Ljp86
West Coast Eagles - 2018 AFL Premiers!!
- Moderator
- #1
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
- 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