Young talent time: The WA 18s graduates and fellow teens getting a taste of senior WAFL footyFriday, August 1, 2025 - 10:43 AM - by Denholm Melrose - Perth is OK!

As the season progresses into its latter stages, more and more WA under-18s talent is getting opportunities at league level across the WAFL. National Championships guns as well as Next Generation Academy and father-son talents are aiming to boost their draft stocks, contribute to finals pushes or simply put their name on the map. We look below at some of the young guns getting exposed at Sullivan Logistics senior WAFL level.

Lochlain Carpenter (West Perth)

The third of West Perth’s WA Under-18s representatives to play at league level after the key defender was named on Thursday night to make his debut against Perth this weekend.

Carpenter kept top draft prospect Archie Ludowyke goalless against Vic Metro during the carnival and was outstanding in Round 16 at Colts level, winning 23 disposals, taking five marks and laying three tackles in a 33-point win. He’ll have his hands full against a Perth forward line that sees spearhead Aaron Clarke return, but caretaker head coach Paul Sanzone continues to blood kids and isn’t afraid to challenge them.

Tylah Williams (West Coast/Swan Districts)

Swan Districts product Williams has had a sensational season playing a vital small forward role and was impressive throughout the National Championships for WA.

As a West Coast Next Generation Academy prospect, Williams will don the blue and gold this weekend and make his debut for the Eagles’ WAFL side.

The quick and agile goalsneak was excited about the opportunity, speaking after training with West Coast WAFL on Wednesday night.

“Getting the opportunity to play league football for West Coast and getting early exposure will be a great experience,” Williams said.

“I’m pretty confident in how my season has been going at Swan Districts and I’ve been getting nothing but positivity, so it will be a good test to play against men.”

Rory Luscombe (Claremont)

Eighteen-year-old Luscombe is another set to make his league debut this weekend for the Tigers after producing some fine form at reserves level, including booting bags of four and six goals in his last two matches.

Luscombe kicked 26 goals at Colts level last season, including five in the second week of Claremont’s finals campaign and played a key role in their premiership campaign.

This season his game has continued to improve, with a 14-disposal, eight-mark and four-goal game against Subiaco, before dominating with 21 disposals, five marks, six tackles and six goals against East Fremantle last week. The Tigers, absurdly, won those two games by a cumulative 313 points.

Jacob Farrow (West Perth)

Arguably WA’s most talented under-18s player who starred at the AFL National Under-18s Championships on his way to All-Australian honours, Farrow has been a recent bolter in AFL draft circles, emerging as a potential first-round talent and possibly WA’s first player to be selected.

The dashing but classy half-back and midfielder spent time in both positions across the championships and recently made his league debut for the Falcons against the Eagles.

The 189cm prospect won 14 disposals to go with four marks and four tackles, before dominating against rivals East Perth in Round 16, gathering 22 disposals and taking nine marks to be named West Perth’s ‘MVP’ of the game.

Sam Swadling (West Perth)

Fellow State 18s and Falcons teammate Swadling was another of WA’s three All-Australians after putting his ball-winning ability on full display over the carnival.

The 187cm midfielder and forward also debuted against the Eagles and won 12 possessions in trying conditions, before doubling that total against the Royals the following week.

His 24-disposal, six-mark performance proved that he can find the football at any level, and though he will miss this week, both will hope to have a big impact in the final few rounds of the season heading into an important finals series at EGT WAFL Colts level.

Charlie Banfield (West Coast/Claremont)

Another debutant for West Coast, father-son talent Charlie Banfield (son of Drew) played his first game at league level in Round 16 against Peel.

Banfield finished with nine disposals, three tackles and a cracking goal from the boundary in wet and slippery conditions, as the young gun proved he could match it with and against AFL-listed talent.

“It was a great opportunity to play against Peel and play with some AFL-listed boys. I was pretty happy with my game overall and it felt like we were competitive. I learned a fair bit,” Banfield recalled of his debut.

“I’ll head back to school footy this week against Aquinas which is always good competition. I want to bring what I learned at league level to my school and bring the intensity to try to get the job done.”

Oliver McManus (East Fremantle)

Another father-son prospect to keep an eye on, this time for West Coast's cross-town rivals Fremantle.

McManus, the son of Dockers champion and former captain Shaun, recently made his debut at league level, and has since strung together three consecutive games.

The 17-year-old has averaged 23.7 disposals at colts level this season and after making the jump to reserves in Round 12 and winning 22 disposals and taking six marks, earned a league debut where he found 13 possessions and took another six marks.

The Dockers father-son talent has led the Sharks to top spot on the colts ladder and could have a big impact for either side as East Fremantle set their sights on an important finals series.

Hudson Walker (Subiaco)

The hero from Western Australia’s first National Championships game, the 179cm Walker played two league games earlier this season and recently returned to the Lions' top side.

He’s been named again for Round 17 against Swan Districts and the midfielder/forward will provide toughness against a star-studded midfield of Jesse Turner, Aidan Clarke, Jye Chalcraft and the returning Josh Cipro.

Others to watch

Others to have appeared at league level this season include WA State 18s captain and MVP Fred Rodriguez who earned his place in the Bulldogs Round One side and Will York who played four consecutive league games earlier in the season and kicked three goals from 16 disposals for the Thunder’s reserves side last week to put himself right in the frame this week.

York has been named in Peel’s extended squad for their clash with Claremont.

West Coast Eagles NGA prospect and Subiaco forward Wes Walley is a chance to debut for the Eagles' WAFL side next week as they continue to expose their academy players, while fellow Eagles NGA player Koby Evans returns to Perth’s colts side this weekend and could push for selection at league level in the last few rounds after overcoming the back injury that kept him out of the National Championships.

Other young guns to have been named in extended squads for Round 17 who could make their respective potential debuts in the near future include Swan Districts’ Chase Loftus, Subiaco’s Xavier Hickey, East Fremantle’s Darcy Wills and Harry Pickett, Perth’s Preston Cherry-Bayles and Claremont’s Max Rohr.