Our brightest stars: East Perth district

Western Australia has a proud history of developing elite football talent, with many of the game’s brightest stars beginning their careers at local junior football clubs right across the State.

In a series of articles highlighting the rich talent pool in WA over the years, Lenny Fogliani takes a closer look at the best current and former WAFL and AFL players to emerge from junior clubs in WA’s regions and districts.

This article focusses on junior clubs in East Perth Football Club’s metropolitan district.

Photo: Mark Hutchings

EAST PERTH METRO DISTRICT

The East Perth metropolitan district is situated in Perth’s central and northern suburbs encompassing the cities of Bayswater, Perth, Stirling, Swan and the Town of Vincent.

There are currently eight junior teams that compete within East Perth’s District – Ballajura, Bayswater, Coolbinia, Ellenbrook, Morley, Mount Hawthorn, Mount Lawley-Inglewood and Noranda.

To find your nearest junior community club, click here.

Some of the most notable footballers to have hailed from the East Perth District can be seen below:

JOHN WATTS – BAYSWATER JFC

The onetime policeman, John Watts is the only Australian Rules footballer to win three premierships with three different teams in three different states. He won three WAFL premierships with East Perth (1956, 1958, 1959), the 1963 VFL premiership with Geelong and Captain-Coached Hobart to the 1966 TSL Premiership. In total, Watts played 271 games (166 with East Perth, 52 with Geelong and 53 with Hobart) across 15 seasons. He also played 12 games for Western Australia in the State of Origin, and was the recipient of the 1959 Simpson Medal. During his time with Geelong, Watts penned the Club’s theme song, which is still used today. After his playing career, Watts became a star in the media, working with organisations such as Channel 7, and 6PM Radio Station (now Hit 92.9). He has been regarded by many as the person who created the prototype to modern football panel and breakfast radio style programs.

MARK HUTCHINGS – COOLBINIA JFC

The 2009 WA U18s Championships-winning captain has put together an outstanding football career. Hutchings was originally drafted to St Kilda in 2009, but was delisted at the end of 2010. In 2011, he joined West Perth where he played 55 games across four seasons. In 2012, he won West Perth’s Best and Fairest, and finished second to Kane Mitchell in the Sandover Medal. He won the Simpson Medal after a starring performance for West Perth in their 2013 Grand Final triumph over East Perth (29 possessions and 3 goals). Since 2013, Hutchings has played 113 games and kicked 46 goals for the West Coast Eagles. He won the 2017 Best Clubman Award and finished seventh in the 2018 Best and Fairest. He was instrumental in West Coast’s 2018 Grand Final success, finishing with 15 possessions and a goal, while also limiting the impact of Collingwood star Steele Sidebottom.

SAM POWELL-PEPPER – MOUNT HAWTHORN JFC

Known as “SPP,” Powell-Pepper is one of the rising stars of the AFL. Prior to the 2020 season, Powell-Pepper was rated as Port Adelaide’s fourth best midfielder behind only Travis Boak, Ollie Wines and Tom Rockliff. Across four seasons, Powell-Pepper has played 58 games, kicked 31 goals and has career averages of 19 possessions (9 contested), 5 tackles, 4 inside 50s and 3 clearances. In his debut season, Powell-Pepper won Port Adelaide’s Best U21 Player Award, and finished third in the Rising Star after he averaged 17 possessions (8 contested), 5 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 3 clearances and kicked 16 goals across 22 games. In 2018, he finished seventeenth in Port Adelaide’s Best and Fairest.

CLANCEE PEARCE – NORANDA JFC

Known as “Clanger,” Pearce is one of only eight players of Indian descent to play AFL football. He was a strong contributing footballer for Fremantle between 2009 and 2016. Across eight seasons, Pearce played 100 games (35th most for Fremantle), kicked 36 goals and had career averages of 17 possessions, 5 marks and 3 tackles. His best season came in 2012 when he finished ninth in the Best and Fairest, after he averaged 20 possessions, 5 marks, 4 tackles and kicked 16 goals across 24 games. In 2007, he was a member of the Swan Districts’ Colts premiership side. In 2008, he won All-Australian selection after a stellar carnival for Western Australia, and was named the Captain of the WAFL Colts Team of the Year.

List of notable players from East Perth’s Junior Zone.

PLAYER

JUNIOR CLUB

WAFL CLUB

AFL CLUB

Nathan Blee

Ballajura JFC

East Perth

Port Adelaide

Antoni Grover

Ballajura JFC

South Fremantle

Subiaco

Fremantle

Matthew Clape

Bayswater JFC

East Perth

Carlton

West Coast Eagles

Gavin Rose

Bayswater JFC

East Perth

Collingwood

John Watts

Bayswater JFC

East Perth

Geelong

Mark Hutchings

Coolbinia JFC

East Perth

West Perth

St Kilda

West Coast Eagles

Jackson Ramsay

Coolbinia JFC

East Perth

Collingwood

Glen Bartlett

Dianella JFC

East Perth

West Coast Eagles

Grant Campbell

Dianella JFC

East Perth

St Kilda

Tarir Bayok

Ellenbrook JFC

East Perth

Swan Districts

West Coast Eagles

Joel Corey

Girrawheen-Koondoola JFC

East Perth

Geelong

David Bain

Maylands JFC

East Perth

Brisbane Bears

Sam Powell-Pepper

Mount Hawthorn JFC

East Perth

Port Adelaide

Brandon Starcevich

Mount Lawley-Inglewood JFC

East Perth

Brisbane Lions

Daniel Murray

Mount Lawley-Inglewood JFC

East Perth

Perth Demons

Brisbane Lions

Greg Broughton

Noranda JFC

Subiaco

Fremantle

Steven Handley

Noranda JFC

Swan Districts

Geelong

Kyron Hayden

Noranda JFC

Subiaco

North Melbourne

Clancee Pearce

Noranda JFC

Swan Districts

Fremantle

Michael Prior

Noranda JFC

East Perth

Essendon

West Coast Eagles

Alex Rance

Noranda JFC

Swan Districts

Richmond

Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls

Northern Cobras JFC

East Perth

Richmond

West Coast Eagles

Llane Spaanderman

Bayswater JFC

Noranda JFC

East Perth

Brisbane Lions

West Coast Eagles