10 Things We Learned: Sharks prove doubters wrong, Tigers the team to beat and more

Our new weekly column keeps you updated on all the talking points across the Sullivan Logistics WAFL, ATCO WAFLW and EGT WAFL Colts competitions.

Sharks proving doubters wrong as a star emerges

East Fremantle have gone a long way to proving their doubter wrong, claiming a massive scalp in last season’s grand finalists East Perth at Sullivan Logistics Stadium on Saturday night for their second win on the trot.

Sharks recruit Oskar Smartt, who has quickly become one of the most entertaining players in the competition, was the game-changer with four second-half goals to help his team overcome a half-time deficit to prevail by 13.

The former Essendon mid-season draftee was electric up forward, while Jack Cleaver was outstanding in the midfield and Cam Eardley had some team-lifting moments down back to help shift the moment in East Fremantle’s favour.

Serious performance from East Fremantle livewire Oskar Smartt in the second half of his side’s come-from-behind victory over East Perth at Sullivan Logistics Stadium last night. Smartt booted four second-half majors to help the Sharks overcome a half-time deficit. The former… pic.twitter.com/m7PGUxsX5z

— Jordan McArdle (@jordan_mc12) April 19, 2026

Claremont stake claim for flag favouritism

Claremont are outright top of the Sullivan Logistics WAFL ladder after winning a thrilling top-of-the-table clash against South Fremantle on Saturday which halted the reigning premier’s record-equalling win streak.

The Tigers were five-point victors at Fremantle Community Bank Oval as Jack Musika, a former Bulldogs player, kicked the match-winning goal against his old team who he last played for in 2021.

Sandover Medal winner Callan England continued his strong start to the season with 29 disposals, while Zac Mainwaring impressed in the midfield with 17 disposals, seven tackles, five inside 50s and two goals.

South Fremantle led by five points at three-quarter time but could only manage a wasteful 1.8 in the final term to the Tigers’ four majors as their winning streak ended on 17.

Claremont’s Jack Musika kicked the match-winning goal against his former team South Fremantle. Picture: Samuel Gosling

Bulldogs get their revenge in colts grand final replay

South Fremantle lost the main event but got their revenge in the EGT WAFL Colts Grand Final re-match against Claremont in another heart-stopping clash.

The Bulldogs prevailed by just four points on Saturday night to end Claremont’s unbeaten start to the season and reverse the result from last season’s decider at Optus Stadium.

The home side led by as much as 19 points early in the final term before the fast-finishing Tigers came back hard in the dying stages to make a game of it.

Chace Vanderhoek was prolific for the victors, racking up a season-high 36 possessions to go with five marks and five inside 50s, while Claremont son of a gun George Gale continued his hot start to the season with 32 disposals, seven tackles, six inside 50s and two goals.

Eagles flying high

West Coast have already equalled their win tally from last season after back-to-back victories against West Perth and Subiaco respectively.

The Lions were the latest victim for the red-hot Eagles, who stormed home with a brilliant five-goals-to-none final quarter to put the result to bed and overcome a three-quarter time deficit.

AFL-listed midfielders Clay Hall (26 disposals and two goals) and Tom Gross (29 and one) did the damage in the engine-room, while ruckman Matt Flynn amassed a whopping 50 hit-outs to go with 23 possessions and livewire Malakai Champion booted three majors.

Former Eagle Jack Petruccelle kicked a game-high four majors for the Lions, who have now suffered two shock losses in a row.

Thrillers aplenty in WAFL

We had a one-point thriller as Perth overcame a gallant Peel Thunder in Mandurah, a five-point margin in the top-of-the-table clash as Claremont de-throned reigning champs South Fremantle and other games that weren’t decided until the final few minutes in a hotly-contested Round 3 of Sullivan Logistics WAFL

The average margin across Round 3 was just 13.6 points, with West Coast’s 27-point win over Subiaco on Sunday the biggest of the round.

Henry does it again for Swans

Jaime Henry racked up a round-high 37 disposals in another best-on-ground performance as the unbeaten Swan Districts kept their winning streak going with a hard-fought six-point win over West Perth at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday.

The 20-year-old is averaging a competition-high 34.5 possessions across the first four rounds of the season to be the leading contender for the Dhara Kerr Medal.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing though, with West Perth coming back from 25 points down at half-time and 21 points down at three-quarter time to fall just six points short after booting the final three goals of the match.

AFLW Draft prospect’s stocks rising

Remember the name Mia Carlshausen.

The Perth AFLW Draft prospect is putting together an impressive start to the ATCO WAFLW season.

Carlshausen, a damaging rebounding defender, was again among the Demons’ best as they got the job done by 19 points against Peel Thunder at Mandurah’s Lane Group Stadium on Saturday evening.

She finished with 18 disposals and six marks and is shaping up as one of WA’s top AFLW Draft prospects for 2026.

Swans off the mark

Swan Districts fought hard against an improved West Perth at Steel Blue Oval to get their first win of the Sullivan Logistics WAFL season.

The Black Ducks started slowly before kicking into gear in the second half to prevail by 22 points against the Falcons, who are still searching their maiden win of 2026.

Excitement machine William Reidy kicked four goals including a stunner from a difficult angle in the third term, captain Jesse Turner led from the front with 31 disposals and five marks, while former Dockers rookie Jarvis Pina (30 disposals and six marks) had his best game of the season.

Milestone man Tyler Keitel kicked three goals in his 200th game, while Kane Bevan booted one of the goals of the year.

When William Reidy has the ball, he is a freak.

The third of his four goals in @SwanDistrictsFC win over West Perth shows why he is one of the most crafty forwards in the WAFL.

From Yesterday’s LIVE 7Plus Call.#WAFL #WAFL2026 #WAFLFooty #Commentary #Media pic.twitter.com/M7CqDyxD87

— Paul Persic (@Paul_Persic97) April 19, 2026

Tigers youngster emerges in WAFLW leading goal-kicker race

Bec Anderson starred up forward for two-time reigning ATCO WAFLW premiers Claremont to become joint-leader of the competition’s leading goal-kicker award.

The 20-year-old Anderson’s four-goal haul in Sunday’s win over South Fremantle took her season tally to nine, equal with Swan Districts recruit Ash Sharp for the Joanne Huggins Award.

The Tigers are now 3-1 after dropping their opening game to the Black Ducks.

Sharp a Sandover Medal contender

Jeremy Sharp continued his dominant start to the Sullivan Logistics WAFL season with another eye-catching display in Peel Thunder’s heart-breaking one-point loss to Perth at Lane Group Stadium on Saturday.

The smooth-moving Docker has impressed in his new inside midfield role this season and is on the outer with the AFL side through no fault of his own.

He amassed another 34 disposals, six tackles and a stunning long-range goal to once again be in the conversation for maximum Sandover Medal votes.

Fremantle’s stacked midfield means Sharp may struggle to find his way back into the ones, despite his red-hot form.

It’s a major plus for the Thunder and the WAFL competition as a whole.

The Demons held off a gallant Peel by a solitary point on Saturday with former Collingwood defender Charlie Dean (18 disposals and seven marks) immense down back and fellow recruit Jack Kluske starring at the other end with four goals.