WAFL Team of Round 6Wednesday, August 26, 2020 - 9:06 PM - by Chris Pike

WHAT a weekend it was in the Optus WAFL Premiership Season and with teams and individual players alike make significant statements, Round 6 could end up having a big say in the way things finish up in 2020.

With plenty of standout performers across the four matches putting their hands up for spots in the Team of the Round and with the finals starting to take on a bit of a clearer shape, it proved to be a fascinating and defining weekend in the WAFL.

Starting with the results and East Perth kept its finals chances alive and made the job of Subiaco that bit tougher by snapping a 12-game losing slide against the Lions with a 9.9 (63) to 7.12 (54) victory at Leederville Oval.

Claremont and Perth then did battle with the winner to go a long way to securing a finals position, and it was the Demons who prevailed over the Tigers 11.4 (70) to 7.11 (53) at Claremont's Revo Fitness Stadium.

Swan Districts then won its first game of the 2020 WAFL season and left Peel Thunder winless with the 9.8 (62) to 4.9 (33) victory at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval.

And finally West Perth flew home to beat East Fremantle for the ninth consecutive time with an 8.11 (59) to 8.7 (55) win at Joondalup's Provident Financial Oval.

Following six rounds of the 2020 WAFL season and with three rounds remaining before the finals get underway, it's South Fremantle (5-0) still out on top just percentage but with a game in hand of West Perth (5-1).

Claremont (4-2) and Perth (4-1) then round out the top four ahead of Subiaco (2-3), East Perth (2-3), Swan Districts (1-4), East Fremantle (1-4) and Peel Thunder (0-6).

PLAYER OF THE ROUND – NATHAN BLEE
He might be one of the more unassuming players in the WAFL but he's also one of the most consistent and he produced a brilliant performance on Saturday for East Perth in the win against Subiaco.

East Perth might still be an outside chance of reaching the finals in 2020 currently sitting two games out of the top four with only three games remaining, but at least Saturday's win against Subiaco gave them a slight hope that wouldn’t have been there had they lost.

And Nathan Blee was at the forefront of everything the Royals did in avoiding losing a 12th consecutive match against their Leederville Oval co-tenants.

It was the 20th time that he has played against Subiaco during his 138-game WAFL career with East Perth, and only a third win in that time against the Lions so it was a rare celebration for Blee and his Royals on their home turf on Saturday.

The 29-year-old is now one of the veteran leaders at East Perth and especially the older head down back following the retirement in the off-season of inspirational defender Kyle Anderson, and he is doing a tremendous job in that role.

Blee produced a game made up of 31 possessions, eight marks and two tackles in the win against Subiaco and while he has proven a versatile player over his decade-long career that included an AFL stint with Port Adelaide, it's always been down back he's played his best football and that continues to be the case in 2020.

Players of the Round
Round 1 – Chris Masten (Perth)
Round 2 – Logan McDonald (Perth)
Round 3 – Tyler Keitel (West Perth)
Round 4 – Noah Strom (South Fremantle)
Round 5 – Leigh Kitchin (Subiaco)
Round 6 – Nathan Blee (East Perth)

 

BACK POCKET – RYAN NYHUIS (Claremont)
Is in his first season out of the AFL system after four years and 12 games with the Fremantle Dockers during which time he played in two premierships at Peel Thunder. Has settled well into the Claremont back-line and took up the task on emerging Perth young gun Logan McDonald on Saturday. They had a fascinating duel and while the Perth youngster kicked two goals, he did as well as anyone could have and had 11 possessions, three marks and two tackles.

FULL-BACK – MICHAEL SINCLAIR (Perth)
The stand-in Perth skipper for 2020 after the knee injury to Corey Yeo returned to the side against Claremont on Saturday, had a big role to play in the defence and did so tremendously to be instrumental in the win that goes a long way to securing a finals spot. Finished the afternoon with 15 possessions and four marks.

BACK POCKET – JACOB CONIGLIO (Perth)
The younger brother of fellow Swan Districts product and GWS Giants AFL captain Stephen has taken a while to really find his feet at WAFL level, and it's taken coming to the Demons to do so, but he played the best of his 39-game career on Saturday in the win over Claremont. Was outstanding all afternoon, but especially in the first half to finish the game with 23 possessions and three marks.

HALF-BACK FLANK – BEN HANCOCK (Peel Thunder)
Is a premiership player and now a 103-game WAFL veteran, and continues to be a consistently strong performer even in a challenging season where Peel is undermanned and still without a victory. He did all he could down back on Saturday to give the Thunder a chance at the win with 25 possessions, five marks, five inside 50s and a goal.

HALF-BACK FLANK – JESSE TURNER (Swan Districts)
Having made a fine career for himself as both an inside and outside midfielder in recent seasons for Swan Districts, has slotted nicely into a role as an attacking defender in 2020 and continues to thrive in the new position. Was superb again in win against Peel Thunder with 21 possessions, six marks and three inside-50 entries in his 82nd appearance.

WING – MATTHEW TAYLOR (Perth)
With the Demons having lost some experience in the midfield in 2020 including Corey Yeo, Clint Jones and Corey Byrne, he has been able to take his game up to another level and is in the best and most consistent form of his 60-game WAFL career. Was superb again in the win over Claremont with 29 possessions and five marks.

CENTRE – AARON BLACK (West Perth)
It would be a big statement but there's every chance it's accurate to say the inspirational West Perth captain is having the best season of his decorated WAFL career. When that includes a premiership, Sandover Medal and two fairest and best winning seasons, it's a big statement but he is in brilliant form and had another 26 possessions, six marks, four tackles and four inside 50s against East Fremantle. Will now enjoy the bye before preparing to celebrating 200th game for West Perth in Round 9 and then leading his team into another finals campaign.

WING – ROHAN KERR (East Perth)
Is now a 105-game WAFL veteran despite having had a couple of years off in between leaving West Perth where he won a premiership in 2013 and joining East Perth. Has come back still as one of the hardest running and most prolific wingmen in the competition, and delivered another 28 possessions, 11 marks and four inside-50 entries in the win against Subiaco. 

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – GEORGE HAMPSON (Swan Districts)
The reigning fairest and best winner George Hampson missed the opening two games of the season and might have again hurt a hamstring late in the win over Peel on Saturday, but before that was instrumental in setting up his team's first win of 2020. The fairest and best winner at Subiaco, East Fremantle and Swan Districts produced 25 touches, five inside 50s, four marks and two goals.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – NICK ROBERTSON (East Perth)
Might not be a traditional centre half-forward, but this was a weekend in the WAFL where the smaller forwards stood out and he takes this position for the role he played in East Perth's breakthrough win against Subiaco. The former Brisbane Lions hard man delivered 24 possessions, eight marks and three inside-50 entries.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – CALLAN ENGLAND (Claremont)
The former West Coast Eagles rookie has thrived upon returning to Claremont full-time so far in 2020 and is doing so well that it wouldn’t surprise to see the 20-year-old earn another AFL opportunity. Was tremendous again despite the loss to Perth for the Tigers on Saturday with 24 possessions, five tackles, four inside 50s and three marks.

FORWARD POCKET – ALEC WATERMAN (Claremont)
It has been a brilliant season so far from the former Eagle, son of Chris and brother of Jake. Finally his body is allowing him to show his full potential out on the field on a consistent basis. He is playing mostly as a mid-size forward and doing it tremendously. That included a game made up of four goals, 13 possessions and four marks against Perth.

FULL-FORWARD – TYLER KEITEL (West Perth)
Might not have kicked the bag of goals he did the previous week to celebrate his 100th WAFL game, but was equally important in what he did to help the Falcons get the important win against East Fremantle. Ended up kicking two goals from 14 possessions and four marks.

FORWARD POCKET – JONATHON GRIFFIN (East Fremantle)
The East Fremantle captain has now played 101 WAFL games to go with his 97 in the AFL at Adelaide and Fremantle, and he delivered a strong performance in the ruck in Saturday's narrow loss for the Sharks against West Perth. Ended the game with 11 disposals, 42 hit outs, three tackles and two entries inside the forward 50.

RUCK – COREY GAULT (Swan Districts)
While it's a shorter version obviously, his form in the ruck now in 2020 for Swan Districts is rivalling what he produced back in 2017 when he first returned from Collingwood. While a second AFL chance looks beyond him, clearly the ruck is his best role even though Swans remain crying out for key position players where he's been used the last two years. Was superb again in win over Peel in the middle with 18 possessions and 35 hit outs.

RUCK ROVER – JACKSON RAMSAY (East Perth)
He is the reigning fairest and best winner at East Perth after he returned from a knee reconstruction last year after his 2018 coming back from Collingwood was ended before it even got underway. Wouldn’t surprise to see him leading the Royals' club champion award again in 2020 and was superb in the midfield again against Subiaco with 29 disposals, nine marks, six tackles and four inside-50 entries.

ROVER – BRADY GREY (Perth)
What a coup his arrival on the eve of the WAFL season he has proven to be for Perth with West Coast not fielding a reserves team in the competition. Has been tremendous in roles in both the midfield and up forward for the Demons, and was best afield in the win against Claremont with 28 possessions, eight inside 50s, three marks and three tackles.

INTERCHANGE – ANGUS SCOTT (East Perth)
The hard-at-it former VFL midfielder is in his second season at East Perth and continues to be a strong contributor on the ball for the Royals. Was instrumental once more in the win against Leederville Oval co-tenants Subiaco, finishing with 26 touches, 10 marks and three tackles.

INTERCHANGE – SHANE NELSON (West Perth)
His captain seems to be grabbing the headlines in 2020, but his form remains as strong and consistent as at any other point in his triple fairest and best winning, 164-game career. Worked tirelessly again on Saturday against East Fremantle for 24 possessions, nine tackles, five marks and three inside 50s.

INTERCHANGE – CAMERON EARDLEY (East Fremantle)
The East Fremantle hard nut and veteran of 111 WAFL games did all he could to lift East Fremantle to the win against West Perth at Joondalup on Saturday. Ended the afternoon with 28 possessions, seven m arks and a goal.

INTERCHANGE – BAILEY ROGERS (Claremont)
Whether he is playing off half-back or now in spending more and more of his time in the midfield for Claremont, he is equally effective in providing great run and drive for the Tigers. Delivered another 25 possessions, three marks, three tackles and two inside-50 entries in a narrow loss at home to Perth on Saturday.
 

UNLUCKY BUNCH
There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 6 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Round, including:

Subiaco's Ben Sokol, Leigh Kitchin, Greg Clark and Hayden Kennedy.

East Perth's Matthew Young, Kye Willcocks, Shayne Hille, Aidan Lynch and Ajang Ajang.

Claremont's Jye Bolton, Kane Mitchell and Declan Mountford.

Perth's Chris Masten and Andrew Fisher.

Swan Districts' Sam Fisher, Steven Payne and Josh Cipro.

Peel Thunder's Michael Randall, Jackson Merrett, James Sturrock, Ben Howlett and Tyrone Thorne.

West Perth defender Blake Wilhelm and wingman Trent Manzone.

East Fremantle's Jarrad Jansen, Jordan Snadden, Cody Leggett, Tom Bennett and Milan Murdock.