10 Things we Learned: Season over for champs, Heath on a heater, son of a gun stars, HSG the hero, Walsh fires again and more

We take a look at the biggest talking points across the Sullivan Logistics WAFL, EGT WAFL Colts, ATCO WAFLW and more in our weekly column.

Souths’ premiership defence over

South Fremantle’s Sullivan Logistics WAFL premiership defence is officially over after a tense loss to East Perth in Sunday’s blockbuster Elimination Final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The Bulldogs were in the midst of one last attacking foray as the siren sounded, with the Royals holding on for a classic five-point victory.

Co-captain Hamish Brayshaw was brilliant in his second game back from a hamstring injury, amassing 27 disposals, six clearances, six marks, and four inside 50s.

His midfield partner in crime Liam Tedesco continued his impressive back end of the season with a game-high 33 disposals to go with nine marks, eight tackles, six clearances and five inside 50s.

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Returning ruckman Scott Jones (14 disposals and 32 hit-outs) was another big performer for the victors, as was mature-aged draft prospect Jake Soutar (18 disposals and seven marks) in defence.

Isiah Winder couldn’t have done much more to try will his team over the line, finishing with 31 disposals, 10 marks and a couple of clutch goals.

Matthew Parker (26 disposals and nine marks) also did his bit, while Lewis Rayson (27 disposals and 13 marks) provided his usual run and carry from half-back.

East Perth will now travel to Mineral Resources Park to take on Perth in this Saturday’s First Semi-Final, minus Stan Wright and Ben Middleton who went down with hamstring injuries on Sunday.

Tigers fire against Demons

Claremont booked a date with minor premiers Peel Thunder this Saturday at Lane Group Stadium, with the winner earning the first spot in the WAFL Grand Final at Optus Stadium on Sunday, September 20.

The Tigers prevailed by 17 points over Perth in Saturday’s Qualifying Final at Revo Fitness Stadium.

Talon Delacey starred for the victors with 27 disposals, five inside 50s and a goal-of-the-year contender, Sam Alvarez (25 disposals) continued his hot form and young forward Rory Luscombe stood tall up with three majors.

Co-captain Bailey Rogers returned from a hand injury in style with 24 disposals, 13 marks and a goal.

Spearhead Aaron Clarke returned to form for the Demons with three goals, while Blake Schlensog justified his inclusion with two majors, co-captain Corey Byrne was excellent in the midfield with 23 disposals and eight inside 50s and defensive duo Charlie Dean and Elijah Scoble battled hard.

Heath on a heater

Top-10 draft prospect Heath Mellody’s draft stocks continue to rise by the week.

The smooth-moving Claremont young gun produced an eye-catching senior finals debut to help his side to a hard-fought win over the Demons in Saturday’s Qualifying Final at Revo Fitness Stadium.

It came one week after his stunning 34-disposal, 10-clearance performance against West Coast.

In just his third league appearance, Mellody comfortably adjusted to the step up in finals intensity, finishing with 23 disposals, six marks, five tackles, four clearances and a classy goal.

Fellow draft fancy and Under-18s All-Australian George Gale also impressed for the victors with 20 disposals.

Axel does it again

Red-hot 2027 AFL Draft prospect Axel Walsh produced another massive performance in the WAFL Reserves to help East Perth to an easy win over Perth at Revo Fitness Stadium.

The 17-year-old is putting together a compelling case for a senior finals debut for the Royals after being named in his team’s best for the second week in a row.

Walsh finished with 3.4, his second three-goal haul in a row, to go with 18 disposals, seven marks and 21 hit-outs.

With Ben Middleton set to miss this weekend’s league First Semi Final against Perth with a hamstring injury, it appears between Walsh and experienced swingman Tom Medhat to be his replacement.

Medhat also booted three majors as the Royals thrashed the Demons by a whopping 80 points.

Former West Coast speedster Coby Burgiel was another big performer in the twos and could come in for the injured Stan Wright after amassing a game-high 32 disposals, nine clearances and booting a goal.

Son of a gun stars in Colts

West Coast father-son prospect Harper Banfield was best on ground in Claremont’s thrilling win over a fast-finishing South Fremantle in the EGT WAFL Colts on Saturday.

Banfield, the son of dual Eagles premiership hero Drew and younger brother of St Kilda draftee Charlie and Claremont league player Bailey, returned to the Colts in style after a two-game stint with West Coast’s WAFL side.

He finished with 28 disposals, a whopping 12 clearances and a goal in a stunning performance.

The Tigers prevailed by just eight points after leading by 32 at three-quarter time.

Fellow Claremont draft prospect Benji van Rooyen also impressed with 15 disposals, 37 hit-outs, six clearances and a goal.

HSG the hero for Falcons

West Perth draft fancy Harvey Spawton-Guy produced a massive performance in his return to the EGT WAFL Colts on Sunday to help keep his team’s season alive.

The Falcons upset Subiaco by 16 points in Sunday’s Colts Elimination Final with Spawton-Guy starring up forward with a game-high four majors.

The 196cm key forward, who earned a National Draft Combine invitation, was coming off an exciting stint for the Falcons seniors, kicking nine goals in five games including four multiple-goal hauls in a row.

The Falcons take on last year’s grand finallists South Fremantle at Lane Group Stadium on Sunday morning in another do-or-die clash, while it’s season over for the Lions.

What a hanger!

East Perth human highlights reel Sebit Kuek has taken a mark for the ages in his team’s thrilling Elimination Final victory over South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Sunday.

Kuek, who is a regular among the Kia WAFL Marks of the Year every season, rode on the shoulders of teammate Tom Graham midway through the final term before reeling in an absolute beauty.

The smile on Kuek’s face after completing the mark said it all.

Season over for Thunder ressies

Peel Thunder’s star-studded WAFL Reserves side suffered a shock Elimination Final loss to West Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Sunday.

Even with four AFL-listed players at their disposal including emerging ruckman Aiden Riddle in his return from injury, the Thunder were no match for a red-hot Falcons who prevailed by a staggering 71 points.

Nate Dimanlig (five goals) and Matt McKenzie (four) combined for nine majors for the victors, while teenager Jayden Rigoll (27 disposals and 10 clearances) and Matt Galjaart (22, 10 inside 50s and eight clearances) did the damage in the midfield.

Two more WAFLW products debut

For the third time in as many rounds, WA had multiple debutants in the AFLW.

East Fremantle draftees Maya Louvel-Finn and Noa McNaughton debuted for St Kilda and Fremantle respectively over the weekend.

Louvel-Finn, a talented rebounding defender, was taken with pick 60 in last year’s AFLW Draft after an eye-catching season for the Sharks and the WA State 18s, finishing third in her club’s fairest-and-best award and earning AFLW National Under-18s All-Australian honours.

Fellow former Shark McNaughton was one of two West Aussies taken in the AFLW Pre-Season Draft in May, with the Dockers swooping with pick five.

McNaughton tallied eight disposals and three marks in the Dockers’ narrow loss to Carlton at Cockburn on Sunday, while Louvel-Finn had seven disposals, four tackles and three marks in the Saints’ heavy defeat against Sydney in Coffs Harbour on Saturday.

‘Guid’ calls it quits

One of the competition’s most accomplished defenders has hung up the boots.

West Perth champion Zac Guadagnin has retired from the WAFL after a fantastic 129-game career.

Guadagnin joins Aaron Black, Shane Nelson and Josh and Sam Rotham in retiring at West Perth as the winds of change sweep through HIF Health Insurance Oval in Joondalup.

The 28-year-old from Southern Cross has been at the club for more than a decade, starting out in the Colts back in 2015.

He was part of the Falcons’ last premiers side back in 2022 played the past five Kia WAFL State Games in a row.