OOFFICIALFFICIAL PPUBLICATIONUBLICATION OOFF TTHEHE WWAFLAFL PPRELIMINARYRELIMINARY FFINALSINALS SSEPTEMBEREPTEMBER 115,5, 22013013 $$3.003.00 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 7 Tipping 7 Tweets of the Week 19-20 WAFC news 21 Country Football 22 Amateur Football 23 Club calendar 24 WAFL Stats 25 Ladders & results 26 Fixtures Game time Features 14 Colts, reserves previews 15 League preview 4-5 Tall order for medal hopeful 16 Colts, reserves preliminary teams 6 Awards 17 Claremont v East Perth league 8 Entertainment teams 11 Collectables CONTENTS3 By Ross Lewis 4 @r_lewis_thewest Right: Paul Johnson Middle: Andrew Foster Matt Guadagnin Publisher 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 Contributing writers Ross Lewis, Andrea Damonse, Sean Cowan. Photography Andrew Ritchie, William Crabb & Paul Litherland Design/Typesetting Jacqueline Holland - Visible Ink Graphics TALL ORDER Printing Quality Press. Phone 6254 9999 Address 8 Babel Road fforor mmedaledal hhopefulopeful Welshpool WA 6106 Email They regularly stand closer to the umpires than And last season he finished third in the Sandover [email protected] most other players on the ground. Medal with 42 votes. Such a tally would have been Cover Yet, for more than a decade, big men have been enough to win the award in 14 of the previous 17 2013 WAFL fi nals series shunned by the whistleblowers who cast Sandover seasons. Medal votes. Loyal Royal watchers believe Johnson has had a Indeed, the WAFL’s fairest and best award had better season in 2013. The Football Budget is printed on become a midfielder’s milestone. His biggest threat might come from his own Express Gloss 90gsm paper, which is sourced from a sustainably managed Of the past 12 winners, including the dual victory changerooms. forest and uses manufacturing by Jaxon Crabb and Toby McGrath in 2005, 10 were Midfielder Brendan Lee has made an outstanding processesof the highest environmental genuine on-ballers, one was a small forward (Hayden return to the WAFL with East Perth and might be standards. The Football Budget is printed by a Ballantyne, 2008) and the remaining was Anthony in the dangerous position of sharing votes with Level 2 EnvironmentalAccredited Jones, who played predominately as a fast-leading Johnson. printer. The magazine is 100% half-forward. recyclable. A similar problem could exist at Claremont, The last ruckman to win the WAFL’s most coveted although the wealth of talent at Tigerland hasn’t WAFL admission prices $15 – Adult* individual award was East Perth’s Ryan Turnbull in been a hindrance to the past two winners, Kane $12 – Concession* 2001. Mitchell (58 votes) and Luke Blackwell (42). 2 for 1 offer – Student Edge Member* Free – Children U16 Will it take another Royals follower to break the Jake Murphy was one of a group of players vying *Includes a copy of Football Budget drought on Monday night when the latest name is for the Osborne Park Volkswagen WAFL Player of the Find us on added to the illustrious list of champions to claim Year award when voting went in-camera four weeks the Sandover Medal? before the end of the home-and-away rounds. When it comes to Paul Johnson’s chance of But Murphy might be battling fellow Tigers polling the most votes it depends on how you read Andrew Foster, Andrew Browne and even ruckman recent history. Mark Seaby, who started the 2013 campaign in Sure, the former West Coast, Melbourne and impressive form, for votes. Copyright © No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system Hawthorn player is up against a trend for taller East Fremantle’s Rory O’Brien was outstanding without the permission of the publisher. Opinions players. again this year but did the Sharks win enough expressed in the Football Budget are not necessarily those of the WAFC. The WAFC or However, the 29-year-old has already proven to matches for the on-baller to earn enough high- affi liated clubs believe that the material produced in this publication is accurate, but gives no be a renowned vote-winner in league competition. polling points? One of O’Brien’s internal challengers warranty in relation thereto and disclaims all liability for claims against the WAFC or affi liated In 2005, he won the VFL’s fairest-and-best prize, for the umpire’s nod is captain Mark McGough, who clubs, Media Tonic, its employees, agents, or any other person, which may rise from any the JJ Liston Trophy, while playing for Melbourne is ineligible to win the medal because of a tribunal person acting on the materials contained herein. affiliate Sandringham. sanction. Registered by Australia Post - The Falcons believe Matt Guadagnin, Shane PP642521/00112 Nelson, Aaron Black and Rohan Kerr will poll well. Sandover Selections Tracey Lewis Ross Lewis Corbin Dave Lindsay (Football (thewest.com. Middlemas (The Sunday Budget) au/ Football (720 ABC Radio/ Times/ Sport 1st – Mark Seaby Budget) ABC TV) FM) (C) 1st – Paul Johnson 1st – Jake Murphy 1st – Jake 2nd – Shaun (EP) (C) Murphy (C) Hildebrandt (SD) 2nd- Rory O’Brien (EF) 2nd – Rory O’Brien (EF) 2nd – Paul Johnson (EP) 3rd – Jake Murphy (C) 3rd- Jake Murphy (C) 3rd – Mark Seaby (C) 3rd – Rory O’Brien (EF) Hard luck story: Hard luck story: Hard luck story: Hard luck story: Viv Michie (Peel). Michie Mark McGough (EF): Enjoyed Mark Hutchings (WP): A proven Paul Bevan (P): Kicked 31 goals averaged 26 possessions from 16 another solid season in midfield vote-getter, he polled 51 last in his first nine games as a lively games with Peel and went on to and was again prominent in the season as runner-up to Kane forward in a Perth side sitting claim their fairest and best award big games, which always impresses Mitchell. He amassed 25+ third on the table halfway for season 2013. But the Thunder the umpires. But the East Fremantle disposals in eight of 11 games for through the season. Bevan’s didn’t win enough games for him skipper can’t have a claim on West Perth, however, he missed form remained strong in the to get a fair look in. this year’s medal because of a nine games on AFL duties with second half of the year but, with reprimand for rough conduct in the West Coast. the Demons on the slide, the final round of the season. votes are unlikely to come. Rory O’Brien Jake Murphy Brendan Lee Shaun Hildebrandt Mark Seaby 2013 Ineligible players PERTH Chance Bateman Round 8 Striking Accepted Reprimand First Name Last Name Round Charge Outcome Penalty Chance Bateman Round 11 Rough Conduct Guilty 1 Match CLAREMONT Julian Jacobs Round 21 Misconduct Guilty 1 Match John Williams Round 8 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand Nick Kane Round 7 Striking Accepted Reprimand Nicholas Winmar Round 13 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand Fraser McInnes Round 23 Striking Guilty 1 Match EAST FREMANTLE Simon Tunbridge Round 16 Striking Accepted 1 Match Mark McGough Round 24 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand SOUTH FREMANTLE Jayden Schofield Round 18 Striking Accepted 1 Match Reece Adams Round 19 Forceful Contact Accepted Reprimand Cameron Sutcliffe Round 14 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand Alex Grima Round 1 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand EAST PERTH Ashton Hams Round 22 Striking Guilty 1 Match Jamie Cripps Round 14 Misconduct Accepted 1 Match Kris Miller Round 4 Striking Accepted 1 Match Michael Swan Round 1 Tripping/Attempt Accepted 1 Match Jarrad Winter Round 1 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand Blayne Wilson Round 7 Striking Accepted Reprimand SUBIACO Craig Wulff Round 3 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand Joel Ashman Round 21 Striking Accepted Reprimand PEEL Robert Forrest Round 4 Striking Guilty Reprimand Mathew Brown Round 1 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand Darren Rumble Round 9 Rough Conduct Guilty 1 Match Mathew Brown Round 13 Rough Conduct Accepted 2 Matches SWAN DISTRICTS Jesse Crichton Round 14 Striking Accepted Reprimand Charlie Cameron Round 9 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand Jesse Crichton Round 22 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand WEST PERTH Mitchell Green Round 23 Striking Accepted Reprimand Marc Crisp Round 10 Charging Accepted Reprimand Bradley Holmes Round 19 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand Joshua Mellington Round 5 Striking Accepted Reprimand Devin McFarlane Round 10 Misconduct Guilty Reprimand Nicholas Rodda Round 20 Rough Conduct Accepted Reprimand 5 6 AWARDS Player of the Year Rising Star Triple treat for the Tigers Sore Shark shines as a star Jake Murphy has made it three in away from a pack of players that a row for Claremont in one of the were vying for the honour when WAFL’s most prestigious awards. votes went in-camera four weeks He didn’t play the fi nal four The hard-running midfielder before end of the home-and- matches of East Fremantle’s did enough in the closing stages away season. season but forward Ryan of the season to claim the 2013 East Perth ruckman Paul Lester-Smith was still able to Osborne Park Volkswagen WAFL Johnson was second with 18 votes hold on and win the 2013 WAFL Player of the Year award.