OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WAFL ROUND 1 APRIL 6, 2019 $3.00 » New era dawns for WAFL » Match facts Talking and listening are powerful. We all experience mental health issues. Check in on a mate if they’re not going so well. Visit thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au for more information CONTENTS Every week 6 Tipping 7 Previews 18-19 WAFC 20 Club Notes 21 Stats 22 Scoreboards and ladders 23 Fixtures Features 4-5 WAFL’s fresh look for 2019 8 Collectables Game time 9 Perth v West Coast 10-11 Subiaco v East Perth 12-13 Claremont v East Fremantle 14-15 Peel v West Perth 16-17 Swan Districts v South Fremantle 3 4 \\ Fraser McInnes will captain the West Coast WAFL team. New Era dawns Publisher This publication is proudly produced for the WA Football Commission by Media Tonic. Phone 9388 7844 Fax 9388 7866 Sales: [email protected] Editor Ross Lewis [email protected] Photography Andrew Ritchie, Duncan Watkinson, Showcase photgraphix Design/Typesetting Jacqueline Holland Direction Design and Print Printing Data Documents www.datadocuments.com.au Cover A team and league for WAFL 2019. 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. Bouncedown is printed by an Environmental Accredited printer. The magazine is 100% recyclable. WAFL admission prices $15 – Adult* $12 – Concession* Free – Children 15 and under *Includes a copy of Football Budget Find us on 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, Media \\ Former Docker Brady Tonic, its employees, agents, or any other Grey is one of 15 Eagles person, which may rise from any person top-up players. acting on the materials contained herein. Registered by Australia Post - PP642521/00112 4 5 New Era dawns By Ross Lewis for the WAFL The first bounce of WAFL 2019 will mark an unparalleled point Under the WAFL’s equalisation policy Perth and East Fremantle in the history of the 135 seasons of State league football. will be granted 130 points to spread across a minimum 55 players For the first time a 10th team will be in action. West Coast has been this season. Claremont, East Perth, South Fremantle, Subiaco, Swan granted a licence to extend the competition and to keep surplus AFL Districts and West Perth are each allowed 120 points over the same Eagles in local ranks. minimum number of players. While the men’s category expands, in May the WAFL reaches a new Peel, because of its Fremantle line, has 100 points over a minimum demographic with the introduction of a WAFL Women’s series. 55 players while West Coast has 60 points to be spread over 15 top-up players. So the WAFL will be reaching more of the WA football community over the next six months. East Fremantle, Claremont, Peel Thunder, Subiaco and Swan Districts will each field an Optus WAFLW team in 2019, with South The Eagles entered the WAFL after East Perth decided at the end of Fremantle receiving a provisional licence for 2020. last season not to continue its partnership with the AFL club. Under the deal, surplus West Coast players lined up for the Royals. Taylor said the WAFLW competition was an exciting step forward for football in WA that would complete the talent development Fremantle will continue its alignment with Peel in 2019. pathway from Auskick to AFLW. The addition of a 10th team has delivered some other changes to “Club Football participation by females has tripled in WA in the the WAFL. last five years to more than 94,000 and it is important that every one There will be 18 matches in the season with two battles between of these players has the opportunity to reach their full potential and the clubs. No longer will arch-rivals East Fremantle and South Fremantle compete at the highest possible level,” he said. plus East Perth and West Perth have three contests during home-and- “Whether it is playing footy for fun among our 14,000 female away rounds. Auskick players or aiming to emulate AFLW idols, we want to make The customary WA Day battles between the teams will remain but sure there is a clear development pathway for every player to the regular byes have gone with the even number of teams. follow, which will be achieved with the launch of the WAFL Women’s West Coast isn’t scheduled to host any home matches this season competition.” but reserves the right to “buy back” one of its away encounters if it suits the club’s schedule. NEW COACHES WA Football Commission chief executive Gavin Taylor said the new There are also some changes to the helms of WAFL teams in 2019. team would support the growth and development of West Coast’s AFL- Last year’s runner-up, West Perth, has former player Geoff listed players within a quality State League competition while providing Valentine as its new coach. Valentine replaces Falcons premiership an improved financial return to WAFL clubs. mentor Bill Monaghan, who has taken on the role at East Fremantle “We are very conscious of balancing the needs of all parties to following Rob Wiley’s departure. maintain the integrity of the WAFL competition while also supporting East Perth has lured premiership captain Jeremy Barnard home at the success of our AFL clubs,” Mr Taylor said. a time of need for the club. Barnard steps in for Luke Webster, who is “We look forward to implementing this exciting initiative for the now the coach of the West Coast WAFL team. WAFL competition in 2019 and working closely with all parties involved And Beau Wardman jumps from the colts position to become to ensure it is an ongoing success.” Subiaco league coach after triple premiership boss Jarrad Schofield Under the new arrangement West Coast, which will be allowed joined the Port Adelaide AFL club. 15 top-up players, will pay a $90,000 one-off sign on-fee and invest approximately $800,000 annually to field a stand-alone team in the \\ Bill Monaghan moves from WAFL. West Perth to East Fremantle. The $90,000 one-off sign-on fee will be shared equally among the nine WAFL clubs. The annual financial investment of $800,000 includes: • Continuing the current $467,000 alignment fee • An additional $45,000 to be shared equally among nine WAFL clubs • $230,000 to East Perth to reinstate funding equal to other non- partner clubs • $54,000 in competition costs associated with an additional fixture eg. umpiring, vision, statistics and match-day staff. West Coast named Fraser McInness, now at his third WAFL club, as local league captain while former Fremantle midfielder Brady Grey is one of the extra 15 players in the Eagles squad. 5 Tipping HOME Perth Subiaco Claremont Peel Thunder Swan Districts Collingwood Fremantle v v v v v v v v AWAY West Coast WAFL East Perth East Fremantle West Perth South Fremantle West Coast St Kilda Tracey Lewis Football Budget Ross Lewis Football Budget P S CL PT SF WC F TOTAL P S CL PT SF C F TOTAL 0 0 Russell Reid The West Australian Xavier Ellis Channel 7 and 92.9 WCW S CL PT SD C F TOTAL WCW S CL PT SF C F TOTAL 0 0 Glen Quartermain Sunday Times Karl Langdon 6PR P S CL PT SF C F TOTAL P S CL WP SF C F TOTAL 0 0 Dennis Cometti Channel 7 Sean Cowan Football Budget WCW S CL WP SF C F TOTAL WCW S CL WP SF C F TOTAL 0 0 Chris Mitsopoulos Sport FM Favourites P S CL PT SD C F TOTAL P S CL PT SF C F TOTAL 0 0 Ben Cameron 6PR WCW S CL WP SF C F TOTAL 0 LEEDERVILLE OVAL MASTER PLAN The Leederville Oval Master Plan will consider development of all aspects of the oval and surrounding facilities. Help us plan for the future of Leederville Oval and have your say before 15 April 2019. imagine.vincent.wa.gov.au 6 Previews by Ross Lewis MATCH \\ Corey Yeo of the ROUND Mineral Resources Park. Saturday April 6, 12.40pm PERTH (0-0) WEST COAST (0-0) 2-3 W-W-L-L-L Last 5 matches 0-0 SF, SD, EP, C, WP Who is to come PT, S, C, SF, EP A change in the leadership Running hot Kurt Mutimer continues department with former to remind West Coast East Fremantle and selectors of his potential Claremont midfielder at AFL level with plenty Corey Yeo taking over of dash with the ball off from Clint Jones. half-back. Leederville Oval. Saturday April 6, 2.15pm SUBIACO (0-0) EAST PERTH (0-0) 5-0 W-W-W-W-W Last 5 matches 2-3 L-W-L-W-L EF, WCE, PT, SD, SF Who is to come SD, C, P, PT, WCE Beau Wardman’s previous match was a premiership. Now Running hot There is some finetuning still needed at East Perth with losses to he coaches a league team that went through last season East Fremantle, West Coast and West Perth in the WAFL practice undefeated.