Who is Fremantle's best player?
Plus Josh Lindsay love at West Coast, the WA U18 trial standouts, Jaime Henry at it again and the return of PSA footy.
G’day punchers!
Exciting announcement right off the top. We’re officially welcoming Sullivan Logistics on board as our Major Partner for season 2026.
Tim Sullivan and the team at Sullivan Logistics are fantastic supporters of footy in WA and we’re thrilled to have them on board.
To celebrate the news, our paid tier of content will be free to read for everyone for the next two weeks. For our paid subscribers, keep an eye on your inbox this week because you get a bonus too.
And if you’ve got freight that needs handling, you know where to go.
A few more exciting announcements coming in relation to this too, watch this space.
In today’s newsletter: Fremantle’s best player debate, still trying to be positive about the Eagles, Yeo keeps thrilling them in U18s, Claremont flexing and some standouts in the return of PSA school football.
Let’s get stuck in.
FREMANTLE
Fremantle 16.7 (103) def Carlton 13.11 (89)
The season of Jye continues! Amiss is in such good form that even his mongrel floaters are going through the middle - much to the surprise of everyone who watched that kick. He’s up to 16 goals in his past five games and his form has been one of the more pleasing aspects of the Dockers’ early season success.
On the Hard Ball Gets podcast this week we had a discussion about Fremantle’s best player this season. The consensus is that it’s been one of Shai Bolton or Luke Jackson - maybe just leaning Bolton. The Dockers are winning through weight of numbers, but Bolton has been consistently damaging as a regular part of the midfield. Let me know your call in the comments.
It was only a week ago we were talking up Jeremy Sharp’s form at Peel, and it transferred after he was a late call-up thanks to Patrick Voss’ illness. I’m not sure Sharp will ever be the most polished player, but he showed restraint on the wing that he’s sometimes lacked. He didn’t try to do too much, is basically what I’m saying. He bobbed up in the second half after a quiet start and kicked a couple of important goals. Will always be on the cusp, but showed he can be counted on.
WEST COAST
St Kilda 22.11 (143) def West Coast 5.12 (42)
We’ve all seen the stats by now. Historically bad stats. But in the name of optimism, here are a couple of things we liked…
There was one passage of play in the third quarter that showed why West Coast must keep playing Malakai Champion. He got the ball out the back in the corridor, gave the hands, was at the fall of the ball after the next kick, popped it into space, then won the ground ball which ended up in an Elliot Yeo goal. He’s on the cusp of becoming a good AFL player, he just needs the exposure.
Crazy to think that Josh Lindsay was dropped earlier this year. He had the ball 31 times and went at 91% efficiency. Just hold on to the performances of him and Willem Duursma every week, Eagles fans. It’s going to be another long season otherwise.
TALENT
WA’s U18 squad had their first trial game for the year on Sunday against Swan Districts’ reserves. It’s one of six hit-outs before the National U18 Championships kick off in June. Here were a few names who impressed:
Finlay Yeo: This will please a lot of Fremantle people. Yeo has been in really good form for East Fremantle’s colts and was one of WA’s best again in the first trial. The Dockers NGA member has really risen a level as a damaging mid-forward.
Benji van Rooyen: No shock here. He was really impressive holding down the ruck last year as a bottom-ager and will be a key pillar again.
Sam O’Brien: A bottom-aged ball magnet from Subiaco. Been another early form player in the colts.
Sheldon Pickett: One of a couple of over-agers in the program, the Bunbury product has come from the clouds, but earned his spot in the program.
Cam Maynard: Showed a bit. A joy to watch when he’s up and going, Maynard has kicked some of the best goals you’ll see at colts level. Pumped to see him keep growing this season.
WAFL
Stop kicking them, they’re already dead. That’s what it felt like watching Claremont demolish East Fremantle by 111 points - their biggest-ever win over the Sharks. The Tigers are undefeated and clear favourites for the flag. Their firepower is just overwhelming, through the middle with Bailey Rogers and Callan England at their best, and up forward with Jaiden Hunter, Keiran Gowdie, Talon Delacy and Sam Van Rooyen combining for 16 goals between them.
Jack Mayo has been a good player for a long time, but he’s in great form for Subiaco at the moment. The one-time mid-season draftee was the Lion’s best in their narrow win over Peel as a tall utility. Has kicked eight goals in four games and this time around he added 22 touches, 10 marks and 17 hit-outs.
West Coast have won three straight games in the WAFL. Yes you read that correctly. They beat Swan Districts by a point and Tom Gross, Tyrell Dewer and Rhett Bazzo are all pushing for an AFL call-up. The return of Fred Rodriguez from a footy injury was a highlight to everyone on his bandwagon [my hand is up].
It’s going to be a long year for West Perth. The only winless team after Souths beat them on the weekend. Koby LeCras made his senior debut, but it was a tough game for a debutant to have an impact in.
WAFLW
Jaime Henry watch: 39 disposals and 16 tackles in Swan Districts’ win over Perth on Friday night. She’s now averaging 35 touches and 10 tackles across the first five games of the season. Swans are unbeaten. Wowee.
31-year-old PFL recruit Caitie Smith has had a breakout fortnight for Subiaco. In her fourth game of WAFLW footy, Smith kicked 3.2 from 14 touches to be amongst the best. It was only slightly better than her three goals the previous week. Paige Sheppard had it an enormous 41 times too, with 13 tackles.
Claremont are rolling again and Juliet Kelly is continuing to thumb her nose at the selectors which overlooked her last year. The Tigers workhorse was best on with 36 and 11 tackles against East Perth, growing as a midfielder each week.
WAFL COLTS
Quieter week in the colts with the return of PSA footy and the start of the WA U18 trial games. It’s a delicate balance keeping everyone happy when it comes to who plays where…
Thatcher Simmons played WA U16s in 2024, then missed most of last year with injury. The big-bodied midfielder is starting to come good. With more opportunity in the middle for Subiaco, he finished with 37 disposals and a goal in a win over Peel. Keep half an eye on him.
Perth’s Zac Workman had a game to take note of, with three goals from 23 touches and six tackles. He’s 17 and hails from Mundijong.
Before the weekend, the best East Perth’s Karo Flessas had managed in a colts game was 12 touches. Against the Demons on the weekend he finished with 26 and was named the Royals’ best.
Claremont narrowly pipped the Sharks by one point and it was the battle of the aligned players. Josh Nathan was omitted from the latest WA U18 squad, but responded by having 37 for the Sharks. He’s a Freo NGA boy. For the Tigers, it was Noah Braun, son of West Coast’s Michael, who did the damage in the middle.
Sam Hookham’s six goals were the standout for South Fremantle in a win over West Perth.
SCHOOL FOOTY
The first round of the 2026 PSA WA season kicked off with mixed availability. A full season preview will be released later this week.
Scotch College got the job done against Christ Church Grammar School despite a very slow start. Just like he’s been doing for Claremont all season, George Gale led from the front for Scotch. He kicked three goals and had a bucketload of football for coach Steve Malaxos.
Last year’s champions Hale School took the points against Wesley College, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. They won 75-53 with leading draft contender Heath Mellody and West Perth bottom-aged gun Campbell Creyk in their best.
Trinity College stormed to a 122-30 win over Guildford Grammar to start the season. Cruz Ingleton - who was named in the WA U16 squad last week - stood out for the winners while Swan Districts’ Taj Allan was good for Guildford.
That’s us all caught up.
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