Player Focus: Claremont pair hit League level
CLAREMONT prospects George Gale and Heath Mellody were among the latest draft hopefuls to make their senior state league debuts over the weekend. The pair joined fellow Under 18 All-Australian Benji van Rooyen in the Tigers’ side which went down to Subiaco in a thriller at Revo Fitness Stadium. Gale, the son of 84-game former […]
WAFL League Player Focus: Benji van Rooyen (Claremont)
ALL-AUSTRALIAN ruckman Benji van Rooyen made the step up to WAFL League level over the weekend, joining elder brother Sam in Claremont’s top flight side. The competitive tall has made great strides this year, taking out All-Australian honours for WA before earning a senior berth back in club colours. van Rooyen took the field on […]
Up the Grades: Cochrane, Walker stand tall in defeats
LEADING draft prospects Dougie Cochrane and Cody Walker showed their class in stat-stuffing state league performances over the weekend. Considered by some as the top two talents in this year’s crop, the pair proved their readiness for higher levels with strong performances in heavy defeats. Meanwhile, the debuts kept on coming across the country. There […]
Up the Grades: Top prospect makes long-awaited return
JUNIOR talent continues to filter up the grades in the back-end of season 2026, with the latest batch headlined by top draft prospect Dougie Cochrane. The Port Adelaide aligned utility made his long-awaited first appearance for the season having been sidelined by knee tendinitis. While he made his club debut for the Port Magpies, several […]
Up the Grades: State teammates turn rivals in WAFL
WEST Coast father-son prospect Harper Banfield and state teammate Harvey Spawton-Guy were among the next wave of state league debutants over the weekend. Banfield claimed bragging rights in that WAFL matchup, while Jake Medved helped the Swans claim bragging rights over their local rivals. Elsewhere, Allies MVP Caylen Murray was back in action for Brisbane […]
Champions Vic Metro dominate Under 18 All-Australian team
CHAMPIONS Vic Metro have contributed a high of 10 players to the 2026 AFL Under 18 All-Australian team, with prospects scattered across each line. West Australian star Heath Mellody was awarded the prestigious Larke Medal and named captain of the 23-player side. Named at half-back, Mellody proved to be a rampant playmaker throughout the carnival, […]
Scouting Notes: 2026 AFL U18s – Allies vs. Western Australia
THE ALLIES have ended their National Championships campaign on a high after defeating Western Australia by six points in a thrilling encounter at Mars Stadium on Wednesday. The Sandgropers led by as many as 28 points during term three, but were quickly reined in and made to settle for a 2-2 record. A run of […]
Scouting Notes: 2026 AFL U18s – Vic Country vs. Western Australia
WESTERN Australia has produced a remarkable turnaround to defeat Vic Country by 16 points at Marvel Stadium on Friday evening. The Sandgropers were restricted to just one goal in the first half and trailed by 33 points early in term three, before piling on nine of the next 11 majors to bag their second win […]
Scouting Notes: 2026 AFL U18s – Western Australia vs. Vic Metro
VIC METRO brought Western Australia back down to earth with a runaway 36-point win in Cockburn on Saturday. The visitors started their campaign in style with three unanswered goals in the opening term before being reigned back in heading into half time. Riding the momentum of a two-to-three goal scoring end, Metro snuck back ahead […]
Scouting Notes: 2026 AFL U18s – Western Australia vs. South Australia
WESTERN Australia has caused a major boilover to kick off the Under 18 National Championships, defeating South Australia by 12 points at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday. The hosts burst out of the blocks with five unanswered goals in the opening term and led all day, but had their buffer cut down to less than […]
