WAFL 2022 Season PreviewWednesday, April 13, 2022 - 4:57 PM - by Chris Pike

THE 2022 WAFL season begins on Good Friday with three tantalising Round 1 matches before another two big contests on Saturday so let's take stock of how the competition is shaping up for the new campaign.

There is great hype surrounding the 2022 WAFL season which gets underway on Good Friday with West Perth hosting Claremont, East Perth taking on Swan Districts, and then Peel Thunder playing East Fremantle in Mandurah.

Then on Saturday the two bottom teams from last year, Perth and West Coast, search for a first up win before it's a Grand Final rematch from a season ago with Subiaco hosting South Fremantle at Leederville Oval.

Here's how all the teams are shaping up coming into the new season:

SUBIACO
COACH – Beau Wardman (Fourth season, 39-9 record)
CAPTAIN – Leigh Kitchin
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Leigh Kitchin

Incoming – Stefan Giro, Rylie Morgan, Jordan Snadden

Outgoing – Greg Clark, Nick Martin, Rowen Powell

Subiaco capped off a dominant 2021 WAFL season by winning the premiership to continue their remarkable run of success, but they have got some mixed news on the personnel front coming into 2022.

By winning the premiership in 2021, the Lions have now won five flags in the last eight WAFL seasons, and nine since 2003 and their performance throughout last season was outstanding.

They did have their challenges along the way and in the end only narrowly claimed the minor premiership, but they then proved too strong for South Fremantle in both the preliminary and Grand Finals to take out the premiership.

The majority of that group will be back again to try and continue the incredible recent success that Subiaco has had, but some of the losses will create a void that will need to be filled.

The most obvious is reigning Grand Final Simpson Medallist Greg Clark. Having had a season where he finished third in Sandover Medal voting before a dominant display on Grand Final day, he was drafted to the West Coast Eagles.

He's going to miss significant time with a shoulder injury, but even when he's playing in the WAFL upon his return it won't be with Subiaco.

Nick Martin is a lively half-forward who has developed nicely with the Lions, but he has now been signed to Essendon so he is another player now needing to be replaced.

However, never to rest on their laurels, Subiaco has recruited smartly and impressively with Stefan Giro to step straight into their midfield on the back of his time in the AFL at the Fremantle Dockers.

There is plenty of natural improvement from within the squad and even the premiership team for the Lions as well.

Jack Mayo is threatening to become a genuine star now in attack and Kyle Stainsby, Liam and Wil Hickmott, Jakob Atkinson, and Ben Golding are all premiership players with further growth left in them.

Add in the fact that captain and reigning fairest and best winner Leigh Kitchin, Lachlan Delahunty, Jordan Lockyer, Brandon Matera, Aaron Heal, Drew Rohde, Ben Sokol, Max Walters, Hayden Kennedy and Harry Marsh have plenty left in the tank, and Subiaco will again take some stopping in 2022.

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SOUTH FREMANTLE
COACH – Todd Curley (Eighth season, 94-48 record)
CAPTAIN – Dylan Main
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Haiden Schloithe

Incoming – Steve Verrier, Brendon Ah Chee, Lachlan Taylor 

Outgoing – Brock Higgins, Blayne Wilson, Matthew Parker, Jacob Dragovich, Jesse Motlop, Cody Ninyette

It has been a tremendous run over the past six years for South Fremantle with three preliminary final and three Grand Final finishes, including the 2020 premiership, but coming into 2022 there has been significant change for the Bulldogs.

Todd Curley arrived as coach at South Fremantle back in 2015 with a mission to not only return the Bulldogs to finals action for the first time since 2011, but to set them up for sustained success.

It's fair to say he has achieved that and more. South Fremantle returned to finals in 2016 and got to the next three preliminary final. They eventually broke through for a Grand Final in 2019 and now have played in the last three, including winning the premiership in 2020.

South Fremantle has finished in a top two position each of the past six seasons so that's quite the impressive run, but they have had significant personnel turnover now coming into the 2022 season.

Starting with the good news. Premiership player Steve Verrier returns as does Brendon Ah Chee following his time in the AFL at both Port Adelaide and West Coast Eagles. Lachlan Taylor has also come down from the Northern Territory to give the WAFL a try.

Captain Dylan Main will be virtually a new recruit too having battled a foot injury pretty much all of 2021 including missing the Grand Final loss to Subiaco. Ben Rioli will also be back after only playing 11 games in 2021. Zac Dent is another who managed only six games last year.

There are some significant losses, though, including a man who has become a heart and soul player in the ruck, Brock Higgins. He has retired along with premiership defender Blayne Wilson.

Matthew Parker has returned to Richmond full-time, Jesse Motlop is in the AFL and Jacob Dragovich and Cody Ninyette are among the other premiership players who have moved on coming into 2022.

It's certainly not time for doom and gloom for Bulldogs fans though. Four-time fairest and best winner is running around again, while Mason Shaw will again spearhead the attack to add to his 121-game, 273-goal career.

Hamish Free will get the chance to be the No. 1 ruckman following Higgins' retirement while the midfield will still be strong featuring Tom Blechynden, Jake Florenca and Nick Suban.

The back-line even with the loss of Wilson will be still anchored by Noah Strom, Chad Pearson and the emerging Toby McQuilkin while the Bulldogs will be hoping Blake Schlensog isn't listed late to an AFL club so he can provide that big man versatility.

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CLAREMONT
COACH – Ashley Prescott (Sixth season, 79-31 record)
CAPTAIN – Declan Mountford, Jared Hardisty (2021)
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Bailey Rogers

Incoming – Morgan Davies, Ronin O'Connor, Ben Harding

Outgoing – Kane Mitchell, Anton Hamp, Jake Patmore, Rylie Morgan, Jacob Van Rooyen

It was a heartbreaking end to 2021 for Claremont and that would have stung the entire group over summer as they prepare for 2022, but there's every reason to expect the Tigers to give themselves a chance to go a step, or two, better this time around.

Claremont made a big move after reaching the Grand Final of 2020 and losing in a thriller to South Fremantle by changing coach, parting ways with Darren Harris and welcoming back Ashley Prescott for his second stint at the helm.

The Tigers were again in the mix throughout 2021, but ultimately missing out on a top two finish cost them dearly. It meant they ended up facing South Fremantle in both the qualifying and preliminary finals at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

That was the scene of the Grand Final heartbreak of the year before and more was to come in both finals as they ultimately saw their season end with the loss in the preliminary final.

However, there's no reason to suggest Claremont can't be around the mark again even with the departure of some loyal servants led by Anton Hamp and Kane Mitchell, and with the loss to South Australia of Jake Patmore.

Morgan Davies and Ronin O'Connor return to the club, but really it's not an issue of the Tigers needing to bring in too much talent because their depth is strong and they have that in spades.

Jye Bolton and Bailey Rogers were among the best handful of players in the WAFL last year and should be again, assuming Rogers doesn’t earn an AFL call up as the reigning Sandover Medallist.

There's natural growth in the playing group too with Harry McCracken, Timm House, Anthony Treacy and Francis Watson among those who could have a greater impact than they did in 2021 for a host of reasons.

Expectations should be high of what the Tigers can achieve in 2022, they will just be hoping for not too many visits down to Fremantle Oval.

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WEST PERTH
COACH – Darren Harris (Fifth season, 51-33 record)
CAPTAINS – Aaron Black, Dean Munns
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Aaron Black

Incoming – Mark Hutchings, Luke Meadows, Ben Johnson, Aidan Lynch, Anton Hamp, Mitch Dobson

Outgoing – Steve Potente, Kris Shannon

There's every reason for excitement up Joondalup way about West Perth's fortunes for the 2022 WAFL season with the return of a favourite son as coach, a Simpson Medallist coming back and some other more than handy returnees.

West Perth made a slow start to their 2021 season but once they got up and rolling, they were just about as good as any team going around in the competition.

The Falcons would have considered themselves a little unlucky to not have advanced beyond the first semi-final after winning an elimination final, but there are plenty of reasons to suggests they are genuine premiership threats in 2022.

West Perth certainly was caught on the hop with the departure of coach Geoff Valentine, but you can never stand in anyone's way of being able to advance into the AFL system. 

While the Falcons weren’t expecting to need a new coach, it could have hardly turned out better in the situation that they welcome back premiership winning captain and coach Darren Harris to the club.

He captained West Perth to the 1995 premiership during a year where he also won the State Game Simpson Medal and the Breckler Medal. He then replaced his premiership coach John Dimmer by taking over and leading the Falcons to Grand Finals in 2002 and 2003, and winning the 2003 flag.

Since leaving West Perth at the end of 2005, he has worked in the AFL with West Coast and Carlton, has been a driving force behind Leading Teams and most recently coached Claremont in the WAFL taking them to the 2020 Grand Final.

So Harris is back in charge of the Falcons and he's got some more than handy additions to call upon for 2022 including 2013 premiership player and Simpson Medallist Mark Hutchings following his 120-game AFL career.

Former state representative Luke Meadows also returns to West Perth as does Ben Johnson fresh out of the AFL system. 

The inclusions don't stop there either with lively forward Mitch Dobson joining from East Perth and veteran swingman Anton Hamp opting to join Harris at West Perth rather than retire after they worked together with Claremont.

If that's not enough, the Falcons midfield has got a significant boost with the return to the club of Aidan Lynch. He has turned himself into the genuine midfield gun the last couple of years with East Perth he threatened to be at West Perth previously but couldn’t quite lock down a permanent spot.

To top all of that off, even better news is that the majority of the playing group from last year is back on deck as well including but not limited to Aaron Black, Shane Nelson, Tyler Keitel, Zac Guadagnin, Noah Pegoraro, Mark Hamilton, Keegan Knott, Rudy Riddoch, Trent Manzone and new co-captain Dean Munns.

There should be high expectations on what West Perth can achieve this year and it's going to be fascinating to follow their ride.

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SWAN DISTRICTS
COACH – Adam Pickering (Fifth season, 23-40 record)
CO-CAPTAINS – Brandon Erceg, Chris Jones
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Frank Anderson

Incoming – Tobe Watson, Will Collins, Ryan Kemp, Jarvis Pina

Outgoing – Matt Riggio, Alex Howard, Lewis Jetta, Corey Gault, Jiah Reidy

Swan Districts were back in the finals in 2021 and will look to continue their rise in 2022, and the signs are promising in their bid to do that with some exciting talent coming in even though they've lost a bit of experience at the same time.

It has been a slow build at Swan Districts under Adam Pickering, but the hard work was beginning to pay off in 2021 with the black-and-whites returning to the finals for the first time since 2017.

They put up quite an impressive showing too before just falling short in the elimination final against West Perth at Joondalup in what turned out to be the final games in the glittering WAFL careers of Matt Riggio and Alex Howard.

Lewis Jetta's one season back in the WAFL will also be his only year back at the WAFL but the biggest loss of all could be the devastating news that concussion symptoms have forced ruckman Corey Gault into a premature retirement.

However, there's plenty of good news for Swan Districts coming into the 2022 WAFL season as well as they attempt to make it back-to-back finals appearances and to go further while there.

Defender Will Collins is back at Swans following his time with the West Coast Eagles. Tobe Watson has also returned to Bassendean following his time in the AFL at the Fremantle Dockers.

Adding some pace and running power into the group was a focus in the off-season for Swan Districts as well and the recruitment of Jarvis Pina will help to take care of that as will the arrival of Victorian recruit Ryan Kemp.

Then there is the players returning for 2022 and the Swans' back-line will again be a strength featuring Tony Notte, Brandon Erceg, Anthony Stephens, Chris Jones and then the addition of Watson and Collins.

Their midfield will miss reigning fairest and best winner Frank Anderson following his knee reconstruction, but still is strong with Jesse Turner, Sam Fisher and Josh Cipro leading the way.

Finding more goals will again be a focus but Jesse Palmer and Brayden Noble combined for 59 goals in 2021 so that provides them a good starting point.

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EAST FREMANTLE
COACH – Bill Monaghan (Fourth season, 14-30 record)
CAPTAIN – Matthew Jupp 
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Kyle Baskerville

Incoming – Jeremy Goddard, Jye Depane, Jackson McDonald, Matthew Williamson, Sam Medland, Brodie Riach

Outgoing – Nick Kommer, Hugh Dixon, Luke Strnadica, Jordan Snadden, Morgan Davies

East Fremantle finished 2021 with some impressive form to be building for the future and while there's no hiding from how much three late blows could be tough to cover in 2022, the Sharks still come into the new season with expectations of further improvement.

East Fremantle hasn’t played finals since a devastating preliminary final loss to Subiaco way back in 2014, but the Sharks did appear to be on the best track to break that run by the way they ended the 2021 season.

The Sharks finished the 2021 season winning their past three games and there was great optimism for what was to come in 2022 even without access to East Fremantle Oval which is undergoing a significant redevelopment.

Having Luke Strnadica anchoring the ruck and Hugh Dixon as part of the forward-line, and then adding Tom Joyce back from the Brisbane Lions to play in the midfield were going to be significant factors in how far East Fremantle would be able to go in 2022.

The Sharks suffered a significant blow when those three players were signed late by the West Coast Eagles, but that doesn’t mean the Sharks still shouldn’t be buoyant about what they are going to be capable of in 2022.

After all, Josh Schoenfeld will be virtually like a new recruit and Cody Leggett is another who missed significant time in 2021 along with Milan Murdock who they can expect big things from for this coming season.

The Sharks will still have the likes Matthew Jupp and Jamie Meade down back, Jonathon Marsh and Dillon O'Reilly in attack, and reigning fairest and best winner Kyle Baskerville, Schoenfeld and company through the midfield to bank on.

Former Claremont ruckman Jeremy Goddard has come on board to help cover for the loss of Strnadica while the Sharks will be hoping that Victorian trio Jackson McDonald, Matthew Williamson and Sam Medland can all prove to be handy recruits as well.

It's hard to know exactly what to expect from East Fremantle in 2022 but expect them to be doing everything they can to push for a finals return even without a home ground.

It will be exciting to see them bring WAFL football back to the WACA Ground as well so there's plenty to look forward to when it comes to East Fremantle in 2022.

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PEEL THUNDER
COACH – Geoff Valentine (First season)
CAPTAIN – Ben Hancock
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Tyrone Thorne

Incoming – Zak Pretty, Wade Derksen, Mitch Curnow, Matthew Piggott, Michael Humble, Brad McGowan, Haydn Matthews, Riley Smith, Brodie Carroll, Patrick Italiano

Outgoing – Ben Howlett, Jackson Merrett, Brayden Lawler, Michael Randall, Jarvis Pina

There is a new coach, a new captain and a whole host of new faces at Peel Thunder coming into the 2022 WAFL season as they attempt to make a return to the finals for the first time since winning back-to-back premierships.

It's the beginning of a new era for Peel following the departure of coach Cam Shepherd. He will go down in history as the man who guided the Thunder to their first two WAFL premierships in 2016 and 2017.

He is also by far Peel's longest serving coach having been at the helm for nine seasons, but he felt the time was right to move at the end of 2021. 

It's not only his departure that marks the end of an era either for the Thunder with inspirational captain Ben Howlett retiring along premiership hard man Brayden Lawler, fairest and best winner Jackson Merrett, key midfielder Michael Randall and emerging star Jarvis Pina.

There's no question they will take some replacing under new coach Geoff Valentine but signing him from West Perth doubling with him taking on a new role with the Fremantle Dockers is a significant coup from the Thunder.

Peel has also done well to add some talent into the club with the signings of Zak Pretty, Wade Derksen, Riley Smith and Brodie Carroll from interstate, Patrick Italiano from Swan Districts, and then welcoming back the likes of Mitch Curnow, Matthew Piggott, Michael Humble, Brad McGowan and Haydn Matthews.

Peel also remains partnered with Fremantle and once again what sort of availability they have of AFL-listed players throughout the season will play a significant factor in whatever success they will be able to have.

However, with new captain Ben Hancock, reigning fairest and best winner Tyrone Thorne, crafty powerhouse forward Blair Bell and creative half-back or wingman Traye Bennell, Peel have a good core of local players who will be able to lead from the front as well.

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EAST PERTH
COACH – Jeremy Barnard (Fourth season, 15-29 record)
CAPTAIN – Jackson Ramsay
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Christian Ameduri

Incoming – Gordon Narrier, Kyle Hamersley, Tom Medhat, Damon Greaves, Tom Wallis, Hamish Brayshaw, Max Annandale, Archie Hildebrandt, Elijah Taylor

Outgoing – Aidan Lynch, Mitch Dobson, Ajang Ajang, Rohan Kerr, Nathan Blee, Shaquille McKenzie, Julian Ameduri

It has now been a long wait since East Perth has played finals and a longer wait since they won a final, and even longer since they tasted premiership glory, but the Royals of 2022 will be looking to start taking steps forward to fixing all of that.

It has been a slow build back to standing alone and being competitive in their own right having broken free of their partnership with the West Coast Eagles, but based on what we saw from East Perth in 2021, they are on the right path.

Triple-premiership winning co-captain from the start of the century Jeremy Barnard has been backed in to still be the man to lead the Royals forward as coach and he will be looking to ensure they continue to take steps forward in 2022.

It has been a tough build back to a point where they can be finals contenders again and East Perth hasn’t played in a final since 2018, hasn’t won a final since 2018 and hasn’t won a premiership since 2002.

To say they can fix all of that in 2022 might be a stretch, but the positive signs should be there for the Royals faithful they can begin that path to the ultimate glory once again.

That doesn’t mean it's going to be all smooth sailing, though, and the news isn’t all positive on the personnel front coming into the new season.

Losing Aidan Lynch from the midfield, Rohan Kerr from the wing, Nathan Blee from the back-line and Mitch Dobson from the forward-line isn’t ideal, but East Perth can't dwell on that now.

Helping offset of Lynch is the recruitment of Hamish Brayshaw while the Royals will be hoping for Victorian trio Tom Wallis, Max Annandale and Archie Hildebrandt can have an immediate impact.

Gordon Narrier could be a significant recruit too if it comes off while Kyle Hamersley, Tom Medhat and Damon Greaves could all be handy pick ups.

But really East Perth's success will on their retained players. They still have Scott Jones to lead the ruck with Jackson Ramsay, Angus Schumacher, Christian Ameduri and Angus Scott through the middle.

There's also Jacob Msando, Taylor North, Kye Willcocks, Brad Fullgrabe and Nathan Eaton down back, and Eddie Simpson to be the main target in attack with support from the likes of Nick Robertson and Shayne Hille.

The makings are there for further improvement from East Perth in 2022 and now they just need to put it into action.

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PERTH
COACH – Garry Moss (Second season, 4-14 record)
CAPTAIN – Michael Sinclair
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Corey Byrne

Incoming – Ajang Ajang, Brayden Ainsworth, Chapman Jones, Denzel More, Jordan Busher, Kieran Hug

Outgoing – Brant Colledge, Matthew Rogers, Christian Eyres, Jack Richardson, Brent Edmonds, Corey Yeo, Mitch Henderson

Perth came into the 2021 season on such a high after their first finals appearance since 1997 the year before, but it didn’t quite go to plan and now the Demons will be determined to bounce back in 2022 and put themselves back in the 2022 finals mix.

It was quite the sight to see Perth end their finals drought of 22 years when they qualified back in 2020. Garry Moss then took over from Earl Spalding as coach in 2021 and hopes were high of them backing up that success.

Things started well enough with early season wins against West Coast, East Fremantle, South Fremantle and West Perth. However, the Demons wouldn’t win again losing their last 11 matches to only avoid the wooden spoon courtesy of percentage.

There are high hopes of a bounce back season now in 2022 at Mineral Resources Park for the Demons and they will be able to try to build off the reserves winning the premiership in 2021 – the first flag in any grade for Perth since 1999.

There is some mixed news on the personnel front for the Demons coming into 2022 with the big signing being securing the services of former West Coast midfielder Brayden Ainsworth.

Signing Ajang Ajang from East Perth gives them someone who can split his time from playing in the ruck and forward as well while Kieran Hug returns having won the Eagles' WAFL fairest and best award in 2021.

Perth has lost some experience, though, and Brant Colledge stands out as the biggest loss given his quality and versatility when healthy along with hard nut Brady Grey.

Matthew Rogers, Christian Eyres, Jack Richardson, Corey Yeo and Mitch Henerson take plenty of experience away with them, but they all played in the reserves premiership so weren't league regulars in 2021.

Getting full seasons out of Dakota Baldwin-Wright, Haydn Busher, Fraser McInnes, Doulton Langlands and Conor McPartland will help Perth improve significantly as well.

With Ainsworth joining reigning fairest and best winner Corey Byrne gives that a boost too while Kristian Cary, Sam Stubbs, Austin Davis, Jacob Coniglio, Kasey Nicholas, Zac Hill, Regan Clarke, Jack Avery, Jordon Reid, Jye Clark and Brodie Gray are all players the Demons will expect plenty from again.

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WEST COAST EAGLES
COACH – Rob Wiley (First season)
CAPTAIN – Zane Sumich
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Kieran Hug

Incoming – Jed Kemp, John Levien, Darby McCarthy, Josh Burke, Jarrod Pickett, Josh Browne, Mitch Henderson, Logan Young

Outgoing – Hamish Brayshaw, Jordan Busher, Kieran Hug, Michael Humble, Mitch Curnow

COVID has meant the past two years have been anything ideal for the West Coast Eagles WAFL team, but they'll be hoping for a better run at it in 2022 and if things do go better for them, there's no reason they can't expect a strongly competitive season.

West Coast played finals in the WAFL back in 2019 and even beat West Perth in the elimination final before losing narrowly to Claremont in the first semi-final, so they were only a kick away really from reaching the preliminary final.

That highlights how competitive they can be in the WAFL when things are on an even keel, but once COVID hit in 2020 things became challenging. 

They weren’t able to take part in the 2020 season and then in 2021 they were only able to win four games to finish with the wooden spoon even though their competitiveness did improve the longer the season went on.

There are some changes at the Eagles entering this WAFL season too with former East Fremantle coach Rob Wiley taking over the helm. 

The WA and Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role, and will be a good fit to get the balance right between development and trying to win games of football.

There are some changes on the personnel front with West Coast bring in the likes of Jed Kemp, John Levien, Darby McCarthy, Josh Burke, Jarrod Pickett, Josh Browne, Mitch Henderson and Logan Young to provide some depth to the AFL-listed players.

They have lost some of their key players from last year, though, including fairest and best winner Kieran Hug, captain and on-baller Hamish Brayshaw along with Jordan Busher, Michael Humble and Mitch Curnow.

However, the reality is their fate will largely be determined by which West Coast-listed AFL players they have available, how many and what sort of impact they can have on the WAFL when they are in the team.

No matter, it should be a fascinating ride to follow their progress throughout 2022.

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