WAFL Player Movement: All the ins and outs so far

We’ll keep you up to date with rolling coverage of all the ins and outs so far in what’s been a massive WAFL off-season ahead of the Easter Weekend opening round.

There’s been some big-name signings including several ex-AFL players, headlined by former West Coast speedster Jack Petruccelle and ex-Richmond defender Jacob Blight who are both heading to Subiaco along with returning sharpshooter Ben Sokol.

A former Big Bash League cricket star is also locked in for season 2026, with Clint Hinchliffe, who impressed in the Perth Football League last season, having a crack at the WAFL with Swan Districts, years after playing State 18s for WA and Colts for West Perth.

The biggest out so far is no doubt dual Sandover Medal winner Jye Bolton, with the Claremont champion announced his departure from the Tigers after a decorated 192-game career, while Simpson Medal winner and former Docker Connor Blakely has also hung up the boots at Swan Districts.

East Fremantle have been dealt a couple of late blows a month out from the season with vice-captain and three-time Lynn Medal and Simpson Medal winner Milan Murdock (West Coast) and livewire forward Mitch Zadow (Port Adelaide) earning AFL rookie gigs.

In some late signings, former Fremantle-listed tall Eric Benning and signed with East Fremantle from Claremont, son of a gun and ex-Geelong rookie Osca Riccardi joins Peel Thunder.

Check out all the player movement below:

Claremont

2025 finish: Third

Ins: Adam Boules (East Perth), Tyson Headland (Kwinana/Perth Football League), Oliver Sheldrick (travel)

Outs: Eric Benning (East Fremantle/WAFL), Jye Bolton (retired), Kai Dehavilland (West Perth/WAFL), Menno Inverarity (West Perth/WAFL), Lachlan Martinis (retired)

East Fremantle

2025 finish: Fifth

Ins: Toby Alker (UNSW-Eastern Suburbs/AFL Sydney), Eric Benning (Claremont/WAFL), Joel Budarick (Eaglehawk/Bendigo), Nathan Dowsett (Palmerston/Northern Territory FL), Liam Robinson (Norwood/SANFL), Oskar Smartt (Essendon/AFL)

Outs: Thomas Bennett (retired), Finn Gorringe (retired), Jed Hagan (Tasmania/VFL), Cody Leggett (retired), Milan Murdock (West Coast/AFL), Michael Tassone (retired), Darcy Wills (Peel Thunder/WAFL), Mitch Zadow (Port Adelaide/AFL)

East Perth

2025 finish: Second

Ins: Darcy Craven (Brisbane Lions/AFL), Luke Foley (Subiaco/WAFL), Damon Freitag (South Adelaide/SANFL), Cooper Stephens (ACL injury)

Out: Nick Bonomelli (retired), Adam Boules (Claremont), Jonah Brooks (West Perth/WAFL), Luke Hallett (Perth/WAFL), Mitch Miller (West Perth/WAFL)

Peel Thunder

2025 finish: Sixth

Ins: Floyd Burmeister (GWV Rebels/Coates Talent League), Toby Cossor (Myrtleford/Ovens and Murray), Lachlan Tardrew (Collingwood/VFL), Bailey Reeves (Gold Coast/VFL), Osca Riccardi (North Geelong/Geelong and District Football League), Darcy Wallinger (Mt Barker/Great Southern), Dustin Walters (Boulder/Goldfields), Darcy Wills (East Fremantle/WAFL), Taj Wyburd (Geelong/VFL).

Outs: Nil

Perth

2025 finish: Fourth

Ins: Freddy Brayshaw (Sandringham/Coates Talent League), Joe Chaplin (returning from Victoria), Charlie Dean (Collingwood/AFL), Archer Gardiner (North Albury/Ovens and Murray), Jesse Glass-McCasker (Wembley/Perth Football League), Luke Hallett (East Perth/WAFL), Zac Harding (Murray Bushrangers/Coates Talent League), Indhi Kirk (Sydney Swans/AFL)

Outs: Regan Clarke (TBC), Ben Fairbank (West Perth/WAFL), Sam Simpson (Victoria), Tyrone Thorne (Mandurah/Peel)

South Fremantle:

2025 finish: Premiers

Ins: Aiden Hall (Claremont/WAFL), Josh Young (Somerville/Mornington Peninsula Football League)

Outs: Jaxon Artemis (Tasmania/VFL), Dylan Main (retired), Toby McQuilkin (travel), Haiden Schloithe (retired), Zac Strom (retired)

Subiaco

2025 finish: Ninth

Ins: Jacob Blight (Richmond/AFL), Will Bravo (Richmond/VFL), Lenny Douglas (Tasmania/Coates Talent League), Nick Girolami (Richmond/VFL), Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves (Dandenong Stingrays/Coates Talent League), Jack Petruccelle (West Coast/AFL), Ben Sokol (Centrals/Peel)

Outs: Luke Foley (East Perth/WAFL)

Swan Districts

2025 finish: Eighth

Ins: Kade Chalcraft (Shepparton United/Goulburn Valley), Clint Hinchliffe (Ocean Ridge/Perth Football League), Lucas Impey (Williamstown/VFL), Jovan Petric (Williamstown/VFL), Zachary Provest (Williamstown/VAFA), Jez Rigoni (Sandringham/VFL)

Outs: Connor Blakely (retired), Aidan Clarke (retired), Tony Notte (Busselton/South West)

West Coast

2025 finish: 10th

Ins: Will Burnett (Kyabram/Goulburn Valley League), Sam Cipriani (Tongala/Murray Football League), Corey Hitchcock (Yarraville Seddon Eagles/Western Football Netball League), Callum Jamieson (West Coast/AFL), Sasha Kernutt (Mt Lawley/Perth Football League), Archie Watt (Kyabram/Goulburn Valley League)

Outs: Ethan Barbieri (West Perth/WAFL), Cooper Brown (TBC), Zac Dronow (Augusta-Margaret River/South West), Connor Klemke (West Perth/WAFL), Denholm Melrose (TBC), Tyler Mouritz (TBC), Ethan Sambo (Boulder City/Goldfields), Harley Sparks (South Adelaide/SANFL), Luke Yeo (Calingiri/Mortlock)

West Perth

2025 finish:

Ins: Jonah Brooks (East Perth/WAFL), Kai Dehavilland (Claremont/WAFL), Ben Fairbank (Perth/WAFL), Darcy Hobbs (Terang Mortlake/Hampden), Menno Inverarity (Claremont/WAFL), Odin Jones (Fremantle Dockers/AFL), Coen Livingstone (West Coast/AFL), Mitch Miller (East Perth/WAFL), Chad Mulvogue (Collingwood/VFL), Noah Pegoraro (Victoria), Connor West (Scarborough/Perth Football League)

Outs: Mitch Peirce (retired), Michael Mallard (Boulder/Goldfields)