10 Things We Learned: Party-pooping Royals as unbeaten streaks come to an end

We take a look at the talking points from at entertaining weekend of Sullivan Logistics WAFL, ATCO WAFLW and EGT WAFL Colts action.

Royals become party poopers

Claremont’s unbeaten start to the Sullivan Logistics WAFL season came to a grinding halt at the hands of East Perth, who spoiled the Tigers’ Centenary celebrations at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday.

Last year’s grand finalists dominated after half-time to record their best win of the season, prevailing by 39 points.

Co-captains Hamish Brayshaw (23 disposals, 10 marks, seven inside 50s and two goals) and Christian Ameduri (14 disposals, seven tackles, five inside 50s and two goals) led the way.

The Royals’ defence was also brilliant, with key backs Jake Soutar, Corey Watts and Ethan Regan standing tall and Kye Willcocks, Luke Foley and Stan Wright providing the rebound.

Midfielder Liam Tedesco was an important inclusion for the Royals after recovering from a back injury, with 19 disposals and four inside 50s in his first appearance since last year’s grand final.

Claremont not the only undefeated team to lose

Remarkably, the unbeaten side in three other competitions also tasted their first loss of the season.

Swan Districts hadn’t lost a game in the ATCO WAFLW or Hart Sport Rogers Cup before the weekend, with Claremont handing them a defeat in both competitions at Revo Fitness Stadium on Sunday.

The Black Ducks failed to kick a goal after quarter-time, succumbing to a 33-point defeat to the reigning champs in a re-match of last season’s grand final.

Two-time Dhara Kerr Medal winner Jayme Harken, coming off a best-on-ground performance in the Kia WAFLW State Game, continued her dominant form with 28 disposals, five clearances and a goal.

Juliet Kelly was also impressive for the victors, amassing a game-high 32 disposals, nine tackles, seven inside 50s and a goal.

Swan Districts’ also lost their first game of the season in the Rogers Cup, going down to Claremont by 22 points.

Peel Thunder’s WAFL Reserves side was another to have their winning streak end, with South Fremantle knocking them off by four points in a thrilling in Mandurah on Saturday.

Pretty in pink

East Fremantle continue to be the surprise packets of the WAFLW season, taking another big scalp over the weekend.

Subiaco were the Sharks’ latest victims, kicking the final two goals of the game to turn a five-point three-quarter time deficit into a five-point win at The Good Grocer Park on Saturday.

Meg McAullay kicked the winner at the 17-minute mark to seal East Freo’s five win of the season, while at the other end State defender Mack Webb continued her hot form with 22 disposals, nine marks and eight rebound 50s.

It came as the team wore special pink jerseys and socks as part of their inaugural Breast Cancer Awareness Match.

 

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Hugh beauty

Fremantle-listed defender Hugh Davies pulled in a staggering 20 marks in Peel Thunder’s shock win over South Fremantle at Lane Group Stadium on Saturday.

Davies originally had 21 marks, equal second-most in WAFL history since stats were recorded, before a Champion Data review saw him drop to 20.

The talented stopper finished with 27 disposals in a best-on-ground performance as the Thunder shocked the reigning champs with an 18-point victory.

Fellow Docker Jeremy Sharp (34 disposals) and young ruck Aiden Riddle (38 hit-outs and 13 disposals) were also prolific for the victors, while milestone man Jack Sears stood tall up forward with three majors in his 100th appearance.

Poppy the in-form forward of the WAFLW

Perth sharpshooter Poppy Stockwell’s stunning return WAFLW season continued with a seven-goal haul in Saturday evening’s tight win over West Perth at Mineral Resources Park.

After a four-goal performance in the Kia WAFLW State Team’s win over South Australia last week, the former Dockers forward was back at it with a match-winning performance in the 11-point win.

Stockwell has 13 WAFLW goals this season to go with four in the State game, three behind competition leader Zoe Huggett of West Perth.

Fellow ex-AFLW player Isabella Shannon did the damage in the midfield with 26 disposals, seven clearances and five inside 50s.

Leave it to Cleaver

East Fremantle young gun Jack Cleaver inspired his team to an upset win over a talent-laden West Coast at The Good Grocer Park on Sunday.

Cleaver, who is well on his way to winning his first Lynn Medal as the Sharks’ fairest-and-best player, had a game-high 30 disposals and 13 tackles in a mammoth performance.

His midfield partner in crime Tom Joyce (27 disposals and six inside 50s), ruckman Luke Strnadica (27 hit-outs and 16 disposals) and livewire forward Oskar Smartt (three goals) were also instrumental in the win.

The match marked No.4 draft pick Cooper Duff-Tytler’s WAFL debut for the Eagles, with the teenager impressing with 15 disposals, 20 hit-outs and two goals.

Dual AFL premiership player Brandon Starcevich made his return from a calf injury in another positive for West Coast.

Heartbreak for Peel’s WAFLW side

Peel Thunder came agonisingly close to their first win of the WAFLW season, losing by just one point to East Perth at Lane Group Stadium on Saturday.

Brooke Edwards was the hero for the Royals, kicking the match-winning goal at the 19-and-a-half-minute mark to turn a five-point deficit into a memorable one-point win.

Midfield star Chloe Wrigley was brilliant in a losing cause for the Thunder, finishing with a game-high 32 disposals, 10 clearances and eight tackles.

Draft prospects continue to impress in seniors

Their teams may have lost, but Lucas Robinson and Leo Steed are doing their AFL Draft chances no harm.

South Fremantle midfield bull Robinson and explosive Swan Districts talent Steed were among the best for their respective teams as they went down to Peel Thunder and Subiaco respectively.

Steed was arguably the best player on the ground in the opening half against the Lions, with 13 disposals and two goals.

He also finished with a team-high seven tackles to go with 18 touches, four marks and four inside 50s.

Fremantle Next Generation Academy prospect Robinson tallied 15 disposals and two clearances for the Bulldogs.

 

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Falcons trio have a day out in EGT WAFL Colts

West Perth trio Luca Boczar, Tadgh Barrowclough and Blake Jones combined for a staggering 107 disposals in their team’s EGT WAFL Colts win over Perth at Mineral Resources Park on Friday night.

Boczar led the way with 36 possessions, six marks and a goal, while Barrowclough equalled his teammate’s disposal tally with 36 to go with a whopping 19 marks.

Jones wasn’t far behind with 35 to go with six marks, six inside 50s and a goal.

Ruck Lachlan Jones was also among the best in the 50-point win with 20 disposals, 17 hit-outs and two goals.

Souths stay unbeaten in Colts

While unbeaten teams suffered shock losses in other WAFL competitions, South Fremantle’s Colts kept rolling in Mandurah on Friday night.

The Bulldogs, last season’s minor premiers who fell short in the grand final against Claremont, defeated an improved Peel Thunder outfit by 16 points at Lane Group Stadium.

Bottom-ager Chace Vanderhoek was outstanding for Souths, finishing with 30 disposals, seven tackles and a goal.

The Thunder kicked seven goals to one in the second half to make a game of it, with big man Trent Robertson finishing with three to continue his prolific goal-kicking form, but couldn’t reel in their opponent’s massive lead.