WAFL Team of Round 15Wednesday, July 21, 2021 - 9:48 AM - by Chris Pike

IT was another weekend of big results and standout performances in Round 15 of the WAFL with Subiaco, Claremont, South Fremantle and West Perth all battling for top spot now but a whole host of individuals are standing out along the way.

It was another huge weekend in the 2021 Optus WAFL Premiership Season with four of the five matches taking place on Saturday afternoon including Subiaco beating West Coast 12.6 (78) to 9.4 (58) at Leederville Oval.

The thriller of the weekend took place at Joondalup's Provident Financial Oval with West Perth beating East Fremantle 12.18 (90) to 13.7 (85) on the back of the last goal of the game from Nathan Alexandre.

Reigning premiers South Fremantle then made it eight consecutive wins against Swan Districts with a 15.5 (95) to 9.5 (59) victory at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval.

Then the last game on Saturday saw East Perth hold on for the 11.12 (78) to 10.9 (69) win against Perth at Lathlain's Mineral Resources Park.

The round then wrapped up on Sunday afternoon with Claremont winning a tight one 11.9 (75) to 9.12 (66) against Peel Thunder at Mandurah's David Grays Arena.

Those results mean that after Round 15, only percentage separates the top three teams Subiaco, Claremont and South Fremantle who all sit on 9-3 records.

West Perth is just the one game behind now in fourth position at 8-4 having won five games in-a-row with Swan Districts a game and percentage further back in fifth spot.

Peel Thunder, East Fremantle, East Perth and Perth are all outside the top five with 4-8 records in front of the West Perth Eagles who are last at 2-10.

PLAYER OF THE ROUND – ANGUS SCHUMACHER (East Perth)
East Perth had high hopes over his signing ahead of the 2020 WAFL season and we are now seeing why with the big-bodied midfielder in some brilliant form for the Royals.

It's no coincidence that East Perth's best form this season has gone hand in hand with his return from injury as well with him back for the last seven games of the season injury and the Royals winning four of those.

Before he made his first appearance of 2021, the Royals had lost their first five matches of the season but they've now won three of the past four, and four of seven overall with him in the team and he's certainly made quite the impact.

That was never more evident than his performance in Saturday's win against Perth at Mineral Resources Park where he was the standout player on the field with plenty of impressive ball winners playing well especially from the Royals side of things.

He was just brilliant in the midfield for East Perth while also getting forward too to finish the afternoon with 33 possessions, eight marks, six inside-50 entries and two goals as the Royals beat the Demons by nine points.

It was a continuation of his brilliant form and he is part of quite the impressive midfield unit at East Perth with ruckman Scott Jones giving them good service. 

He is playing on the inside alongside the likes of Aidan Lynch and Christian Ameduri while outside them, Rohan Kerr and Angus Scott continue to be two of the hardest running and biggest ball winning wingmen in the WAFL.

His form is showing just why East Perth was so keen to recruit him coming into the 2020 season. He had spent the previous two seasons in the AFL with Carlton after being drafted in 2017 and he did achieve his boyhood dream with one game for the Blues.

He then came on the market and was sought after from clubs all over the country, but the Royals secured his services and while he's had a slow start to both seasons due to injury, his form right now can't be ignored and East Perth would be delighted with what he's providing them.

Players of the Round
Round 1 – Josh Schoenfeld (East Fremantle)
Round 2 – Sam Fisher (Swan Districts)
Round 3 – Greg Clark (Subiaco)
Round 5 – Haiden Schloithe (South Fremantle)
Round 6 – Tyrone Thorne (Peel Thunder)
Round 7 – Keegan Knott (West Perth)
Round 8 – Jye Bolton (Claremont)
Round 9 – Tyler Keitel (West Perth)
Round 10/11 – Jonathon Marsh (East Fremantle)
Round 12 – Jackson Ramsay (East Perth)
Round 14 – Warrick Wilson (Swan Districts)
Round 15 – Angus Schumacher (East Perth)

BACK POCKET – ZANE SUMICH (West Coast Eagles)
The son of the West Coast Eagles and South Fremantle legend Peter was only able to breakthrough for one league game at the Bulldogs in 2019, and craving more opportunities, joined the Eagles earlier this season and it's now paying off. He was given the key defensive role against Subiaco on the ever dangerous Ben Sokol, another former Bulldog, and was tremendous not only holding him to one goal and six kicks but having 21 disposals and nine marks himself.
Times named in 2021: 1

FULL-BACK – NOAH STROM (South Fremantle)
The premiership full-back from South Fremantle is right back to his top form after a bit of an injury-interrupted first half of the 2021 season. He was given the biggest defensive job again for the Bulldogs on Jesse Palmer from Swan Districts on Saturday and he held him to just the one goal and six kicks while having nine possessions himself.
Times named in 2021: 3

BACK POCKET – HAYDEN YOUNG (Peel Thunder)
The young Fremantle defender impressed for Peel Thunder so much on Sunday against Claremont in the back-line that he should expect an AFL call up before too long. He looked composed and of high quality in the Thunder defence against the Tigers finishing the afternoon with 23 touches and six marks.
Times named in 2021: 1

HALF-BACK FLANK – ANGUS DEWAR (Subiaco)
The Subiaco back-line once again had plenty of impressive performers and Jordan Lockyer, Drew Rohde or Aaron Heal could have been in this position, but there was only room for one in the end after their 20-point win over the West Coast Eagles. He was rock solid defensively and set up play well the other way for the Lions with 16 possessions and nine marks.
Times named in 2021: 3

CENTRE HALF-BACK – BRANDON ERCEG (Swan Districts)
Swan Districts' back-line was under siege for a lot of the game against South Fremantle on Saturday conceding 48 inside-50 entries and losing by 36 points in the end. They couldn’t quite get their intercept marking going as usual his work defensively and also to help set up play the other way was a standout finishing the afternoon with 21 possessions and seven marks as he continues his career-best season.
Times named in 2021: 2

HALF-BACK FLANK – LACHLAN MARTINIS (Claremont)
The attacking half-back was right back to his creative best for Claremont in Sunday's narrow win against Peel Thunder. Earned an eighth selection in the Team of the Week for 2021 on the back of racking up 34 possessions, four marks, two tackles and two inside-50 entries.
Times named in 2021: 8

WING – ROHAN KERR (East Perth)
East Perth's midfield had such a dominant afternoon against Perth that their whole group who went through there could have easily made up the Team of the Week for Round 15. That wasn’t quite possible, but he made it on the wing for his performance made up of 41 disposals, 10 marks and four tackles. His fellow wingman Angus Scott had 33 disposals too and is unlucky not to be here as well.
Times named in 2021: 2

CENTRE – AARON BLACK (West Perth)
The West Perth captain clearly is desperate to ensure he doesn’t finish his career a one-time premiership player as he leads from the front with the Falcons continuing to be the form team of the WAFL with five consecutive wins to be only a game from top spot now. The skipper was superb against East Fremantle with another 38 touches, nine marks, four tackles and three entries inside the forward 50.
Times named in 2021: 5

WING – CHAD HARRIS (Subiaco)
The Subiaco wingman has fitted into the team wonderfully well in 2021 and having banged down the door for selection in the Team of the Week, he finally gets the nod for Round 15 after his standout performance in the win for the Lions against the West Coast Eagles. He ended up with 24 possessions, nine marks, three inside-50 entries and two goals.
Times named in 2021: 1

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – TOM BLECHYNDEN (South Fremantle)
He was a premiership player in South Fremantle last year but couldn’t quite break into the midfield and after starting 2021 on the wing, he's broken down the door for a spot on the ball and continues to make the most of it and show what he's capable of. Was instrumental again in the win over Swan Districts with 33 touches, six marks, six inside 50s, three tackles and a goal.
Times named in 2021: 1

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – JAKE WATERMAN (West Coast Eagles)
He clearly played with a point to prove for the Eagles against Subiaco on Saturday that he desperately wants back in the West Coast AFL team. He couldn’t have put in a more commanding performance up forward in the WAFL finishing with 29 disposals with 23 kicks to go with 16 marks and four goals despite the eventual 20-point defeat.
Times named in 2021: 1

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – GREG CLARK (Subiaco)
There are so many standout midfielders from this round that the Subiaco on-baller is squeezed out onto the half-forward flank in the Team of the Week, but it doesn’t diminish just how outstanding he was once again for the Lions in the win against the Eagles. He ended up with another 30 touches, 10 marks, seven inside-50 entries and four tackles to continue his brilliant season.
Times named in 2021: 7

FORWARD POCKET – BRANDON MATERA (Subiaco)
The former Fremantle and Gold Coast AFL veteran of 144 games is now finding the form that Subiaco was hoping he would display on his full-time return to the WAFL in 2021. He is fitting in nicely into the Lions forward-line while getting further up the ground at times to use his skill and creativity. He produced his best game of the season with 20 disposals, nine marks and two goals.
Times named in 2021: 1

FULL-FORWARD – MASON SHAW (South Fremantle)
The usual vice-captain continues to enjoy the captaincy role in the absence of Dylan Main and he made his return after missing last week's win over Claremont by producing a commanding performance in attack for the Bulldogs in the win against Swan Districts. He kicked another five goals to keep in the hunt for another Bernie Naylor Medal to go with 17 possessions and 10 marks.
Times named in 2021: 3

FORWARD POCKET – BLAKE SCHLENSOG (South Fremantle)
He had a brilliant season up until two weeks in defence for South Fremantle as an intercept marking machine who could then use his kicking skills to good effect. But he has moved forward the last two weeks and has been every bit as impressive with his overhead marking ability. That has allowed Jimmy Miller to spend more time in the ruck without robbing the forward-line of two tall targets and to go with his four goals against Swans, he took nine marks to go with 19 disposals including 13 kicks.
Times named in 2021: 5

RUCK – SCOTT JONES (East Perth)
He was up against young Perth ruckman Jordon Reid who battled hard but he just simply dominated in the middle for East Perth giving his impressive group of on-ballers the best chance to get on top. The end result was a win for the Royals and he had 54 hit outs to go with seven kicks, nine handpasses, three marks, three tackles and two entries inside the forward 50.
Times named in 2021: 1

RUCK ROVER – HAIDEN SCHLOITHE (South Fremantle)
The South Fremantle superstar enjoyed a bit more of an opportunity to not have a tagger hanging off him on Saturday against Swan Districts and he delivered another standout performance in the midfield that keeps him right in the mix to win the second Sandover Medal and fourth fairest and best award of his career. He produced 33 touches, eight marks, six tackles, three inside 50s and a goal.
Times named in 2021: 6

INTERCHANGE – LEIGH KITCHIN (Subiaco)
The Subiaco captain has had a remarkable 126-game with the Lions since making the move west and while his form in previous seasons has been tough to top, it's tough to imagine he's played a more consistently strong campaign than what he's delivering to date in 2021 to lead the league-leaders. Was superb again in Saturday's win over West Coast with 32 possessions, six marks, six tackles and five inside-50 entries.
Times named in 2021: 7

INTERCHANGE – JARRAD JANSEN (East Fremantle)
The big-bodied East Fremantle midfielder and vice-captain put in a power of work both with and without the ball against West Perth on Saturday doing all he can to try and lift the Sharks to what would have been a much-needed victory. He ended the day at Joondalup with 24 touches, 10 marks, nine tackles, nine hit outs and four inside-50 entries.
Times named in 2021: 1

INTERCHANGE – BEN HANCOCK (Peel Thunder)
The Peel veteran of 117 games has become a permanent midfielder for the first real time in his career on a consistent basis in 2021 and it continues to pay dividends. He can still play other roles down back or out on the wing, and does at times, but in general his form is outstanding in the middle and he had another 32 touches, eight marks, seven inside 50s and four tackles against Claremont.
Times named in 2021: 4

INTERCHANGE – JACKSON RAMSAY (East Perth)
The East Perth captain might have had a slow start to 2021 coming back from injury, but he hasn’t taken long to get back to his prolific ball-winning best in the midfield for the Royals. Was superb once again in the win against Perth compiling 30 possessions, five marks, five inside-50 entries, four tackles and a goal.
Times named in 2021: 2
 

UNLUCKY BUNCH
There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 15 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Week, including:

Subiaco's Kyle Stainsby, Drew Rohde, Aaron Heal and Jordan Lockyer.

West Coast Eagles' Brayden Ainsworth, Hamish Brayshaw, Jarrod Brander, Alex Witherden and Xavier O'Neill.

West Perth's Zac Guadagnin, Tyler Keitel, Shane Nelson, Thomas Boyes and Ben Delaporte.

East Fremantle's Lachlan Bailey, Cam Eardley, Blaine Boekhorst, Kyle Baskerville, Ryan Lester-Smith and Luke English.

Swan Districts' Sam Fisher, Jesse Turner, Lachlan Riley, Josh Cipro and Aidan Clarke.

South Fremantle's Jacob Dragovich, Nick Suban, Chad Pearson, Matthew Ward and Toby McQuilkin.

Perth's Matthew Taylor, Corey Byrne, Brady Grey, Austin Davis, Jack Avery, Mitch Browne and Jacob Coniglio.

East Perth's Angus Scott, Aidan Lynch, Christian Ameduri and Kye Willcocks.

Peel Thunder's Joel Western, Connor Blakely, Michael Randall, Jackson Merrett, Tyrone Thorne, Taylin Duman and Tobe Watson.

Claremont's Jye Bolton, Bailey Rogers, Ben Edwards, Oliver Eastland and Ben Elliott.