2nds WAFL Watch - 2025 Edition

[HoneyBadger35]

How did ____ go on the weekend?

Why not consult the Alesana Player Video Database.

Resource - Player Video Database

Putting this into a spreadsheet for convenience. 2024 is still there in a tab on the bottom of the sheet. I'll update this as much as I can throughout the year. The All Stars game and our match sim against Richmond are now up.

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

so the this the guy thats dating a pornstar or someone a like that the board was talking about a while back

Hopefully not if he was playing Talent League this year.

That might be his brother.

 

[THE A5]

Hopefully not if he was playing Talent League this year.

That might be his brother.

Thanks migs, you really seem to know a lot about the Brayshaws

 

[Ljp86]

Cousin, son of James Brayshaw the commentator, former North president and first-class cricketer. Andrew, Angus and Hamish are the sons of James' brother Mark who played for North and Claremont.

James and Mark's dad Ian Brayshaw was a WA cricketer and newsreader.

Sorry I can't give any more detail.

Ian Brayshaw was also a good footballer, he played 72 games with Claremont before focusing on cricket full-time.

 

[kane249]

so the this the guy thats dating a pornstar or someone a like that the board was talking about a while back

Annie Knight drops bombshell about fiancé's rift with famous father

Annie Knight has revealed her fiancé Henry Brayshaw is completely estranged from his famous father, AFL commentator James Brayshaw.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[RookiePick]

She don't cook and she don't clean. $200k on a diamond ring?

 

[amazingjoshy]

Annie Knight drops bombshell about fiancé's rift with famous father

Annie Knight has revealed her fiancé Henry Brayshaw is completely estranged from his famous father, AFL commentator James Brayshaw.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Can't totally blame him from not wanting to speak to James. Id rather not have to listen to him while watching the footy

 

[FKASC]

Can't totally blame him from not wanting to speak to James. Id rather not have to listen to him while watching the footy

Except for that time Josh Kennedy kicked the goal from the boundary against Richmond

 

[THE A5]

Can't totally blame him from not wanting to speak to James. Id rather not have to listen to him while watching the footy

But he lets other men boof his misso

 

[THE A5]

Also Henry looks more like Bevo’s son

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Another update from my obsessive checking of the WAFL site: some players are still showing up as active but have had their numbers taken off (and in some cases reallocated), which I assume means they aren’t coming back for 2026. Sparks (we knew about that one), Klemke, Sambo, Mouritz and Luke Yeo.

What looks like the squad at the moment:

50 Caleb Datson
51 Archie Watt*
52 Jack Eastough
53 Ethan Barbieri
54 James Ewing
55 Ash Johnson*
56 Thomas Edwards-Baldwin (doesn’t show up on the WAFL site at all for some reason but presumably he’s coming back)
57 Josh Burke
58 Jack Walsh
59 Maxi Mumme
61 Darby McCarthy
62 Orien Kerr
63 Justin Prior
64 Andries Mercer
69 Mitch Henderson
70 Shannon Lucassen
72 Denholm Melrose
75 Zac Dronow

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Another update from my obsessive checking of the WAFL site: some players are still showing up as active but have had their numbers taken off (and in some cases reallocated), which I assume means they aren’t coming back for 2026. Sparks (we knew about that one), Klemke, Sambo, Mouritz and Luke Yeo.

What looks like the squad at the moment:

50 Caleb Datson
51 Archie Watt*
52 Jack Eastough
53 Ethan Barbieri
54 James Ewing
55 Ash Johnson*
56 Thomas Edwards-Baldwin (doesn’t show up on the WAFL site at all for some reason but presumably he’s coming back)
57 Josh Burke
58 Jack Walsh
59 Maxi Mumme
61 Darby McCarthy
62 Orien Kerr
63 Justin Prior
64 Andries Mercer
69 Mitch Henderson
70 Shannon Lucassen
72 Denholm Melrose
75 Zac Dronow

The streets won’t forget the Ethan Sambo legacy game of 2024, only to never be seen again.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Another update from my obsessive checking of the WAFL site: some players are still showing up as active but have had their numbers taken off (and in some cases reallocated), which I assume means they aren’t coming back for 2026. Sparks (we knew about that one), Klemke, Sambo, Mouritz and Luke Yeo.

What looks like the squad at the moment:

50 Caleb Datson
51 Archie Watt*
52 Jack Eastough
53 Ethan Barbieri
54 James Ewing
55 Ash Johnson*
56 Thomas Edwards-Baldwin (doesn’t show up on the WAFL site at all for some reason but presumably he’s coming back)
57 Josh Burke
58 Jack Walsh
59 Maxi Mumme
61 Darby McCarthy
62 Orien Kerr
63 Justin Prior
64 Andries Mercer
69 Mitch Henderson
70 Shannon Lucassen
72 Denholm Melrose
75 Zac Dronow

So basically the whose who of human crap

Any chance we can like try something different? This is the definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results

Anycase im now prepared for the legions of WAFL fans to leap to the defense of this rabble

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Right, so you’ve gone from “you mocked me for being in hospital” to “you apologised but I didn’t accept it”. That’s probably as close to a retraction as I’ll get, I guess.



Nah. I’m done doing that with you.

Others have already explained it to you, about how we’re bringing in mature bodies for the WAFL side with the four extra rookie spots, and also how it’s incredibly difficult to recruit for the shambles of a WAFL side and beggars can’t be choosers. You didn’t listen then, you won’t listen now.

So to summarize, uppercut, **** off, and you’re on ignore. I’m not engaging further. Done with you.

Ill still respond to football talk

I dont think the rookie list makeup should define what our entire 20 WAFL list makeup is. We need to go out and get the best players we can as a general rule yeah. The WAFL topups just exisiting to be amateurs in the wind is just accepting mediocrity a bit. We need to use the WAFL side also as a way to find new talent. Its a opportunity we have but dont take. Do you think the VFL sides run around with the same guys who dont impact for years on end just because they turned up to training last year? No, if the player doesnt work out they move them on and recruit someone new.

And thank our lucky stars they do that. We have Tom McCarthy... not because of our own good work but Richmonds recruiting... which is a tad sad. Lets be ambitious and look for more should not be a controversial take. I firmly believe a amateur can come into this WAFL team and be the best player we have.... We just need to actually attempt to do that

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Apropos of nothing, our last two B&F winners were two guys who’d just joined from country leagues, this year was Thomas Edwards-Baldwin who was recruited from Kalannie and the year before that was Harley Sparks who was recruited from the SWFL.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Apropos of nothing, our last two B&F winners were two guys who’d just joined from country leagues, this year was Thomas Edwards-Baldwin who was recruited from Kalannie and the year before that was Harley Sparks who was recruited from the SWFL.

Im talking about the deeper list itself. It needs to be turned over constantly

How many do you see as like being the next Tom McCarthy? I think we can surely rule some out. I dont think say Lucassen, Mercer, Datson will be picked up in a mid season draft so why hand them the opportunity? Should our goal not be to get every single one of our amateurs that style of chance?

Every contract we give needs to be a opportunity for a spot on the main list when it comes to the WAFL side so lets make choices like that is all im saying. I dont think we are thinking that way and perhaps it reflects a bit in the culture too. If no one sees our WAFL team as a pathway to the main list and we are phoning it in with the players we take and keep then why would those with amibition join us for?

 

[Keys]

It’s November and the focus of our recruitment is the AFL side. Nonetheless, we seemed to have added Ash Johnson and this Watt fellow from Victoria. Given that they’ve both been training with the seniors last week it’s fair to say they’re above the grade of our ammos top ups

It’s certainly a step up from our recruiting this time last year which was non-existent. Losing Sparks is a bit of a blow since he was actually WAFL standard

Don Pyke on Duffield’s show when asked about the WAFL and the help the more senior players we’re adding as rookies could provide, said that they were being recruited on the basis they would compete for spots in the seniors. Any assistance to the WAFL side they gave would be a byproduct not the aim

He also acknowledged they hadn’t recruited well in the past and it was up to the club to use the recruiting concessions given to them by the WAFL. It was virtually an admission they hadn’t taken proper advantage of them

I’ve paraphrased a fair bit there and might have put a few words in Pyke’s mouth that he didn’t actually say but the overall gist of what he said was we needed 4-5 genuine WAFL quality players amongst our top ups to compete and it was up to the club to find them

I took what he said as a positive because it felt like he understood the need to improve the WAFL side with a priority it hasn’t always been given

The addition of Johnson and Watt, imo, are a reflection of that attitude

 

[HoneyBadger35]

I don’t see how “we need to go and get the best players we can to try something new” can also be “we shouldn’t sign this former AFL player because he’s not playing position 1A of need”.

Better players are better to have. They are clearly trying something new.

Not churning the entire list of top ups year on year isn’t proof that they’re not recruiting.

 

[Seadog]

So basically the whose who of human crap

Any chance we can like try something different? This is the definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results

Anycase im now prepared for the legions of WAFL fans to leap to the defense of this rabble

You really are a piece of work aren't you?
If people are human crap solely because they are middling wafl players where does that leave you who I assume doesn't get anywhere near that level.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

You really are a piece of work aren't you?
If people are human crap solely because they are middling wafl players where does that leave you who I assume doesn't get anywhere near that level.

Mate its sarcasm/a joke. Lighten up a tad. I didnt personally attack or insult anyone. Hell atleast I care that they exist which is more then we get from most

These guys are doing the best they can. They just are put in a situation they shouldnt be in. I wish people were as passionate about these guys getting belted week in week out then 1 word on a forum....

I mean its just a tad odd to me that the only 2 people that seemingly care about our WAFL amateurs is me and Miguel. Meanwhile the draft thread pumps up to hundreds of pages a week.

I think the WAFL amateurs probably should be more then a afterthought. Me calling them crap is atleast acknowledging they exist

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

“The 25th guy in our Wafl squad should be a potential AFL player” is a hell of a strategy.

 

[Keys]

We have, or will have, 48 AFL listed players. It’s actually enough numbers to field two full sides if there are no injuries.

If we also aim to have say 4-6 WAFL standard players on top of that, it does give us some depth to cover the inevitable injuries

I say this because the unique position of the top up players outside the first 4-6 on the list needs to be understood. They aren’t going to be playing most weeks so the club needs to find players who are happy to divide their time between the WAFL side and whoever else they play for

Those players aren’t going to be WAFL standard. If they were they’d probably be playing for a WAFL club or getting paid comparatively good money to play in a country league. Normally, they’d be playing ressies at a WAFL club - a team which we don’t have

It’s why injury management becomes so important, because when we slip into double digit unavailability, we are too reliant on that secondary group of top ups

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

“The 25th guy in our Wafl squad should be a potential AFL player” is a hell of a strategy.

Its a absurd aim but you gotta aim for the best surely? Every contract is a opportunity and we should treat it like such.

Sometimes in life you are given the chance, you dont make it, you move on and then someone else gets a chance. Its why jobs come with a probationary period. We dont just get to keep the job no matter what we do. You get a chance and then you either keep it or dont

The real world cant just be candy and lollipops. We gotta be the best we can be 100% of the time. Amateurs we gave chances too who didnt show AFL potential should just be moved on and new people given the chance. Their is nothing wrong with a new person on the list from the amateurs getting a go. We should provide chances as much as we physically can

The 25th man on the list should aim to play AFL football and we should pick them up believing they can achieve that goal. If they dont then we should get someone who will. Its what is needed to improve the culture.

We kinda need more Jevan Phillipou in us I think

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

We have, or will have, 48 AFL listed players. It’s actually enough numbers to field two full sides if there are no injuries.

If we also aim to have say 4-6 WAFL standard players on top of that, it does give us some depth to cover the inevitable injuries

I say this because the unique position of the top up players outside the first 4-6 on the list needs to be understood. They aren’t going to be playing most weeks so the club needs to find players who are happy to divide their time between the WAFL side and whoever else they play for

Those players aren’t going to be WAFL standard. If they were they’d probably be playing for a WAFL club or getting paid comparatively good money to play in a country league. Normally, they’d be playing ressies at a WAFL club - a team which we don’t have

It’s why injury management becomes so important, because when we slip into double digit unavailability, we are too reliant on that secondary group of top ups

How do you walk the line when it comes to a team like Richmond? Did teams bid for Tom McCarthy or did Richmond bring him in to give him a chance no one else did?

Eyes of the Tigers: How this VFL side became an AFL talent hotspot

Riley Beveridge finds out how the Tigers' elite VFL recruiting is paying dividends for the entire AFL competition

www.afl.com.au

This is a good read on how its done. This is what we should aim for

 

[WCErevival]

Aren't we getting Robertson and Macrae? Surely they are better than any of the WAFL guys that have left.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Aren't we getting Robertson and Macrae? Surely they are better than any of the WAFL guys that have left.

We won 2 games though. Growth is needed well beyond the inclusion of 2 players. If we finished say 6th and 1 game out of the finals with 9 wins, 9 loses then yay, we have 2 new guys to lift the chances of finals football.. When you are basically the worst team in history you simply need to grow at a fairly rapid pace to catch up.

I dont see us catching up by simply doing the same thing we did last year + 2 players who may or may not play (for all we know both guys play 20+ games of AFL because 3 randoms get injured all in the one spot being the midfield) and also getting Ash Johnson

The way id see it is we should be bringing in say 10-15 new players becasuse fundamentally at 2 wins and 16 losses, we dont have much risk/benefit ratio to worry about here. The benefits dont exist to worry about the risk taken. Simply move guys on and look for guys we believe can make it at AFL and do not have the burden of evidence to prove they cannot.

As a example, im not certain Cody Curtin gets drafted (i think its a 90% chance). By signing Ash Johnson while having the talls we have we simply now have zero chance of getting Curtin in. Id suggest Curtin is a better chance of being a mid season pickup then Ash is so id have liked to have a spot open so we can pick someone up capable of getting onto our main list.