Select grade below

TABtouch Team of Round 21

Wednesday, August 29, 2018 - 1:39 PM by Chris Pike

IT was the last round of the 2018 WAFL season on Saturday and not only were spots in the finals on the line between East Perth, Peel Thunder and Perth, but it was the last chance for players to book their place in the TABtouch Team of the Year as well.

The stage was set for a fascinating finish to the WAFL season with East Perth, Perth and Peel Thunder all locked in a battle for the fifth position and to determine which team would take part in finals action in 2018.

As it turned out, East Perth thumped Peel Thunder 16.18 (114) to 4.6 (30) at Bendigo Bank Stadium to ensure a finals position and ending the season of the premiers of the past two seasons.

That turned the pressure on Claremont to beat Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval or else the Royals would earn home ground advantage in the elimination final between the two teams.

Swans certainly made the Tigers earn it but they eventually prevailed after the siren thanks to a Jye Bolton goal to win 13.13 (91) to 13.8 (86).

The other two matches on Saturday in Round 21 saw thumping wins for the top two teams as Subiaco beat Perth 17.10 (112) to 6.4 (40) at Leederville Oval and South Fremantle defeated East Fremantle 23.11 (149) to 5.6 (36) at East Fremantle Oval.

Those results mean that Subiaco (18-0) finished clear on top ahead of fellow finals teams South Fremantle (13-5), West Perth (11-7), Claremont (9-9) and East Perth (8-10).

Perth (7-11) saw its finals drought continue while the season is over too for Peel Thunder (7-11), Swan Districts (6-12) and East Fremantle (2-16).

That sets the stage for the 2018 finals series starting this Saturday with the qualifying final between South Fremantle and West Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval. The winner will take on Subiaco in a second semi-final while the loser will host the winner of the elimination final.

That elimination final will take place on Sunday at Claremont Oval between Claremont and East Perth. 

TABtouch TEAM OF THE ROUND (times named)
BACK: Brandon Erceg (2), Jordan Lockyer (5), Josh Cuneo (1)
HALF-BACK: Shaun Bewick (4), Blayne Wilson (3), Jacob Miller (1)
CENTRE: Jesse Turner (3), Nick Suban (7), Kane Mitchell (7)
HALF-FORWARD: Alex Manuel (4), Brayden Noble (2), Luke Partington (5)
FORWARD: Dylan Main (2), Mason Shaw (4), Ben Sokol (6)
RUCK: Zac Clarke (7), Jye Bolton (8), Josh Deluca (9)
INTERCHANGE: Haiden Schloithe (6), Brayden Ainsworth (2), Patrick McGinnity (5), Kyal Horsley (12)

BACK POCKET – BRANDON ERCEG (Swan Districts)
For the second time in the last three weeks of the season, he has earned selection in the Team of the Round having put in another strong showing in the back-line for Swan Districts in the narrow loss to Claremont. He stood up strongly for the black-and-whites and finished with 11 possessions, three marks and three tackles to show he's someone first-year coach Adam Pickering can bank on in 2019. 

FULL-BACK – JORDAN LOCKYER (Subiaco)
Subiaco's back-line might not receive the recognition of the midfield or forward-line, but they are every bit as effective and important to their success. He is a key member of that defensive unit and was superb defensively again against Perth holding Spencer White to one goal and two goals while having 18 possessions and three marks himself.

BACK POCKET – JOSH CUNEO (East Fremantle)
It was a tough way to finish a disastrous season for East Fremantle with a 113-point derby loss on home turf but he was one Sharks player who could hold his head high and say that he won his position. Did well to limit the influence of Matthew Parker for the Bulldogs while having 15 possessions and three tackles himself.

HALF-BACK FLANK – SHAUN BEWICK (South Fremantle)
He has now played 134 games in the WAFL but could very well be in the best form of his career providing South Fremantle with great run off half-back. He produced another terrific display in Saturday's hammering of East Fremantle finishing the afternoon with 32 possessions, 11 marks and a goal.

CENTRE HALF-BACK – BLAYNE WILSON (South Fremantle)
The 141-game defender is having another solid season as an experienced head in a young back-line at South Fremantle and he put in an impressive performance against East Fremantle on Saturday. Ended the game with 25 possessions and 13 marks and he was rock solid in chopping off the Sharks' entries forward.

HALF-BACK FLANK – JACOB MILLER (Subiaco)
Has come back into the Subiaco team over the past couple of weeks and in the form he's in, he will be tough to leave out even though the fight over spots if quite intense for the Lions coming into the Lions. He gave great run and drive off half-back in win against Perth with 25 possessions, six inside-50 entries, four tackles and three marks.

WING – JESSE TURNER (Swan Districts)
He has been a great shining light for Swan Districts in 2018 and will be a real chance of finishing the year with a Swan Medal as the fairest and best winner to cap it off. Has turned himself into a strong and consistent performer in the midfield. He continued that on Saturday against Claremont with another 30 possessions, eight inside-50 entries, six marks, four tackles and a goal.

CENTRE – NICK SUBAN (South Fremantle)
Having started the season at the Bulldogs, the former Fremantle veteran of 156 AFL games has finished the campaign as a tremendous inside midfielder doing an outstanding job winning contested ball, clearances and being a physical presence. Had another 35 possessions, seven inside 50s, six marks, five tackles and a goal in Saturday's derby win.

WING – KANE MITCHELL (Claremont)
The 2012 Sandover Medallist will celebrate his 100th game in Sunday's elimination final against East Perth at Claremont Oval and he ensured he enters the milestone in impressive form after his effort on Saturday in the last gasp win against Swan Districts. Ended the afternoon at Bassendean with 31 possessions, nine tackles and seven marks.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – ALEX MANUEL (Claremont)
Put in a tremendous performance in Claremont's win to secure a home final against Swan Districts and was named M & J Chickens Player of the Round as a result. Not only did he kick a season-best five goals to go with 22 possessions and eight marks, but he delivered the pass to Jye Bolton who kicked the winning goal after the siren.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – BRAYDEN NOBLE (Swan Districts)
He is Swan Districts' leading goalkicker in 2018 in his second year in the WAFL and has often been the club's lone tall target in attack in the back end of the season. Was on fire early on Saturday against Claremont with four goals in the opening quarter and a bit. Didn’t manage another goal from there but still had a good day with 18 possessions and 10 marks.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – LUKE PARTINGTON (East Perth)
Continued his tremendous ball winning and goal kicking form in East Perth's massive win over Peel on Saturday in Mandurah to book the Royals into finals action for 2018. He finished the game with a supremely impressive 29 possessions, seven marks, seven inside-50 entries and three goals.

FORWARD POCKET – DYLAN MAIN (South Fremantle)
Without Ashton Hams, Cory Dell'Olio, Ben Saunders and Blaine Johnson missing from South Fremantle's forward-line, he was used deep in attack and looked right at home. Ended up kicking a career-best five goals from 20 possessions and nine marks. With the way the midfield is performing, him playing forward could be a move to persist with in the finals for the Bulldogs.

FULL-FORWARD – MASON SHAW (South Fremantle)
Has certainly enjoyed some finer weather to play in the past two weeks and was superb again as a marking option deep in attack for South Fremantle in big win over East Perth. Kicked another five goals from 17 possessions and 14 marks to have now kicked 12 goals without a miss the past two weeks.

FORWARD POCKET – BEN SOKOL (Subiaco)
He was an outside chance of snatching the Bernie Naylor Medal if he really caught fire against Perth on Saturday but fell six goals short of West Perth's Tyler Keitel and Andrew Strijk. He still had a big day in a comprehensive win kicking five goals from 19 possessions, 10 marks, five inside-50 entries and three tackles.

RUCK – ZAC CLARKE (Subiaco)
Continues to stamp his authority as the dominant ruckman in the competition over the second half of the season and he's going to be hard to ignore by AFL clubs to receive a chance to add to the 101 games he played at Fremantle. Dominated once more in win against Perth with 20 touches, six marks, 50 hit outs and two goals.

RUCK ROVER – JYE BOLTON (Claremont)
The 2016 Sandover Medallist and dual Simpson Medal winner could very well be having the best season of his career with Claremont in 2018 and he capped it off with another memorable showing on Saturday against Swan Districts. Finished with 33 possessions and five marks but it was his after the siren goal to win the game and book a home final that his day will be remembered for.

ROVER – JOSH DELUCA (Subiaco)
The Subiaco midfield again dominated Perth in big win on Saturday and he was at the centre of all action to continue his superb form for the Lions. Ended the afternoon with 30 possessions, six tackles, six entries inside the forward 50 as he gears up for another finals campaign chasing a fourth WAFL premiership.

INTERCHANGE – HAIDEN SCHLOITHE (South Fremantle)
The reigning Sandover Medallist is finishing the season in some impressive form having been spending more of his time permanently in the midfield for the Bulldogs in recent weeks. Was superb again in the thrashing of East Fremantle with 34 possessions, five marks and four inside-50 entries.

INTERCHANGE – BRAYDEN AINSWORTH (East Perth)
He continues to perform at an outstanding level for East Perth and can't do much more to try and earn a spot in the West Coast AFL side, but he is having a tremendous impact for the Royals leading into the finals. Finished with another 33 possessions, 10 marks and four inside-50 entries in Saturday's thumping of Peel.

INTERCHANGE – PATRICK McGINNITY (East Perth)
The Royals' co-captain will now get to celebrate his 100th WAFL appearance this Sunday in an elimination final against his original club Claremont at Claremont Oval. He will go into the finals in good form too having made another strong contributing in big win against Peel with 21 disposals, six inside 50s, five tackles, four marks and two goals.

INTERCHANGE – KYAL HORSLEY (Subiaco)
The Subiaco captain has put together a remarkable season building on the pain from losing the past two WAFL Grand Finals. Couldn’t have done more to lead his team to an undefeated home and away season and finished in Saturday's big win against Perth with 30 possessions, five inside 50s and a goal.

UNLUCKY BUNCH
There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 21 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Round, including:

South Fremantle's Shane Hockey, Jacob Dragovich, debutant Regan Spooner, Jake Florenca, Zac Strom and Steven Edwards.

East Fremantle's Zach Jackson, Dion Anthony and George Hampson.

Swan Districts' Rhys Palmer, Nathan Blakely and Corey Gault.

Claremont's Jared Hardisty, Ryan Lim and Jordan Clark.

Peel Thunder's Danyle Pearce and Ben Howlett.

East Perth's Hamish Brayshaw, Sharrod Wellingham, Matthew Allen, Brendon Ah Chee and Asher Samelko.

Subiaco's Leigh Kitchin, Chris Phelan, Drew Rohde and Lachlan Delahunty.

Perth's Corey Yeo and Clint Jones.