THE 2023 WAFL Colts season kicked off over the Easter weekend, with four games producing a mixed bag of results, but clear winners in each. In a bumper edition of Scouting Notes, we highlight the top performers from three of the fixtures, with a Player Focus piece to come from the West Perth and Claremont clash.

>> Season Guide: 2023 WAFL Colts | Around the Grounds: WAFL Round 1

By: Charlie McCormack

EAST PERTH:

#5 Will Cassidy

The over-ager was the general in the midfield for East Perth, getting his hands dirty to win the ball in tight while also finding plenty of uncontested ball around the ground. He generally made good decisions, as he often controlled the tempo of his side’s ball movement by showing good composure when he had possession. He finished with 23 disposals, seven marks and a goal.

#7 Darcy Craven

The 18-year-old was the catalyst for East Perth’s dominance from the outset, with his ability to be clean with the football and use his penetrating left-foot kick setting the tone for the free flowing style of football the Royals played throughout the game. He finished the game with 27 disposals and six marks as the game’s highest ball-winner.

#12 Tyler Lindberg

The Busselton product showed his class as a half-forward, working high up the ground to play as a link between the midfield and forward line and using his goal nous to get dangerous close to home and hit the scoreboard. He was arguably the best player on the ground in the first stanza, booting two goals from seven disposals, including one lovely finish from long range. He finished with 17 disposals and nine marks.

#17 Lewis Nannup

The lightly framed defender was a strong contributor for the Royals, playing his role well behind the ball to finish with 15 disposals and eight marks. The Bassendean product is a raw prospect but he provided some good rebound from defence and used his athleticism to compete well for the ball in marking contests to be an influential player in his side’s victory.

SWAN DISTRICTS:

#4 Otis Harvey

The bottom-aged talent was the Black Ducks’ most prolific player around the ball, battling tirelessly and making his presence felt around some of the big-bodied Royals midfielders. The 17-year-old looked at his best when he was on the move around the stoppages and showed glimpses of his ability to glide through traffic and make good decisions with the ball in tight confines. He finished with 26 touches and four tackles in a promising display.

#6 Evan Smith

The 198cm ruckman competed hard around the stoppages, getting first hands to the ball and linking up with his midfielders to ensure Swans stayed competitive in the clearance battle. The 17-year-old also managed to have an influence around the ground, registering 15 disposals and five marks to compliment his 36 hit outs. Having played in two league games through the pre-season, it was a strong performance on return to colts football for the big man.

#10 Lewis Zolnier-Owens

With his team getting outplayed for the majority of the contest, Zolnier-Owens was one of the few Swan Districts players who was winning their individual battle. The 18-year-old was playing as an undersized full forward but looked threatening whenever the ball came into his vicinity, using some very good body-work to out-mark his opponent on numerous occasions. He kicked three majors but could have easily finished with a more goals had he kicked more accurately.

By: Ethan Roth

PEEL THUNDER:

#19 Ethan Logan

One of Peel Thunder’s 2022 Colts premiership players, Logan continues to impress with each game that he plays, having spells through the midfield and often pushing out to a wing. A clean player by foot, Logan racked up twenty-four disposals and put in a heap of effort both offensively and defensively whenever Peel were under threat. Will be a vital player on a regular basis if Peel are any chance of emulating last year’s flag success again.

#21 Clay Hall

The draft fancy and son of ex West Coast/Geelong forward Derek Hall, Clay was one of the best on ground, despite his side’s 33 point loss at Lane Group Stadium. With blonde locks that are hard to miss, the 17-year-old amassed 26 disposals and even though it didn’t reflect much on the scoreboard, he was pivotal in surging the ball into Peel’s front half, finishing with five marks and a game-high eight inside 50s. Missed a goal he would’ve liked to convert, but it was a promising Round 1 performance in what looms as a big year for the Southwest product.

#31 Reece Torrent

The left footer continued his strong form off the back of last year’s Colts grand final where he kicked two goals as an under-ager, booting another two crucial goals in Round to ultimately be his side’s only multiple goalkicker. He might’ve only had 10 touches in this game, but always looks dangerous with ball in hand and is a reliable player when it comes to having a consistent impact. Continues to put his name up in lights as a potential draft option that clubs can keep an eye on.

#37 Mitch Edwards

Edwards’ mobility and ability to get around the ground remains one of his greatest strengths. The 207cm National Academy member was a touch quieter by his lofty standards but nevertheless still managed 21 hitouts, showing his class in the ruck which was unmatched by the East Fremantle bigmen. It’s fair to say he put the stepping stones into place for what many will be hoping is only a sample size of what he can produce this year at all levels.

EAST FREMANTLE:

#3 Koen Sanchez

What Sanchez lacks in size, he makes up in skill and footy IQ. Sanchez has already been in the Colts system for a while and is not afraid to be put his body on the line and be bold with ball in hand. The 18-year-old who hails from the Applecross region kicked a goal to go with 27 disposals, looking controlled at the best of times, while always thinking one step ahead. With Under 18 state experience under his belt, this performance to begin the year would’ve done his confidence no harm, so expect him to only impress more as the year progresses if he can stay injury free.

#4 Ashton Warner

The younger brother of Sydney’s Chad and Corey Warner, Ashton showed glimpses in just his second career Colts game as to why some rate him as the potential best talent in the family. Like his brothers, Warner is an excitement machine offering plenty of dash and pace in multiple positions. He found the ball thirteen times to go with five marks which is admirable considering the bigger bodies surrounding him and his age of just 16-years-old. Shouldn’t be expected to deliver too much given his upcoming PSA commitments with Aquinas College but will only blossom with the more colts footy he’s exposed to.

#5 Dante Wiseman:

A somewhat lesser known of a name in the Colts scene, Wiseman is a light frame at 173cm and 67kg. In his twelfth WAFL colts appearance, the livewire showed no signs of inexperience at the level by shrugging off the Peel Thunder defenders to slot five majors and one behind. Despite being a noted accurate goalkicker, the Canningvale product should be given a lot of credit for creating most of his own opportunities on a day where the other small forwards weren’t able to capitalise nearly enough the same.

#16 James Spadanuda

Spadanuda was an absolute ball magnet, finding the footy 37 times to be among the Sharks’ best, which was complimented by partner in crime Presley Campbell who had 36 possessions himself. A former PSA winning captain with Scotch College, Spadanuda is no stranger to gathering high possessions, but further to this he looked a class above with his ferociousness and pressure in the contest right from the get-go. It will be interesting to see if other teams start to give the 18-year-old more attention moving forward as he often flies under the radar of the Sharks’ bigger names.

By: Hayden Narducci

PERTH:

#2 Aiden O’Driscoll

It was an impressive first display from the speedy winger to kick off 2023. Finding the middle of the goals twice in a minute in the first quarter, the rest of his game was spent tirelessly working along the boundary, both in and out of the packs. Smart decision making was one of the highlights of his game, never bombing it forward in hope when under pressure, instead using his agility to create some separation, and find a loose man behind him when need be.

#26 Oscar Hine-Baston

The over-age rebounding defender looked a new man defensively in this game. Throwing his body at the footy time and time again, Hine-Baston’s one percent defensive efforts were ultra impressive to watch. Using his blistering speed and spectacular leap to spoil and smother at times where he had looked nowhere near impacting the contest just a second prior. His counter-attacking efforts were, as usual, his deadliest weapon. Breaking the ball out of packs with his acceleration and getting it forward to launch the fast counter-attacking footy that saw Perth get up in this game.

#28 Connor McDonald

A true leader by example in this match, McDonald continued his strong finish to last season with a 23-disposal, three-goal masterclass in the Demons’ midfield. His calmness and composure on the footy was a marvel to watch, never throwing a loose hand or foot at the ball when feeling the heat on him. Two of his three goals came from some sensational crumbing while positioning himself deep in the forward line. Reading the play quicker than anyone around him and using his clean hands to get boot on ball before his opposition had a chance to know what was going on.

#36 Elijah Scoble

The standout player in this game, Scoble hardly put a foot wrong in the entire hundred minutes of footy. Featuring in 14 marking contests, Scoble did not lose a single contest, bringing the ball to ground or taking the mark himself every single time. He showed everything you’d want to see from a big key defender, spoils from behind, a big goal line smother, smart intercept marking and the dedication to back up his defensive efforts once the ball hit the deck. A smart user of the footy as well, many of his 18 disposals in this game were the first in a chain of kicks and handballs that got the ball inside 50 in a fast counter.

SUBIACO:

#7 Lance Collard

Despite a quiet first half, Collard was one of the most dangerous looking players in this game. His acceleration, agility and speed were no match for any of the Demon’s players who had to take him on. There wasn’t a single moment where he looked like getting caught with the footy. Though his efficiency and finishing did let him down at times, he created opportunities out of nothing and was the metronome in Subiaco’s second half fight back.

#20 Dylan O’Dea

A defensive stalwart for this Lion’s side, O’Dea played on a range of opponents, from 170cm Robert Warrell to 200cm Coen Livingstone. An astute defender, O’Dea played a calming role down back when the Lion’s won possession of the footy in defensive 50. His composure when rebounding rarely saw him misplace a kick, ensuring precious time for an under fire backline to restructure and collect their breath.

#21 Xavier Hickey

On debut in the Colts competition, the bottom age defender was one of the top ball winners in this affair. A strong medium defender, his one-on-one defensive work was most impressive in this game, regularly winning his own footy along the deck and setting the Lions away on a counter attacking opportunity. Absorbing plenty of the pressure when he had the ball, Hickey regularly allowed for his teammates to receive the handball under little to no pressure and move the ball forward.