FANS will get their first taste of West Australian Football League (WAFL) footy for 2018 with pre-season fixtures kicking off on Saturday March 10. Recently released fixtures will see all nine WAFL clubs warm up for the regular season in a three-round format, with matches to be played in four 25-minute quarters with no time on.

An interesting feature of the first round of pre-season matches will be the introduction of a last touch out of bounds rule, which will see a free kick awarded, instead of a boundary throw in, against the team who had last possession of the ball before it was deemed out of bounds.

Although the rule has not been slated for the regular season, it will be interesting to see if welcoming feedback from fans and clubs will see the WAFL follow the SANFL’s lead, with the rule implemented into regular season matches in South Australia since 2016.

Following the release of pre-season fixtures for the seniors’ competition, hundreds of young footballers will be hoping to put their best foot forward in the WA State Under 16’s Carnival.

The carnival, which will run throughout March, will feature all nine WAFL clubs who will play six games each. Each WAFL team will be made up of footballers from the club’s metropolitan and regional recruiting zones.

After the carnival is complete, a squad of 50 players will be selected from WAFL clubs to participate in a trial game on Friday March 14.

Players who impress selectors in the trial match will then be inducted into the WA state team, which will then compete at the NAB AFL State 16’s Championships in July.

WAFL League Pre-Season Fixtures

ROUND 1
Saturday, 10 March   
11:30am – Subiaco v West Perth at Leederville Oval
2:00pm – East Fremantle v East Perth at East Fremantle Oval
3:45pm – Claremont v Peel Thunder at Claremont Oval
4:15pm – South Fremantle v Swan Districts at Fremantle Community Bank Oval

ROUND 2
Saturday, 17 March
11:30am – East Perth v South Fremantle (venue TBC)
2:15pm – Peel Thunder v Subiaco at Bendigo Bank Stadium
3:45pm – Claremont v Perth at Claremont Oval
3:45pm – West Perth v East Fremantle at HBF Arena

ROUND 3
Friday, 23 March 
7:00pm – Subiaco v East Fremantle at Leederville Oval

Saturday, 24 March 
1:30pm – Peel Thunder v East Perth at Bendigo Bank Stadium
1:45pm – Swan Districts v Claremont at Steel Blue Oval
2:15pm – Perth v South Fremantle at Lathlain Park

WA State Under 16’s Carnival Fixtures

MATCH 1
Friday March 9
Subiaco v West Perth – 5.00pm – Leederville Oval
East Fremantle v East Perth – 5.30pm – East Fremantle Oval

Saturday March 10
Claremont v Peel Thunder – 8.45am – Claremont Oval
South Fremantle v Swan Districts – 9.00am – Fremantle Community Bank Oval

MATCH 2
Friday March 16
Peel Thunder v Subiaco – 5.30pm – Bendigo Bank Stadium

Saturday March 17
West Perth v East Fremantle – 8.30am – HBF Arena Joondalup
Claremont v Perth – 8.45am – Claremont Oval

Sunday March 18
South Fremantle v East Perth – 10.30am – Fremantle Community Bank Oval

MATCH 3
Friday March 23
East Fremantle v Subiaco – 5.00pm – East Fremantle Oval

Saturday March 24
Peel Thunder v East Perth – 9.00am – Bendigo Bank Stadium
Swan Districts v Claremont – 4.30pm – Steel Blue Oval

Sunday March 25
Perth v South Fremantle – 10.30am – Lathlain Park

MATCH 4
Friday March 30
Subiaco v East Perth – 9.00am – Leederville Oval
Peel Thunder v East Fremantle – 9.30am – Bendigo Bank Stadium
West Perth v Claremont – 2.00pm – HBF Arena Joondalup

Monday April 2
Perth v Swan Districts – 3.00pm – Lathlain Park

MATCH 5
Saturday April 7
South Fremantle v Subiaco – 9.00am – Fremantle Community Bank Oval
East Fremantle v Perth – 5.00pm – East Fremantle Oval
Swan Districts v Peel Thunder – 5.00pm – Steel Blue Oval
East Perth v West Perth – 5.00pm – Leederville Oval

MATCH 6
Saturday April 14
Peel Thunder v Perth – 9.30am – Bendigo Bank Stadium
West Perth v South Fremantle – 10.00am – HBF Arena Joondalup
Claremont v East Fremantle – 5.00pm – Claremont Oval
Subiaco v Swan Districts – 5.00pm – Leederville Oval

WA State 16’s Trial Game

Friday April 20