WAFL Round 16 teams: State 18s pair to debut, big ins for Peel, Royals

A pair of AAMI WA Football State 18s Boys squad members will make their Sullivan Logistics WAFL debuts on opposing sides when West Perth host West Coast at HIF Health Insurance Oval on Saturday evening.

West Coast father-son prospect Harper Banfield, the son of dual premiership Eagle Drew, will follow in his brother Charlie’s footsteps by playing for the Eagles’ WAFL side.

Charlie played two games for the WAFL Eagles after last year’s AFL National Under-18s Championships before getting picked up by St Kilda in the AFL National Draft.

Like Charlie, Harper had a brilliant National Under-18s campaign for WA and also took out the Black Swan Award for his team-first attitude and work ethic, averaging 23 disposals and six tackles across the four matches.

Banfield will go up against State 18s teammate Harvey Spawton-Guy, with the talented key forwarded rewarded for a strong performance in the WAFL Reserves last week.

Spawton-Guy booted 3.2 and took nine marks to be named the Falcons’ best player.

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The 196cm talent is coming off a strong campaign for WA, kicking six goals and averaging four marks per game across the carnival.

First-round draft picks Josh Lindsay and Cooper Duff-Tytler and big man Harry Barnett join Banfield among the inclusions for the Eagles.

West Perth have made two changes with former Eagle Josh Rotham and Spawton-Guy coming in for Sam Rotham and Lochlain Carpenter.

Peel Thunder captain Jack Sears is finally back from a finger injury in a massive boost for his team’s hopes of continuing their record winning streak against Subiaco at Lane Group Stadium on Saturday.

Sears joined All-Australian ruckman and Doig Medal winner Sean Darcy among the ins as the Thunder aim for a 10th win in a row.

Five-goal hero from last game Oscar McDonald has earned a recall for the Friday night Western Derby, while in-form defender Hugh Davies, Brandon Walker and Chris Scerri were all named among the emergencies so could return to the Peel line-up if not required.

The Lions have lost a couple of their most important players with Jack Petreuccelle suspended and Taj Schofield also sidelined.

East Perth welcome back a trio of massive ins for their clash with Claremont at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday.

Luckless former Hawthorn and Geelong midfielder Cooper Stephens is back from a calf injury and important defender Harrison Macreadie from a hamstring issue, while ball magnet Angus Scott is also in.

Macreadie hasn’t played league football since Round 4, while Stephens has featured just six times this year due to calf issues and suspension.

Emerging key defender Joseph Hopkyns, a Colt premiership player who was part of the State 18s squad last year, will make his senior debut for Claremont.

AFL Under-18s All-Australian ruck Benji van Rooyen will play for the Tigers’ reserves as he looks to push his case for a senior debut, while fellow Claremont All-Australian members – Larke Medal winner Heath Mellody and WA co-captain George Gale – will play against each other in the PSA on Saturday morning when rivals Hale School and Scotch College do battle.