ligament after playing 100 games with Fremantle in the AFL before being delisted at the end of 2016.
- Swans have also lost the services of Tallan Ames and Ryan Crowley to retirement but could regain Blaine Boekhorst after entering talks with the former Blue should he not receive a second chance at AFL after being delisted by Carlton recently.
- Swan Districts also won't regain the services of former player Ryan Davis who was delisted by Gold Coast Suns at the end of the 2017 season. Davis has decided to remain in Queensland and has signed with the Southport Sharks in the NEAFL for 2018.
- Tom Curren has signed with Claremont for two seasons. Curren spent 2017 with Sandringham in the VFL after spending seven years with St. Kilda in the AFL, playing a total of 25 games.
- Peel Thunder have extended coach Cam Shepherd's contract for a further two seasons keeping Shephard at the Thunder until the end of 2019.
Broughton & Subin at West Perth?

I like.
 
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- Barry Cable has become the eighth official "Legend" in the WA Hall of Champions. Cable is only the second footballer to become a "Legend", the first being Graham "Polly" Farmer.
- Claremont has cashed in to the tune of $170,000 by having four players taken in the AFL national draft and two in the recent rookie draft. Subiaco also picked up $155,000 also having four players picked in the national draft and one in the rookie draft. This is the last year that clubs will be rewarded for players being taken in the draft with all future monies to be placed into a pool to help fund the games' development.
- Haydn Bunton Sr has been inducted into the WA Football Hall of Fame as a legend, joining his son Haydn Bunton Jr. Bunton Sr is the only player in history to have won three Brownlow Medals and three Sandover Medals. Other inductees to the Hall of Fame were Simon Black, Peter Bosustow, Joel Corey, Charles Doig, Alan Johnson, Bob Shields, Frank “Dick” Walker, Derek Kickett, Keith Narkle and umpire Mike Ball.
- East Fremantle are still in discussions with Rhys Palmer about a return to Shark Park. A return to the WAFL appears likely with Claremont also interested in gaining Palmer's services.
- The Sharks have also expressed an interest in former Swan Districts' forward Blaine Boekhorst who has a close friendship with current Sharks' player Matthew Jupp. Swan Districts are also believed to be looking to lure Boekhorst back to his original home.
- Perth have signed Matthew Taylor and former Claremont player Corey Yeo. Yeo is the older brother of West Coast Eagle Elliot Yeo and spent several seasons with Claremont before moving to Victoria for work this year, spending time playing with Williamstown in the VFL. Taylor returns to Perth after being drafted by North Melbourne from the Demons last year but was delisted after one season on the Roos' list.
- Former Fremantle player Nick Suban has signed with South Fremantle. Suban was delisted in October by Fremantle but had performed a medical last month with GWS Giants in the hope of being picked up by the club. That opportunity failed to materialise and Suban has decided to call Fremantle Oval home for 2018.
- The WAFL has added further restrictions to player eligibility for the alignment clubs in finals with only 12 AFL-listed players allowed to play for the alignment sides during the 2018 WAFL finals series. AFL-listed players must play a minimum of five league games during the season to qualify but must also play a minimum of three after 30 June to be eligible to play in the WAFL finals. The WAFL also confirmed that Reserves' games will also no longer count towards finals eligibility for AFL-listed players, closing a loophole which had been exploited by Peel Thunder in recent seasons. The WAFC did however state that the rules would not apply if West Coast Eagles or Fremantle were playing on the same weekend as their alignment clubs. The decision regarding the figure of 12 AFL-listed players being eligible to play was based on the alignment clubs averaging 12 AFL-listed players representing their club each round during the most recent season.
- West Perth have lost key position player Nick Rodda who has headed east to play with Williamstown in the VFL.
 
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Freezin

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No way EF can afford both Palmer or Boekhurst....can imagine the former is asking for some decent coin...EF will be doing well to afford either....cue for Cl to step in no doubt, esp after their recent draft bounty......
 
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