The youngster West Coast have already fallen in love with
Plus positional clues from Freo and Eagles training, a few good reads and some WAFL snippets.
G’day friends!
Welcome back for what is already shaping up to be a massive 2026 for West Australian football.
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In today’s letter: Which Eagle has really caught the eye of the coaches, positional clues in both camps, how Freo could use Luke Jackson, close call for Dan Curtin, some good reads and a few WAFL snippets.
Alright, let’s get stuck in.
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WEST COAST
There’s a host of fresh faces down at West Coast but one that there’s a bit of buzz on internally is Cooper Duff-Tytler. He’s a big so he’ll struggle to dominate in year one but they are already rating him as one of the best three or four kicks at the club. Likely to start forward and push up the ground, hoping that he can lace out the likes of Jake Waterman with his vision and skill by foot.
Willem Duursma looks likely to start on the wing if match sim is anything to go by. I’m also bullish on Hamish Davis holding down a wing spot all year. He’s got all the attributes and has always adapted quickly to whatever role is thrown at him. I’m about 50-50 on predicting good seasons from youngsters but don’t be shocked if he impresses you in 2026.
Tom McCarthy is going to be added to the midfield rotation this year, which makes sense but does it rob them from too much off half-back? Or does first-round pick Josh Lindsay help take up that slack?
Annoyingly, Liam Baker looks like he’s a chance to miss Origin with a leg injury. We’ll lean in on that fixture in weeks to come. But looking at the two sides on paper, we’ll need the blue-collar division to fire if WA are to take down a stacked Vic side.
FREMANTLE
The new ruck rules will throw up a few surprises. At Freo, that’s looking like less ruck time for Luke Jackson? At least if pre-season training is anything to go by. The 🦄 appears to consistently be training more on-ball and forward so who knows what round one will look like?
The following snippets thanks to new track-tweeter Lachie Byrne from 7NEWS Perth: Murphy Reid’s midfield times is growing, Hayden Young is looking fire and Jye Amiss started a lot of CBDs on the wing before floating forward.
The Amiss move is something a lot of people have proposed before, particularly as he struggled to get his hands on the ball consistently last season. One of the more interesting proposed role changes, watch this space.
Sam Sturt told The West’s Glen Quartermain he is targeting a round 10 return from a knee reconstruction. It’s a contract year for Sturt in a side which has a focus on upgrading its forward line. Has the talent, hope he gets another shot.
Alex Pearce has been reappointed captain for a fourth consecutive year.
A FEW GOOD READS
Ryan Daniels: North Melbourne’s Paul Curtis opens up on life-threatening health scare (The West)
What Elijah Hewett must do to take game to next level (Mitch Woodcock, The West)
What Origin means to Shai Bolton (Nathan Schmook, AFL Media)
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Just a quick note on WA’s Dan Curtin, who dislocated a kneecap at Adelaide training this morning. He’d been having a monster pre-season and looked likely to play more as an inside mid. Thankfully not an ACL, but shit news regardless.
7NEWS Adelaide@7NewsAdelaideJUST IN: There is a huge injury scare at West Lakes with Crows young gun Dan Curtin stretchered off the training track after a wrestling drill.1:14 AM · Jan 19, 2026 · 6.32K Views2 Replies · 3 Reposts · 9 Likes
WAFL
Perth are going all-in on their women’s program this year - recruiting has been elite. Eagle and Docker Evie Gooch goes in as a key back, Poppy Stockwell shifts from South after a stint with Freo, former Collingwood player (and SNESA Angel) Caitlin Edwards returns to footy and Isla Baldwin and Carlton VFLW b&f Amy Trindade come over from Victoria. They’ll play finals.
Keep an eye on Luke Hallett this year too. He joins the Demons from East Perth. Really talented and dynamic mid-fwd who could have been a draft chance if not for injury.
Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves was one of the unluckiest players not to be picked up at the AFL draft last year. He’s picked Subiaco as the club to help him bridge the gap. Great get here, he’s the kind of player that will enjoy a bit more space than they typically find on VFL grounds.
Former West Perth forward Jaspar Scaife is off to Notre Dame to be a punter after a short stint at Hawthorn.
That’s the lot for today. Thanks again for reading.
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