THE UNDER 18 National Championships has seen the best young talent in Western Australia absent from club duties, testing the depth of each Colts squad in what has been an intriguing period of the season. Here’s how each Colts side has fared through the representative period, and how they shape up heading into the remainder of season 2023.
PERTH 1st – (10-0, 189.6%)
The Demons have continued their unbeaten run through the middle stages of the season, with several depth players stepping up to ensure they remain in pole position heading into the backend of the campaign. Their form during the Championships period was headlined by a superb win over Claremont in a top of the table clash, while they have banked the wins needed against lower opposition to ensure their perfect record. Kalib Dempster-Park and Noah Cachard have been among those to thrive with added responsibility, and with the likes of Oscar Hine-Baston and Aidan O’Driscoll to come back into the side, the Demons look supremely placed to make a serious play on their first Colts flag this century.
CLAREMONT 2nd – (9-1, 180.0%)
A consistent contender in the Colts competition, the Tigers have done well to hold their position in the top two across the past month, with several of their first-choice players absent due to PSA and State duties. Their only blemish across the season was a narrow loss to the ladder-leading Demons, while comfortable wins over East Fremantle and Subiaco without their State players has them comfortably placed as the second seed behind Perth. Over-ager Riley Disisto has been in terrific form across the past month, alongside Ryley Valli and Cody Angrove to ensure the Tigers are in a good position to launch when they regain their representative players.
SUBIACO 3rd – (8-3, 130.3%)
Another of the competition’s perennial contenders, Subiaco takes up a familiar spot in the top half of the ladder. While appearing to be a rung below the top two sides, the Lions look to be the best of the rest, with strong wins against West Perth, Peel Thunder and Swan Districts during representative period leaving them in a top three spot. Tyler Senge and Ethan Barberi have been excellent across the past month, while Riley Wills’ outstanding form after the State squad was announced was too hard to ignore for selectors, seeing him included as a late addition for WA.
EAST FREMANTLE 4th – (7-3, 123.3%)
After a modest start to the season, the Sharks have built into the campaign nicely and find themselves in a strong position to launch into the back half of the year. They have been well served across the past month by forward duo Jack Cocking and Dante Wiseman, who have combined to provide a consistent source of goals, while ball magnet James Spadanuda had continued his prolific ways before getting the call up to Reserves level. The Sharks have won their past three games against sides below them and while they will face bigger challenges in the run home, they look well placed to push for the double chance.
WEST PERTH 5th – (5-6, 81.4%)
After starting the season 2-4 before the representative period, the Falcons have put together a strong block of form since to momentarily square their ledger and put them in a top five place. With only Odin Jones featuring in the WA squad, they’ve benefitted the continuity they’ve maintained in their side and have put themselves back in the mix to make a run for a double chance. They have been well served in particular by over-age key defender Callum Smith and strongly built midfielder Matt Galjaardt, while talented bottom-ager Trent Hiscock has shown glimpses in his recent games.
EAST PERTH 6th – (3-8, 85.5%)
After a strong start to the season, the Royals have struggled to capture their best form but have shown glimpses in their past two outings, beating South Fremantle before pushing ladder-leading Perth to the brink in their last start. As he has done all season, Will Cassidy has led from the front alongside fellow over-ager Mitch Miller, while State squad member Bailey Harbour has continued to ply his trade at club level across the past month, being given some added midfield minutes. Sitting two games outside the top five, East Perth faces an uphill battle to qualify but with a strong core of over-age players in form, cannot be counted out of a late charge to finals.
PEEL THUNDER 7th – (3-8, 63.0%)
Boasting arguably the strongest crop representative players with the likes of Mitch Edwards, Clay Hall and Reece Torrent, the Thunder were always going to struggle to compete during the Championships and while they have been largely competitive, they have lost four of their past five to leave their finals chances looking slim. In recent weeks, State squad member Ethan Logan has built into some strong form after an interrupted start to the season while gun bottom-ager Deian Roberts has been among their best when he has featured across the past month.
SWAN DISTRICTS 8th – (2-9, 81.4%)
After winning the wooden spoon last season, the Bassendean based club has have battled again in 2023 and have failed to notch a win during the Championships period, despite being in several of their games. With their skipper and prime on-baller Luke Kelly absent due to State duties, former Under 16s Carnival MVP Chayse Martinson has stepped up in recent weeks, while Trinity College prospect Max York was outstanding on return from PSA duties in his last start and Lewis Zolnier-Owens has continued to be a reliable source of goals, kicking multiple goals in all bar two games this season.
SOUTH FREMANTLE 9th – (1-9)
The Bulldogs have continued to struggle through the middle stages of the season, having lost their past five matches to ensure they’ve remained winless through the representative period. Despite their win-loss record, Souths gave remained largely competitive across recent weeks, with three of their last four losses being within four goals. Over-ager Callum Copeland has been outstanding, having taken an outright lead in the WAFL Colts Coaches Award last week, while Fremantle NGA prospect and State squad member Jacob Whan has featured in red and white during the Championships, having missed selection in WA’s final 22 for its matches.
