How the WAFL clubs are shaping up for 2016Friday, February 26, 2016 - 2:28 PM - by Chris Pike

ALL nine WAFL clubs have been busy in the off-season and now this Saturday the official pre-season fixtures begin and we get the chance to see how all the teams are shaping up.

Each club has been hard at work in an attempt to build a squad that is finals bound come September and there are plenty of changes right across the board.

WAFL Pre-Season Fixtures 

Reigning premiers of the last two years Subiaco have lost a host of premiership stars with Shane Yarran (Fremantle) and Sam Menegola (Geelong) drafted into the AFL with Darren Rumble, Scott Worthington and Matt Boland moving on.

The Lions haven’t rested on their laurels, though, welcoming back premiership stars Greg Broughton and Adam Cockie with their forward-line to be potentially boosted with the recruiting of Shaquille McKenzie, Ben Sokol and Hayden Yarran.

West Perth qualified for last year's grand final and while coming up short in the decider against Subiaco, the Falcons had a strong season and as a result haven’t gone about making wholesale changes over summer.

Marcus Adams leaves a big gap in defence after being drafted by the Western Bulldogs while the Falcons have signed former Fremantle half-forward Max Duffy.

After playing in the last two grand finals, East Perth again got to a preliminary final in 2015 and with a new coach in Jaymie Graham in charge, the Royals will look to again be a contender in 2016.

East Perth will have plenty of new faces from the West Coast Eagles but will miss the experience of the suspended Brendan Lee and departed Freddie Clutterbuck.

Peel Thunder made its first ever finals campaign in 2015 and now will look to back that up 12 months later and try to do even better by winning a first final at least.

To help in that, former fairest and best winner Rory O'Brien returns after five years at East Fremantle where he won three Lynn Medals, a Sandover Medal and was captain.

Brad Walsh is also back with Peel after a year in the AFL with Carlton while Brendon Jones has retired and Leroy Jetta is unavailable through suspension.

Claremont managed to sneak into the finals in 2015 before losing the elimination final to East Perth. The Tigers have lost plenty of experience for 2016 with retirements of Mark Seaby and Kepler Bradley, but the return from South Fremantle of Dylan Ross will help provide some leadership.

Brenden Abbott, Jarred Hardisty and Rowen Powell also return to add some experience after time on AFL lists with Jye Bolton on board as a hard-running midfielder from the VFL and Tom Shanahan is looking for more opportunities at league level after deciding to leave East Perth.

Swan Districts narrowly missed the finals in 2015 and have lost some key players for 2016 led by Ryan Davis and Nathan Broad who are both in the AFL now, and Tim Geappen who has retired.

Swans had recruited Ryan Crowley to play and be an assistant coach but that plan was foiled when he was signed as a top-up player by Essendon.

The black-and-whites gladly welcome back premiership defender Graham Jetta, though, with Murray Newman also rejoining Swans after his time in the AFL with West Coast. The signing of 103-game East Perth wingman Freddie Clutterbuck also adds some experience and run for Swan Districts.

South Fremantle had a rollercoaster season in 2015 in coach Todd Curley's first season in charge, but the end result was the Bulldogs missing out on being part of finals action for a fourth successive year.

Plenty of experience has left the Bulldogs from the end of last season with the likes of Kyle Hams, Craig White, Paul Mugambwa, Dylan Ross, James Sellar and Nick Borovac moving on. The unexpected one was the 12-month suspension to premiership forward Cory Dell'Olio.

The Bulldogs have done some encouraging work over summer, though, and will welcome back Blaine Johnson, Mason Shaw, Tom Vandeleur and Dylan Main all after time in the AFL.

Shane Hockey joins to add some experience and hardness to the midfield having captained Frankston in the VFL while Steven Edwards and Jordan Matera appear to be handy additions as well.

Coming off missing a second grand final in three years in 2014, East Fremantle had a season to forget in 2015 and now new coach Rob Wiley returns to WA after time with Carlton charged as the man to try to get things back on track for the Sharks.

East Fremantle has lost plenty of experience from last year with the likes of Rory O'Brien and Rob Young departing, but the return of Brett Peake does help to offset that.

Wiley was also able to lure former Carlton key position player Matthew Watson over west with him and he appears a significant signing for the Sharks.

Jesse Crichton returns to WA as well and will provide a further boost to East Fremantle's midfield. Former Fremantle player Josh Simpson is also back with East Fremantle and Dylan Winton has joined from Peel.

Perth will look to be the big improvers in 2016 following back to back wooden spoon seasons and having won just two of its last 34 matches starting the new campaign.

Second year coach Earl Spalding appears to have a significantly more talented group to work with to try and make that happen including the signings of former AFL trio Clint Jones, Angus Graham and Spencer White.

The experience lost with the likes of Mitch Morton, Jarryd Morton, Chris Billings and Daniel O'Sullivan will hurt, but overall Perth looks to have a stronger list in 2016 and the Demons will be hoping that leads to significantly better results.

CLAREMONT
Arrivals – Brenden Abbott, Dylan Ross, Jared Hardisty, Rowen Powell, Jye Bolton, Tom Shanahan
Departures – Steven Edwards, Mark Seaby, Kepler Bradley, Tom Swift, Jordan McAllister

EAST FREMANTLE
Arrivals – Matthew Watson, Brett Peake, Dylan Winton, Josh Simpson, Jesse Crichton
Departures – Rory O'Brien, Rob Young

EAST PERTH
Arrivals – 
Departures – Brendan Lee, Freddie Clutterbuck, Tom Shanahan

PEEL THUNDER
Arrivals – Rory O'Brien, Brad Walsh
Departures – Brendon Jones, Leroy Jetta

PERTH
Arrivals – Clint Jones, Angus Graham, Stephen Mills, Kristian Cary, Spencer White
Departures – Mitch Morton, Jarryd Morton, Chris Billings, Callum Collard, Daniel O'Sullivan

SOUTH FREMANTLE
Arrivals – Shane Hockey, Blaine Johnson, Dylan Main, Tom Vandeleur, Mason Shaw, Steven Edwards, Jordan Matera
Departures – Kyle Hams, Craig White, Paul Mugambwa, James Sellar, Dylan Ross, Anthony Collica, Cory Dell'Olio, Nick Borovac

SUBIACO
Arrivals – Greg Broughton, Adam Cockie, Shaquille McKenzie, Ben Sokol, Hayden Yarran
Departures – Sam Menegola, Shane Yarran, Matt Boland, Scott Worthington, Darren Rumble

SWAN DISTRICTS
Arrivals – Freddie Clutterbuck, Graham Jetta, Murray Newman
Departures – Ryan Davis, Tim Geappen, Nathan Broad

WEST PERTH
Arrivals – Max Duffy, Joel Leeson
Departures – Marcus Adams, Ray Bartholomew, Marc Crisp, Matt Johnson, Jordan Jones