A TRIO of Round 8 winners shared the spoils of our Rookie Me Central Team of the Week for Round 8 with South Fremantle, Claremont and West Perth all having five representatives in the WAFL Women’s Team of the Week. Fellow winner Swan Districts and narrow loser Subiaco had the three players, while the other three losing sides, East Fremantle, East Perth and Peel Thunder had one each.

Round 8’s captain is Swan Districts’ Courtney Zappara after she kicked 4.5 in her side’s win over East Fremantle. She was joined in the team by fellow Black Ducks, Kayley King and Ruby Mahony. Her vice-captain is Claremont key forward Brooke Whyte who was a target for the Tigers inside 50.

Whyte was one of five Tigers in the Team of the Week, with Kate Orme and Jayme Harken having big games yet again. Forward Adele Arnup slotted into a forward pocket, while Matilda Sergeant made it onto the bench.

South Fremantle also had the five players in the Team of the Week, highlighted by some big games to skipper Lauren Vecchio and the in-form Kloe Bassett. Ruck Ariana Hetherington was again outstanding in her role, while forwards Bethany Bond and Makaela Tuhakaraina both kicked three goals.

West Perth survived a late comeback from Subiaco to come away with the points, and the five Team of the Week representatives. Starting on-ball is midfielder Emily Bennett, while Jeevna Heer was named on the wing. In defence, Jessica Roper slotted into the side, while Falcons duo Grace Betti and Bianca Webb were named on the bench.

The other side with multiple representatives was the Lions who had the three in Round 8. Subiaco skipper Tarnica Golisano again made the side, as did a couple of first time Team of the Week representatives in Grace Hahnel and Hali Epis.

Rounding out the 24-player squad are single club representatives in East Fremantle’s Sharon Wong, Peel Thunder’s Ebony Dowson and East Perth’s Sarah Madden. As for the three emergencies, they were Claremont’s Sarah Viney, Swan Districts’ Hope Ugle-Hayward and South Fremantle’s Charli Wicksteed.

2023 WAFLW TEAM OF THE WEEK: ROUND 8

B: Jess Roper (West Perth) – Sarah Madden (East Perth) – Ebony Dowson (Peel Thunder)
HB: Kloe Bassett (South Fremantle) – Hali Epis (Subiaco) – Kate Orme (Claremont)
C: Kayley King (Swan Districts) – Jayme Harken (Claremont) – Jeevna Heer (West Perth)
HF: Lauren Vecchio (South Fremantle) – Brooke Whyte (Claremont) (vc) – Makaela Tuhakaraina (South Fremantle)
F: Adele Arnup (Claremont) – Bethany Bond (South Fremantle) – Courtney Zappara (Swan Districts) (c)
R:  Ariana Hetherington (South Fremantle) – Tarnica Golisano (Subiaco) – Emily Bennett (West Perth)
INT: Grace Betti (West Perth) – Grace Hahnel (Subiaco) – Ruby Mahony (Swan Districts) – Matilda Sergeant (Claremont) – Bianca Webb (West Perth) – Sharon Wong (East Fremantle)

EMG: Sarah Viney (Claremont) – Hope Ugle-Hayward (Swan Districts) – Charli Wicksteed (South Fremantle)