CLAREMONT and Peel Thunder were among the winners as Super Round hit the WAFL Colts competition in Round 3. With Western Australia’s top talent on show for AFL club recruiters, we noted some of the top performers from the Tigers’ and Thunder’s victories.

>> 2023 WAFL League: Round 3 wrap

By: Charlie McCormack

SUBIACO:

#8 Riley Wills

With his side getting outmuscled and outclassed around the football, Wills was one of the few Subiaco players to have an impact at the contest, as he added a level of physicality and productivity that his team sorely lacked for much of the game. The over-ager was sure-handed at ground level and played with plenty of drive, gaining good meterage for his side throughout the day. He finished with 21 disposals and three marks.

#21 Xavier Hickey

The bottom-ager was part of a Subiaco backline group that was under the pump for much of the contest, but he defended stoutly to be one of the Lions best contributors. The 17-year-old attacked the ball strongly in contest and while his ball use wasn’t always the neatest, he generally looked to take a direct route with ball in hand and add some penetration to his side’s ball movement. He finished with 16 disposals and five marks.

#26 Koopa Walsh

Slotting into the lineup to fill the spot left vacant by League debutant Luker Kentfield, the bottom-age key forward took his chances from limited opportunities to finish with two goals in his first Colts game for the season. The 16-year-old, who featured for the Black Ducks at the Under 16 national carnival last year, nabbed his first major with nicely composed finish on the run before launching a lovely long-range set shot from an acute angle to find the scoreboard for a second time. While he only finished with five disposals and two goals, he took his chances well and combined well with fellow key Ben Steinmann to give the Lions a presence up front.

CLAREMONT:

#12 Sam van Rooyen

With a bevy of recruiters in attendance for the WAFL Colts Super Round, few players would have left a better impression on them across the afternoon than van Rooyen. The 18-year-old has started the season in strong form but went to another level against the Lions, as he booted 5.5 from 10 marks and 15 disposals in what was a statement performance from the young key forward. van Rooyen’s forward craft was on full display, as he showed he could find the scoreboard in a variety of ways, be that on the lead, taking a contested mark or at ground level to be the dominant player on the ground. His chemistry with AFL Academy member Daniel Curtin was also particularly impressive, as the two held the space between them well and often looked for each other when using the ball inside 50. The only blemish on his day was his goal kicking, as he missed some kickable set shots that could have seen his already outstanding game be even better.

#15 Riley Disisto

The overager was a pillar of strength around the ball for the Tigers, as he won a number of clearances to be one of the most damaging midfielders on the ground. At 189cm, Disisto is a good size for an on-baller and he used his frame to good effect around the ball to distribute the ball out or withstand pressure when in heavy traffic. He also hit the scoreboard, booting two majors, including one lovely snap, to go with 22 disposals and round out an excellent all round performance.

#21 Zane Zakosstelsky

The athletic ruckman was the catalyst for Claremont’s midfield dominance, as he gave his team first use at clearances to finish with 24 hitouts to go with 14 disposals. While the 17-year-old’s tap work was impressive, he was also a valuable contributor around the ground, showing good mobility for a big man to find the ball enough while he also made smart decisions when he got it, often looking to dish off to a runner via handball. It was an eye-catching performance from Zakosstelskty and one that could see him in the mix for the state squad should he continue in the same vein in the coming weeks.

#50 Harry Cole

After missing out on being drafted last season, Cole has returned to the Tigers’ Colts program as an over-ager and showed glimpses of why he was a national combine invitee last year. Rotating between midfield and forward, you always felt as though something damaging would happen when Cole was around the ball, as his canny goal sense and illusive movement through traffic made him look a class above whenever he was around the ball. He finished with 13 disposals and three majors in a performance that will hopefully see him get some more opportunities in the senior program for the Tigers.

By: Hayden Narducci

SOUTH FREMANTLE:

#4 Jordan Douglas

Douglas looked a much more confident player in this game than he did throughout his performances last year. The over-ager got plenty of the footy and looked to take the game on, though sometimes to his and his team’s detriment. His strength in both tackling and hunting for the contested footy was paramount to him getting as much of the footy as he did, splitting his time between midfield and attack. He provided plenty of pressure in the forward line when spending time there, and though he only kicked one goal himself, he played a hand in setting up many opportunities for his side.

#8 Jacob Whan

A member of both Fremantle’s NGA and WA’s Summer State Academy, the solidly built defender looked that class above down back for the Bulldogs. His aerial defending was his best work, taking many intercept marks and using his strong frame to dominate one-on-one contests. On the deck and with the ball in hand, Whan rarely looked fazed by the pressure surrounding him – taking the time to pick out a teammate, rather than rush to get rid of the footy when being tackled. At times early in the game he let himself down with a couple poor kicks, though for the other majority of the game, he was mighty fine by boot.

PEEL THUNDER:

#31 Reece Torrent

In a game bereft of any real individual standouts, Torrent’s clean hands and marvellous clearance work would see him be a worthy recipient of best afield honours. It felt like he and ruckman Mitch Edwards had a telepathic connection at times. With Torrent sprinting through the centre and the ball falling into his lap time and time again for explosive centre clearances for the Thunder, highlighted by his goal straight out the centre tap in the first. Everything he did was done at pace, his safe hands meaning he rarely had to slow down when collecting the footy off the deck or out of the air. His use of the ball was very attacking and for the most part very successful in picking out a teammate.

#37 Mitchell Edwards

The most dominant in his position in this game, Edwards rarely seemed troubled by the opposition ruck, a nice change of pace for him off the back of his National Academy appearance in Mount Barker last week. His taps from the ball up were dominant from start to finish, out-bodying his opposing ruck and more often than not tapping the ball straight down a teammates throat. His work from the boundary throw ins seemed a bit closer to a 50-50 contest, but he still had the wood over his opponent more often than not. Around the ground, Edwards had some nice moments, the best being a goal on the run from 50 out where he found space to receive the footy uncontested, and let the footy bounce through off a counter attack.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Perth joined Claremont in moving to 3-0 on the season with an impressive 35-point win over East Perth in Saturday’s final Super Round fixture. The Demons trailed at quarter time but shot into the lead with eight unanswered goals in term two, before running out 14.10 (94) to 9.5 (59) victors.

Michael Hall booted four goals to lead Perth’s scoring effort, while the likes of Mitchell Keene (19 disposals, three goals) and Noah Cachard (19 and two) were also prominent. Ruck-forward Coen Livingstone had a monster game too, notching 20 disposals, 34 hitouts and a goal.

Royal pair Will Cassidy and Darcy Craven were again prolific en route to 27 touches apiece in the loss, while Jacob De Santis did his job in front of goal with three majors. Despite the loss, East Perth remains in the top five at 1-2 with a clash against Peel Thunder up next.

In Sunday’s standalone game, West Perth downed Swan Districts by seven points to register its first win of the season. The Falcons scrapped their way into the lead after quarter time and matched the Swans’ scoring output to be triumph in the 10.11 (71) to 9.10 (64) result.

Swans accumulator Riley Hardeman was the main draft watch in that game, notching a game-high 31 disposals in the loss. He came into the game fresh off National Academy commitments, and having also made his League debut in Round 1.