2018 Player Movements and News Thread

[Hellgood]

Not under the new WAFL talent structure sadly.

The WAFC implemented a "once in a generation" review of all competions, pathways,structures and governing models across WA football. The Boston Group recommendations implemented, post their $350000 review, that the WAFL alignment model will continue until atleast the end of the 2021 season, the WAFC to take control of the states colts system, where colts coaches will be hired directly by the WAFC. Whilst the development sides will still be aligned to their respective WAFL clubs, they will no longer be run by them starting from 2018. AFL draft fees would be kept by the WAFC and NOT paid to the WAFL clubs, except in cases involving mature age draftees.

It's not a WAFL to AFL transfer though, it's WAFL-WAFL would that make it any different?

 

[Monocle]

It's not a WAFL to AFL transfer though, it's WAFL-WAFL would that make it any different?

It should do but it wont.

Begs the question if players can be poached from WAFL Clubs to the aligned Clubs for zero compensation then why should the WAFL Clubs bother to provide the development and pathway to their Club.

I get the continuity of development argument from Fremantle, but it just seems grossly unfair and inadequate that Claremont get no compensation for either the loss of player or the money spent already to bring the young player on.
Comes after last year when McGinnity was given to East Perth for ( once again ) zero compensation to Claremont.

WAFC needs to be very careful that it doesn't kill the Golden Goose that has been ,in the main, the FOUR Clubs that have provided the majority of the young kids to the AFL over the past thirty years. East Fremantle, South Fremantle ,Swan Districts and Claremont have done a wonderful job of developing young Colts player for AFL.
Unfortunately Subiaco, West Perth, East Perth and Perth not so, they really haven't done their share of the heavy lifting as far as junior development goes.
Peel have made a contribution but no where near as impressive as the FOUR main contributors mentioned above.

 

[Ljp86]

- Night WAFL matches could return to the WACA Ground as early as the end of the coming season with the WACA confirming it has plans to extend the length of the venue. It's estimated that re-configuring the ground would cost about $1 million with the WACA to look for alternate funding options despite having $12 million in the bank. It was understood that Subiaco Oval was offered as an alternate venue to host night matches but was ruled out with most of the seating at the venue to be sold and the stands being closed. The WAFC confirmed it would look at hosting games at the venue provided the playing surface was resized, the ground met minimum WAFL standards and that appropriate hiring agreements could be settled.
- Two matches from the Easter Round (Round One) will be broadcast on free to air TV with the Subiaco vs Claremont fixture at Leederville Oval in Round Four to be telecast on a Thursday Night.
- West Perth's new Chief Executive is Linda Hamersley, replacing David Crute who has moved to the WAFC as umpire manager. Hamersley was most recently involved with Athletics New Zealand but was also Chief Executive at Hockey WA as well as an administrator in motorsport.
- East Perth will remain aligned with West Coast Eagles until the end of the 2020 season after failing to meet the deadline to end the alignment with the Eagles. East Perth had to give notice by 28 February to begin to end the agreement but did not do so with chief executive Dean Turner confirming that things would remain the same in the short term. The commission also rejected the Royals' bid to recruit an extra senior player for the 2018 season after reaching a decision that the recruitment of former Eagle Sharrod Wellingham and the fact that the Royals Colts' and Reserves' sides made the 2016 Grand Finals was enough evidence that the club would have enough depth for the coming season.
- East Perth players Patrick McGinnity (groin) and Tom Gorter (ankle) remain in doubt for the club's opening fixture against Subiaco on Good Friday.
- Swan Districts have gained the services of Steven Payne after Swans gave East Perth $10,000 in transfer fees for the former East Perth product. Payne walked out on East Perth during 2017 due to a lack of opportunity with new Swans' coach Adam Pickering (a former East Perth assistant coach) convincing Payne to join him at Bassendean.
- East Perth has regained the services of Shayne Hille after Hille's request to join East Fremantle via a clearance was declined.
- Former Fremantle Docker and recent Claremont player Anthony Morabito has retired after requiring more surgery on his troublesome knee. Morabito's career was riddled with persistent knee injuries and played only 26 games in seven seasons with the Dockers before being delisted and signing with the Tigers where he played four games last year and previously 47 games with Peel Thunder.
- Claremont has also lost Aaron Holt to retirement after failing to overcome a foot problem. Holt played 68 games with the Tigers, including the 2012 premiership.

 

[Ljp86]

- Jason Carter has been transferred to Peel Thunder against Claremont's wishes. Carter is part of Fremantle's Next Generation Academy and will spend time there and at Peel with the Thunder being Fremantle's AFL aligned club despite being identified by Claremont as part of their Kimberley zone. The Dockers will have first crack to draft Carter at the 2018 National Draft should they choose to do so. The WAFC approved the decision despite Claremont disagreeing with the movement. As part of the arrangement, Carter will live with a host family in Perth and will be eligible for the Peel League side but must be included as part of the 12 player limit for alignment clubs should Peel play in the WAFL finals.
- Perth have lost Jarrad Irons and Brennan Stack for the 2018 season. Irons spent time at Port Adelaide on the rookie list and played in the reserves at the Demons last season but has signed with Trinity Aquinas in the WAAFL. Brennan Stack was at the Western Bulldogs in the AFL for a short period before returning the Demons and played a number of league games last year but has now elected to play with Noranda in the WAAFL.
- The WAFL look set to take on the SANFL this season as a curtain raiser to the Showdown between Port Adelaide and Adelaide on 12 May which the game slated to start at 1:25pm. The WAFL and SANFL are the only two state leagues left in the interstate league and look set to meet each year for the forseeable future each year after the VFL, NEAFL and TSL all withdrew at the end of last season. Michael Broadbridge will coach the team again in 2018 after leading the WAFL to beat the VFL in Melbourne last year, the first time a WA representative team has beaten a Victorian representative team in Victoria in 113 years. The ledger between WA and SA stands at 47-46 in the Black Swans' favour with the WAFL being undoubtedly the best state league in the country having beaten the VFL twice, the SANFL, NEAFL and the TSL in the past five years.
- Perth have stated they want to win a WAFL premiership within the next five years as part of the Demons' plan to escape the lack of success the club has had in recent decades. The Demons have not played finals for 20 years with the club's last finals appearance in 1997 and they haven't won a flag for 40 years with their last premiership the second of back-to-back flags in 1976 and 1977. The Demons however have a strong financial position boasting $400,000 in their Centurions' fund while the club made a profit of $69,000 last season, the third best behind Peel Thunder and East Perth. Perth are also hoping to gain government funding for a new facility at Lathlain Park and to gain back some of the development zone it lost in the south east of the metropolitan area when Peel Thunder joined the competition in 1997 as part of the WAFL's current re-zoning review.

 

[Ljp86]

WAFL Pre-Season Fixtures

Round One

Subiaco 8.13 (61) defeated West Perth 7.9 (51)
East Fremantle 9.6 (60) lost to East Perth 13.7 (85)
Claremont 4.6 (30) lost to Peel Thunder 13.11 (89)
South Fremantle 9.8 (62) defeated Swan Districts 8.12 (60)
Bye: Perth


Round Two

East Perth vs South Fremantle at Lathlain Park (Saturday 17 March, 11:30am)
Peel Thunder vs Subiaco at Bendigo Bank Stadium (Saturday 17 March, 2:15pm)
Claremont vs Perth at Claremont Oval (Saturday 17 March, 3:45pm)
West Perth vs East Fremantle at HBF Arena (Saturday 17 March, 3:45pm)
Bye: Swan Districts


Round Three

Subiaco vs East Fremantle at Leederville Oval (Friday 23 March, 7pm)
Peel Thunder vs East Perth at Bendigo Bank Stadium (Saturday 24 March, 1:30pm)
Swan Districts vs Claremont at Steel Blue Oval (Saturday 24 March, 1:45pm)
Perth vs South Fremantle at Lathlain Park (Saturday 24 March, 2:15pm)
Bye: West Perth

 

[andana]

Thanks. Been looking everywhere for those results.

 

[getgaff]

Thanks for the results LJP.

I went to Leederville yesterday, good blow of the cobwebs for both teams, and intending to go to Lathlain next Saturday for East Perth and South.

Obviously some interest in how Nic Nat goes probably against a more mature match bodied up in Brock Higgins.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

- Perth have lost Jarrad Irons and Brennan Stack for the 2018 season. Irons spent time at Port Adelaide on the rookie list and played in the reserves at the Demons last season but has signed with Trinity Aquinas in the WAAFL. Brennan Stack was at the Western Bulldogs in the AFL for a short period before returning the Demons and played a number of league games last year but has now elected to play with Noranda in the WAAFL.

Great news. Stack = one of the laziest players to play the game.

- Perth have stated they want to win a WAFL premiership within the next five years as part of the Demons' plan to escape the lack of success the club has had in recent decades.

Looooooool

 

[getgaff]

Great news. Stack = one of the laziest players to play the game.

All the talent but no ticker

 

[Ljp86]

WAFL Pre-Season Fixtures

Round One

Subiaco 8.13 (61) defeated West Perth 7.9 (51)
East Fremantle 9.6 (60) lost to East Perth 13.7 (85)
Claremont 4.6 (30) lost to Peel Thunder 13.11 (89)
South Fremantle 9.8 (62) defeated Swan Districts 8.12 (60)
Bye: Perth


Round Two

East Perth 6.3 (39) lost to South Fremantle 15.7 (97)
Peel Thunder 14.8 (92) defeated Subiaco 6.7 (43)
Claremont 7.11 (53) lost to Perth 10.2 (62)
West Perth 14.12 (96) defeated East Fremantle 6.8 (44)
Bye: Swan Districts


Round Three

Subiaco vs East Fremantle at Leederville Oval (Friday 23 March, 7pm)
Peel Thunder vs East Perth at Bendigo Bank Stadium (Saturday 24 March, 1:30pm)
Swan Districts vs Claremont at Steel Blue Oval (Saturday 24 March, 1:45pm)
Perth vs South Fremantle at Lathlain Park (Saturday 24 March, 2:15pm)
Bye: West Perth

 

[Ljp86]

WAFL Pre-Season Fixtures

Round One

Subiaco 8.13 (61) defeated West Perth 7.9 (51)
East Fremantle 9.6 (60) lost to East Perth 13.7 (85)
Claremont 4.6 (30) lost to Peel Thunder 13.11 (89)
South Fremantle 9.8 (62) defeated Swan Districts 8.12 (60)
Bye: Perth


Round Two

East Perth 6.3 (39) lost to South Fremantle 15.7 (97)
Peel Thunder 14.8 (92) defeated Subiaco 6.7 (43)
Claremont 7.11 (53) lost to Perth 10.2 (62)
West Perth 14.12 (96) defeated East Fremantle 6.8 (44)
Bye: Swan Districts


Round Three

Subiaco 20.15 (135) defeated East Fremantle 10.11 (71)
Peel Thunder 20.9 (129) defeated East Perth 3.7 (25)
Swan Districts 9.12 (66) defeated Claremont 8.12 (60)
Perth 8.4 (52) lost to South Fremantle 20.12 (132)
Bye: West Perth

 

[DurtleAU]

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