OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WAFL $3.00 EDITION 11, JUNE 19, 2021 by Elliot Raiter Halfway report in the OPTUS WAFL The 2021 Optus WAFL Season has reached the campaign after a strong start. Five wins leaves the halfway point. side in fourth with a massive game against West Perth The Football Budget looks at each team after 10 today at Steel Blue Oval. Frank Anderson’s second rounds of the home-and-away season. season has seen an average of 27 touches and looks st to be the barometer in the midfield. Jesse Palmer has CLAREMONT (1 ) 8-1 been the clear target up forward with 20 goals. Last year’s Grand Finalists have started on th fire in season 2021, dropping just one fixture WEST PERTH (5 ) 4-4 heading into their bye round. Sandover The Falcons have been up and down Medallist Jye Bolton has been in hot form, averaging to begin the season but remain in finals 32 touches, while Jack Buller has been the surprise contention at the halfway mark. Another packet with 20 goals for the season. The Tigers will victory over archrivals East Perth two hope to secure a top two berth heading into another weeks ago will keep the fans happy but wins over finals series. top five sides will be vital heading into September. nd Tyler Keitel has been the in-form big man of the SUBIACO (2 ) 7-1 competition, leading the Bernie Naylor Medal with 26 After missing the finals last season, goals. Subiaco have returned to their dominant th best in the early rounds. Wins over PERTH (6 ) 4-4 Claremont and West Perth have highlighted the A team riddled with injury still looks season, with the one blemish coming against South in the hunt for September action after Fremantle. Midfielder Greg Clark is having a career 10 rounds. Perth have lost up to 12 first best season averaging 30 disposals and Ben Sokol choice players throughout the campaign with key looks to be hitting his straps at the right time. personnel of Fraser McInnes, Chris Masten and Brady rd Grey all missing large parts of the season. A return of SOUTH FREMANTLE (3 ) 6-3 players and momentum could see a second straight It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the finals appearance for the Demons. Bulldogs, losing three games on their way th to a 6-3 start. Losses to Claremont, Perth PEEL THUNDER (7 ) 3-6 and East Perth leaves South in third position, two Injuries at Fremantle have allowed Peel games clear of sixth. Haiden Schloithe started the Thunder to expose some of their young season on fire but has received plenty of attention, talent in the early rounds of the season. with Cody Ninyette’s consistency a standout over the Tyrone Thorne has been a revelation and has moved opening ten rounds. into the midfield at times, while veterans Blair Bell th and Jackson Merrett have shown the way throughout. SWAN DISTRICTS (4 ) 5-3 Expect the Peel side to cause some surprises in the The big improvers in season 2021, back half of the season. Swans look primed to have a tilt at a finals This publication is proudly produced by the WA Football WAFL admission prices Commission. DID YOU KNOW? $15 – Adult* Cover // Mitchell Antonio $12 – Concession* You can subscribe to the Football Budget Photography // Gary Day & Michael Farnell Simply call 0419 930 763 or email Free – Children 15 and under Design // Jacqueline Holland, Direction Design and Print [email protected] *Includes a copy of Football Budget Printing // Data Documents www.datadocuments.com.au The Football Budget is printed on Gloss 90gsm paper, which is sourced from a sustainably managed forest and uses manufacturing processes of the highest environmental standards. The magazine is 100% recyclable. Copyright © No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in the Football Budget are not necessarily those of the WAFC. The WAFC or affiliated clubs believe that the material produced in this publication is accurate, but gives no warranty in relation thereto and disclaims all liability for claims against the WAFC or affiliated clubs, its employees, agents, or any other person, which may rise from any person acting on the materials contained herein. 2 by Elliot Raiter Halfway report in the OPTUS WAFL EAST FREMANTLE (8th) 3-5 The Sharks have shown a lot of promise after 10 rounds, highlighted by a 125-point victory over West Coast in Round 6. Josh Schoenfeld looked the goods until he was injured, and Jonathon Marsh has given East Fremantle a target up forward. Hugh Dixon looks to be coming into his own after a standout performance against South Fremantle in the last round. EAST PERTH (9th) 2-7 The undoubted highlight of the season was last weekend’s thrilling victory over Premiers South Fremantle. The narrow five- point win proved there has been development within the side, with Angus Scott and Kye Willcocks showing the way. The Royals will take plenty of confidence into the remainder of the season. WEST COAST (10th) 0-8 Injuries to AFL players has cruelled the season of the WAFL Eagles, going winless across the first 10 rounds. Hamish Brayshaw has led the side admirably averaging 20 touches, while the inclusion of Mark Hutchings has added some experience to the midfield. Connor West’s run and carry should further benefit after moving across from West Perth. u Ben Edwards Discovering hidden family talents It starts with disconnecting to reconnect with Optus Pause Find out how you can help your family take a digital breather today T&Cs apply. See the Optus website for details. 2 3 20471 CORE Optus Pause WAFL Ad H64x138.5mm FA1.indd 1 18/5/21 2:31 pm COLLECTABLES by Sean Cowan During 2021, the Football Budget will again feature a section on WAFL memorabilia and invites you to write or email if you want more information about the football collectables you have tucked away at home. As a passionate Sandgroper, I often rice, fish and chips, rail against the “Victorianisation” of stuffed rabbit, sausage our footy history. rolls, cocktail franks, For instance, if you ask a meatballs, small ham youngster (one who has an interest pies and cheese straws. in footy history, anyway) to identify But the program the greats of the game, they’ll is signed by several invariably throw names like Ted players and their wives, Whitten, Bob Skilton and John including Hutchinson, Coleman at you. East Fremantle ruckman It’s a sad state of affairs given this Jack Clarke, fellow state produced the likes of Polly Old Easts stalwart Farmer, Barry Cable and John Todd Wilson Onions, South and so I often find myself reminding Fremantle’s Charlie those from the Eastern States of I had never even been aware Tyson, West Perth’s Brian some of WA’s biggest contributions the association held these types of Falconer, Perth’s Merv McIntosh and to the game. functions until this little program East Perth’s Tom Guthrie. Along with players like those turned up recently, featuring a This week’s second featured item named above, we have also been couple of pages of rather politically was made a little more recently responsible for some interesting incorrect jokes that are probably than the first. innovations. best left in the past. Over the summer, I happened For instance, the 50m arc was first But the program does identify across an advertisement in the used in WA (and so was the 25m arc, the founders of the WAFLPA as Football Budget for these Shell though that didn’t survive). being some of the players who cushions, finally proving they were Sirens were installed at Perth represented WA against South made in 1970. Oval and Leederville Oval in 1939, Australia in Adelaide in 1952 I had originally thought they but didn’t become commonplace in and the president as Sir Ross were probably given away with a the VFL until after the war. Hutchinson, who had become an tank of fuel at a Shell service station, And then there was the WAFL MP by that time. but the ad shows they were actually Players Association. It was formed in Others heavily involved were sold separately for 69c apiece. 1952, beating the Vics’ first attempt East Perth’s Jack Sweet, East At the time, Shell marketed them to form a players association by Fremantle’s Jack Sheedy, South using the phrase “the well dressed three years. Fremantle’s John Colgan and fan carries a footy cushion”. Which brings me to this week’s Subiaco’s Ron Coffey. But I’m not sure how popular featured collectable – a program There’s not much to the program they were. In all my years of from the WAFL Players Association’s itself. Aside from the off-colour collecting, I’ve only seen two West second ever annual ball, held in jokes, there are a fair few ads, a Perth cushions, two East Fremantle 1954. photo of Bernie Naylor, and one Perth. a list of the association’s If any Budget reader can help office bearers and the with a photograph of any of the menu for the evening other clubs, I would love to hear – featuring curry and from you. If you have a query regarding WAFL memorabilia, send photographs and/or details to Sean at [email protected] or Sean Cowan, PO Box 8352, Perth BC, WA 6849. His website is at www.waflcollectables.webs.com and he also can be contacted on 0412 760 004.