OOFFICIALFFICIAL PPUBLICATIONUBLICATION OOFF TTHEHE WWAFLAFL RROUNDOUND 2 MMARCHARCH 222,2, 22013013 $$3.003.00 AWARDS SServingerving ttwowo ffootyooty mmastersasters TTweetsweets ooff tthehe WWeekeek GGameame ppreviewsreviews The Lions take top marks, so does our insurance. We’re proud to be Major Sponsor of the Subiaco Lions. And even prouder that our car and home policies are competitively priced. Better still, we’ll help you find the cover that’s right for you. To find out what we’ve made possible, call QBE today on 133 723. Call us for a PDS to decide if a product is right for you. QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited ABN 78 003 191 035, AFSL 239545. Every Week Game time 6 Awards 9 Previews 7 Tipping 10-11 Subiaco v West Perth 7 Tweets of the Week 12-13 East Perth v Peel 16-18 WAFC news 21 Fremantle v West Coast 19 Country Football 20 Community Football 22 Club calendar 23 WAFL Stats 25 Ladders & results 26 Fixtures Features 4-6 Serving two footy masters 8 Entertainment 14-15 Subiaco team poster 24 Collectables CONTENTS3 By Ross Lewis 4 @r_lewis_thewest Publisher Serving two This publication is proudly produced for the WA Football Commission by Media Tonic. Phone 9388 7844 Fax 9388 7866 Sales [email protected] Editor Tracey Lewis Email [email protected] @traceylewis5 footy masters Contributing writers Ross Lewis, Andrea Damonse, Sean Cowan. Photography Andrew Ritchie, William Crabb & The deal has been signed. For the next fi ve WAFL Paul Litherland seasons two teams in the local league will serve as Design/Typesetting alignment clubs for Fremantle and West Coast. Jacqueline Holland - Visible Ink Graphics Easier said than done. Printing Just making the concept a reality prompted Quality Press. Phone much blood-letting in WA football. The local league 6254 9999 saw it is a case of the big boys in town encroaching Address on its turf. The Dockers and Eagles believed it was a 8 Babel Road Welshpool WA 6106 win-win for the code throughout the State. Email While the new arrangements between [email protected] Fremantle-Peel and West Coast-East Perth can “It was a bit of a surprise Cover best be described as shotgun marriages, the clubs Paul Johnson by Andrew Ritchie. involved in the “host club” set-ups are determined to “ make the new system work – for all parties. but where we have been Season 2013 will be an interim year in the The Football Budget is printed on transition to the full alignment. in the previous years we Express Gloss 90gsm paper, which is sourced from a sustainably managed Fremantle players at East Perth have moved to forest and uses manufacturing Peel and West Coast squad members at the Thunder probably have needed processesof the highest environmental have shifted to the Royals. Scott Lycett, Blayne standards. Wilson, Zac Clarke, Jayden Pitt and Hayden Crozier The Football Budget is printed by a (the alignment) more Level 2 EnvironmentalAccredited have been affected. printer. The magazine is 100% But from next season any Docker not required recyclable. for AFL duty will be released to Peel and a similar than any other club,” – WAFL admission prices policy will exist between the Eagles and Royals. $15 – Adult* $12 – Concession So how are the relationships going to work? Brendon Jones. 2 for 1 offer – Student Edge Member* While winning matches is the priority for both Free – Children U16 *Includes a copy of Football Budget WAFL teams, fine-tuning their association with their respective AFL clubs is a key task in 2013. Find us on It is significant, too, that Brian Dawson (East Perth) and Cam Shepherd (Peel) are in their first seasons at the helm. But each is following a different path in dealing with two masters. Shepherd, the WAFL journeyman taking on the Copyright © No part of this publication may league’s toughest coaching job by moving to a team be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the permission of the publisher. Opinions that has finished last nine times in 17 years, has expressed in the Football Budget are not ” necessarily those of the WAFC. The WAFC or embraced the link to the Dockers. affi liated clubs believe that the material produced in this publication is accurate, but gives no When the Thunder came into the competition in warranty in relation thereto and disclaims all liability for claims against the WAFC or affi liated 1997 they had too few concessions, which limited clubs, Media Tonic, its employees, agents, or their capacity to be competitive. any other person, which may rise from any person acting on the materials contained herein. But Peel captain Brendon Jones said working with the Dockers could help lift the Mandurah team Registered by Australia Post - PP642521/00112 up the ladder. Scott Lycett is one of the players who had to move from Peel to East Perth under the interim alignment. “It was a bit of a surprise but where we “It is not about me or our alignment with But he believes East Perth will have more have been in the previous years we probably Fremantle, but more importantly it is about autonomy on what it can do with its AFL have needed (the alignment) more than any Peel maintaining its integrity. It is really an talent. other club,” Jones said. important point that we will remain focused “We’ll take some of their style and Shepherd spent considerable time during that Peel Football Club stands alone. elements on board, there is no doubt about the off-season putting systems in place to “We did lose a lot of fringe league and that,” Dawson said. “It would be silly not to improve the communication between AFL reserves players because of the perceived accommodate some of the things they do. and WAFL clubs. opportunities due to the alignment but the “But there is no direction that we must “We’ve been working closely with Peel playing group has a strong bond. The play exactly the way they would like us to Fremantle. Our list of Fremantle aligned side will be selected in consultation with play. We have good licence over that. players is probably younger than at East Fremantle but on merit.” “We have a fair bit of contact. I know the Perth,” Shepherd said. Dawson has had a strong relationship people there well and they know me pretty “So we have had to work pretty closely with the Eagles for more than 20 years, well so it works pretty well in that sense.” with Simon Lloyd and Ash Prescott in the way having worked for the club as a fitness and they do things and we’ve taken a fair bit of conditioning expert. He still consults to the that to the table. club. 5 6 AWARDS Leading Rising Star goalkicker award It took just 10 minutes for West league ranks via the same junior Perth’s Matthew Johnson to club as Johnson. Matthew Johnson produced herald his arrival into the WAFL Rodda and Johnson got early one of the best WAFL debuts in competition. votes in the WAFL Combined Past ROUND 19 VOTES recent seasons by helping to The 19-year-old from Whitfords Players and Officials Association Perth v Peel kick West Perth to victory in their kicked a goal early in his league rising star award. 3. Jackson Sketcher (P) clash with East Perth at Arena debut and never looked back. Joondalup. To be eligible players must have 2. Matthew Boyle (P) By the end of the West Perth-East notched eight games or less at Johnson kicked six goals to be 1. Craig Moller (PT) Perth clash at Arena Joondalup, the start of the 2013 season and an early leader in the chase for the Johnson had six goals and the be aged 21 years or under at the West Perth v East Perth 2013 Bernie Naylor Medal. Falcons had a victory. end of the season. 3. Matthew Johnson (WP) Swan Tim Geappen also started The Falcons also got solid service Votes do not need to be awarded. the new campaign with a bang 2. Nic Rodda (WP) from defender Nic Rodda, another Claremont v South Fremantle by notching a super six haul in 19-year-old who advanced to attack. 3. Matthew Davies (C) But there was bad news for last 2. Kingsley Smith (SF) LEADING VOTE GETTERS FOR 2013 year’s WAFL leading goalkicker, 1. Nicholas Winmar (C) Ben Saunders, from South 3 Jackson Sketcher (P), Matthew Johnson (WP), Matthew Davies Fremantle. (C), Charlie Cameron (SD) East Fremantle v Swan Districts Saunders was injured in the 2 Matthew Boyle (P), Nic Rodda (WP), Kingsley Smith (SF), Nathan 3. Charlie Cameron (SD Bulldogs’ loss to Claremont and Blakely (SD) 2. Nathan Blakely (SD) will miss more action in coming 1 Craig Moller (PT), Nicholas Winmar (C), Nathan Broad (SD) 1. Nathan Broad (SD) weeks. Perth recruit Kyle Reimers made a strong return to the State league with three goals . Player of the Year Rodriguez Shield LEADING HOME-AND-AWAY GOALKICKERS FOR ROUND Midfi elder Shaun Hildebrandt Adelaide, collected last year’s The Rodriguez Shield is awarded ONE, 2013 lived up to his status as a Osborne Park Volkswagen Player to the most consistent WAFL Sandover Medal favourite with of the Year award on his way to club of the season, with points 6 Matthew Johnson (WP), a blazing performance to open taking home the fairest-and-best allocated across all three grades. Tim Geappen (SD) Swan Districts’ 2013 campaign. player prize in the WAFL. Clubs are awarded 10 points for 4 Murray Newman (SD), Hildebrandt had 26 every league win and four points Jeremy McGovern (C) possessions and 10 marks to be for a reserves or colts win.