10 Things we Learned: WAFLW fairytale for Sharks, Keitel does it again, WAFL finals locked in, Colts stunner and more

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

Sharks’ WAFLW finals fairytale complete

East Fremantle have produced a stunning final-quarter comeback over hot favourites Swan Districts in a crazy ATCO WAFLW finale at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Siena Jezierski-Brown was the Sharks’ hero, kicking the match-winning goal with three minutes to play to seal a hard-fought four-point upset.

It was a remarkable finals campaign for East Fremantle after they finished third on the ladder, winning their three do-or-die matches by a combined total of just 13 points including an extra-time Preliminary Final against two-time reigning champs Claremont.

In-form ruck Zoe Keley capped off a magnificent finals series with another team-best performance, drifting forward for two goals while also having a big impact in the engine room with a game-high 30 hit-outs to go with 13 disposals.

Dhara Kerr Medal favourite Jaime Henry was awarded the Lou Knitter Medal as best-afield with a gallant midfield performance in defeat.

The Swan Districts star tallied eight of a possible nine votes for her 31-disposal performance to finish just ahead of teammate Jemma Sly and Sharks tall Keley.

Golden-point thriller in Rogers Cup decider

Swan Districts were crowned HART Sport Rogers Cup premiers after an epic golden-point victory over minor premiers East Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Sunday.

The Black Ducks were down by 13 points in the final term before storming back with the final two goals to level the scores at 33 apiece, forcing the game into a golden point situation.

State 16s representative Khalia Fawcett then kicked the winning point from a free kick three minutes into the extended time to send the Swan Districts supporters into raptures.

East Fremantle forward-ruck Avuya Nomlatyu won the HART Sport Rogers Cup best-on-ground medal in a losing cause with five votes, two clear of Swan Districts pair Micaela Henry and Keira Fawcett.

Keitel does it again

West Perth veteran Tyler Keitel has underlined his status as one of the goal-kicking greats of the WAFL by winning his sixth Bernie Naylor Medal at the weekend.

Keitel finished with 51.40 across 18 home-and-away matches this season to win his four Bernie Naylor Medal in a row.

The 30-year-old edged out Perth spearhead Aaron Clarke by three majors after kicking two in his team’s narrow final-round loss to the Demons.

Clarke was held goalless in the same match as West Perth nearly clinched a remarkable victory for retiring champions Aaron Black, Shane Nelson and Josh and Sam Rotham.

Keitel’s senior goals tally now sits at 478 from 215 appearances, an average of more than 2.2 goals per game.

His efforts this season were even more impressive given West Perth won just the two games and he was required to play a variety of roles around the ground including key defence and ruck.

Clarke finished runner up in the Bernie Naylor Medal race with 48 goals in 18 games, while Subiaco utility Jack Mayo was third with 35.

Claremont’s Jaiden Hunter, whose season ended early due to an ACL injury, kicked 34 goals in 13 appearances to be equal-fourth in the competition alongside East Fremantle recruit Liam Robinson (34 in 18 games).

Reigning champs stay alive

South Fremantle kept their Sullivan Logistics WAFL premiership defence alive with a stunning come-from-behind win over minor premiers Peel Thunder at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday.

The Bulldogs needed to win to lock in their top-five spot after Subiaco upset Sullivan Logistics Stadium co-tenants East Perth.

Livewire Chase Bourne was the hero for Souths, kicking a classy goal during time-on in the final term to book his team a home Elimination Final against last season’s grand final opponents East Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval this Sunday.

It was a brilliant comeback from the Bulldogs are trailing by 16 points at half-time with star midfielder Matthew Parker leading the way and gun forward Trey Ruscoe booting a game-high five majors.

Double chance for Dees

Perth clung onto third spot and the double chance after a hard-fought five-point win over West Perth in an emotion-charged contest at HIF Health Insurance Oval.

The Falcons nearly got the job done to farewell 300-gamer Aaron Black and fellow stalwart Shane Nelson in style before the Demons responded late to lock in a Qualifying Final date with Claremont at Revo Fitness Stadium this Saturday.

The Demons had a milestone of their own to celebrate with co-captain Corey Byrne reaching 150 games.

Nelson racked up a staggering 41 disposals in his 275th and final game and Black 32, while reigning Sandover Medal winner Charlie Constable had 39 for the victors.

Lions fall just short of finals

Subiaco easily accounted for East Perth at Sullivan Logistics Stadium by 35 points, but it wasn’t enough to keep their season alive.

The Lions fell less than 1.5 per cent short of their Sullivan Logistics Stadium co-tenants in a heartbreaking finish to their 2026 campaign.

The Royals bounced back from conceding 10 goals to one in the first half to kick seven goals to four after half-time and narrowly seal their spot in the five.

Stefan Giro capped off a brilliant season for the Lions with 26 disposals, six inside 50s and a goal, while Jack Mayo, Ryan Borchet and Jack Petreccelle chimed in with three goals apiece.

Mature-aged draft prospect Jake Soutar (20 disposals and 12 marks) continued his strong form in defence for the Royals, midfielder Liam Tedesco (24 disposals, six marks and a goal) was important once again and co-captain Hamish Brayshaw (22 disposals and six inside 50s).

Eagles’ season over as young Tiger stars

Heath Mellody produced a stunning second game of senior footy as Claremont defeated a fast-finishing West Coast by 33 points at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday.

The smooth-moving Tigers’ AFL Draft stocks continue to rise after winning the Larke Medal as the best player in the AFL National Under-18s Championships.

Mellody showed he can do it at senior level as well, finishing with a game-high 34 disposals, 10 tackles, 10 clearances, seven inside 50s and a final-quarter goal against an Eagles side with 15 AFL-listed players.

Fellow draft prospect and Under-18s All-Australian George Gale was also important in his second game, tallying 22 disposals and kicking a magnificent goal from the pocket.

Jack Musika was among the Tigers’ best with 20 disposals and three goals, while big man Keiran Gowdie booted a game-high five majors.

It was a see-sawing contest with Claremont leading by as much as 42 points early in the second half before West Coast managed to get within three points early by the seven-minute mark of the last term.

The Eagles need to win to clinch fifth spot on the ladder but dropped to seventh with the loss.

Turner leads Black Ducks to season-ending win

Captain Jesse turner starred to lead Swan Districts to a final-round victory over East Fremantle at The Good Grocer Park on Saturday.

Turner racked up a staggering 41 disposals to go with 10 marks and seven inside 50s as  the Black Ducks finished their season on a high, defeating the Sharks by 25 points.

Former Big Bash cricketer Clint Hinchliffe was another impressive performer to cap off a brilliant return to State-league footy, tallying 26 disposals and eight inside 50s, while Caleb Ernst continued his improvement with a five-goal haul.

The Sharks farewelled a trio of key players with 150-gamer Jarrad Jansen, forward Alex Montauban and midfielder Tom Joyce all hanging up the boots.

Instant Colt hero

Under-16s All-Australian Aiden Martignago produced a remarkable EGT WAFL Colts debut for East Fremantle against Swan Districts at The Good Grocer Park on Saturday morning.

The exciting midfielder had a game-high 36 disposals and three goals, with his older brother Lincoln next best on the ground with 32, 11 clearances and a goal.

AFL Draft prospect Finlay Yeo also impressed with four goals from 30 touches in the triple-figure win as the Sharks earned themselves the minor premiership and a week off.

Subiaco’s Sam O’Brien was another big performer in the final home-and-away round of Colts, tallying 39 disposals, 10 clearances and two goals.

More WAFLW products make their mark in AFLW

South Fremantle product Natasha Entwistle and former Perth player Fina Dethlefsen have become the sixth and seventh WAFLW exports to earn an AFLW debut across the opening two rounds of the season.

Entwistle made her debut for West Coast against Gold Coast at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday, two months after getting picked up as an injury-replacement player.

Dethlefsen, originally from Railways Football Club in Geraldton, was drafted by Richmond with pick 38 in last year’s AFLW Draft.

She featured in the Tigers’ narrow loss to the Western Bulldogs, with fellow WA export – No.1 draft pick Olivia Wolmarans – booting three goals in a losing cause.