WAFL Team of the Week – Round 17Tuesday, August 8, 2023 - 10:34 PM - by Chris Pike

There were plenty of big performances across the four games in Round 17 of the WAFL including two Swan Districts midfielders dominating, West Perth's key forwards combining for 10 goals, and a couple of Peel Thunder premiership stars shining albeit one of them now for East Fremantle.

There were four games in the fourth last round of the 2023 WAFL season with Leederville Oval co-tenants Subiaco and East Perth taking a break following their battle last week meaning that at the end of Round 17, all teams have three matches remaining in the final three weeks.

Round 17 in the WAFL got underway on Saturday afternoon at Steel Blue Oval with Swan Districts ending up kicking the only five goals of the last quarter to score a third straight win beating South Fremantle 13.9 (87) to 7.8 (50).

Jesse Turner, Aidan Clarke, Lachlan Riley and Tobe Watson all made the Team of the Week from Swan Districts as did South Fremantle's Jordan Boullineau.

Peel Thunder returned to the winner's list in emphatic fashion to remain solid in the top five by defeating the West Coast Eagles 19.18 (132) to 5.4 (34) at Mandurah's Lane Group Stadium.

From the victory for Peel, Blair Bell, Ben Hancock and Jacob Blight all ended up named to the Team of the Week.

East Fremantle then shot to the top of the WAFL ladder by the end of Round 17 with a sixth victory in-a-row by beating a Claremont team who has now lost three straight as the Sharks prevailed 11.10 (76) to 7.14 (56) at the WACA Ground.

From the win for East Fremantle, Kyle Baskerville, Jarrad Jansen, Lennon Marlin and Brayden Lawler all made the Team of the Week. Oliver Eastland, Callan England and Teia Miles also made it from Claremont.

Last up was the Pride Game at Joondalup's Pentanet Stadium with West Perth keeping its finals hopes alive by defeating Perth 17.12 (114) to 11.8 (74).

Tyson Moulton in his 100th WAFL game earned a spot in the Team of the Week from West Perth along with Noah Pegoraro, Luke Meadows, Tyler Keitel and Shane Nelson. Sam Stubbs and Jack Cooley were also selected from Demons.

PLAYER OF THE ROUND – JESSE TURNER (SWAN DISTRICTS)

The Swan Districts vice-captain and reigning fairest and best winner had one of the games of his 134-game WAFL career on Saturday in the eventual 37-point win against South Fremantle at Steel Blue Oval.

Jesse Turner has turned himself into the hardest running player in the competition over the last couple of years and is among the most consistent performers in the WAFL as a result now that he's settled into his role on the wing at Swan Districts.

He produced the best year of his career in 2022 where he went on to win the Swan Medal for the first time as the fairest and best at Swan Districts along with being named to the WAFL Team of the Year for the fourth time in the past five seasons.

That highlights his consistency over the last five years and it has certainly continued once again in 2023 where he has had to shake off weeks where he's tagged by the opposition, and with the other teams trying to make his life increasingly difficult.

However, he has put together another standout season which included his second highest possession tally across his 134-game career only back in Round 13 against East Perth with 44.

Turner has racked up 30 or more possessions in eight of his 15 appearances now this season with an average of 28.7 a game but there's every chance that his impact with those disposals is at the highest level it's ever been.

The more he is maturing, he is also making himself a stronger contested ball player, he is even proving himself capable of taking contested marks and is getting more dangerous in front of goal, or indeed in driving the ball inside-50 on his raking left boot.

That was all on full display in the win against South Fremantle at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday afternoon with Turner finishing with 35 possessions, nine marks, four inside-50 entries, three tackles and three goals.

It is the 11th time in his career that has seen him amass 35 or more disposals but it's only the second time that he has kicked three goals – with the other being the last game of the COVID shortened 2020 season where he kicked three to go with 32 touches against East Fremantle.

His performance on Saturday showed just how potent a force he is for Swan Districts with his remarkable work rate and now ability to hurt the opposition. 

That saw him make the Team of the Week for an eighth time already this season to already just about have him a lock for the Team of the Year again, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him seriously push for a Sandover Medal.

Players of the Round
Round 1 – Max Walters (Subiaco)
Round 2 – Tyler Keitel (West Perth)
Round 3 – Ryan Borchet (Subiaco)
Round 4 – Brady Grey (Peel Thunder)
Round 5 – Jaiden Hunter (Perth)
Round 6 – Cody Leggett (East Fremantle)
Round 7 – Zac Clarke (Subiaco)
Round 8 – Nick Robertson (East Perth)
Round 9 – Talon Delacey (Claremont)
Round 10 – Dillon O'Reilly (East Fremantle)
Round 11 – Nathan Blakely (Swan Districts)
Round 12 – Jack Maibaum (Claremont)
Round 13 – Hamish Brayshaw (East Perth)
Round 14 – Harry Marsh (East Fremantle)
Round 15 – Liam Tedesco (East Perth)
Round 16 – Cam Eardley (East Fremantle)
Round 17 – Jesse Turner (Swan Districts)

WAFL TEAM OF THE WEEK – ROUND 17

BACK: Tobe Watson (SD), Jacob Blight (PT), Jordan Boullineau (SF)
HALF-BACK: Lachlan Riley (SD), Tyson Moulton (WP), Kyle Baskerville (EF)
CENTRE: Jesse Turner (SD), Luke Meadows (WP), Teia Miles (C)
HALF-FORWARD: Sam Stubbs (P), Noah Pegoraro (WP), Callan England (C)
FORWARD: Blair Bell (PT), Tyler Keitel (WP), Brayden Lawler (EF)
FOLLOWERS: Oliver Eastland (C), Aidan Clarke (SD), Ben Hancock (PT)
INTERCHANGE: Jarrad Jansen (EF), Jack Cooley (P), Shane Nelson (WP), Lennon Marlin (EF)

UNLUCKY BUNCH

There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 17 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Round, including:

East Fremantle's Dillon O'Reilly, Luke English, Matthew Jupp, Cam Eardley and Tom Joyce.

Claremont's Alex Manuel, Ben Edwards, Ben Elliott, Jack Lewsey and Daniel Curtin.

Swan Districts' Chris Jones, Jackson McLachlan, Jehb O'Donohue, Josh Cipro and Nathan Ireland.

South Fremantle's Jack Blechynden, Aaron Drage and Glenn Byron.

Peel Thunder's Matt Taberner, Travis Colyer, Karl Worner, Nathan Wilson, Liam Reidy, Will Brodie and Brady Grey.

West Coast's Luke Foley, Josh Browne and Ethan Hansen.

West Perth's Joe Hinder and Zac Guadagnin.

Perth's Charlie Thompson, Corey Byrne, Trent Manzone and Jack Avery.