WAFL: Round 19 RecapMonday, August 18, 2025 - 12:56 PM

The penultimate round of the WAFL saw plenty of tight battles while the premiership favourites flexed their muscles once again.

East Fremantle 13.10 (88) v East Perth 11.7 (73)

The Sharks pulled off an upset at home on Saturday to give themselves every chance at hosting a week one final.

Trailing early, East Fremantle kicked five goals to one in the second term to take back the lead at the main break.

The game would continue to swing with the Royals claiming the lead halfway through the third term and again on the brink of three-quarter time, but a four goal to one final term sealed the victory for the Sharks.

Jed Hagan, Jarrad Jansen and Luke Strnadica all booted multiple majors, as did star Milan Murdock from his 31 disposals.

Cameron Eardley, Reuben McGuire and Tom Joyce were also among the standouts for the home side, while for East Perth Sebit Kuek, Christian Ameduri, Tom North and Zachary Raykos were among the best.

East Perth now face Claremont in the final round while East Fremantle meet the Falcons at home again in the final round.

Claremont 13.8 (86) v Perth 11.7 (73)

Mineral Resources Park hosted a double header on Saturday, the first of which was a bizarre game of football.

Perth fired out of the gate, booting an absurd nine goals to one in the opening quarter, with star key forward Aaron Clarke nailing five goals in the first term.

However, in the second quarter the game completely flipped.

The Tigers kicked seven goals to none to trail by just seven points at halftime.

Perth failed to kick a major in the third term as well, and three final quarter goals, two on behalf of Oliver Eastland were enough to bring home the win for Claremont.

Eastland’s two final term goals went with 21 disposals and 28 hit outs, while Callan England, Joe Bolton and Bailey Banfield all impressed as well.

Zac Mainwaring was outstanding with 21 disposals, eight tackles and a goal.

Corey Byrne led the Demons with 33 disposals, and a goal and Matthew Taylor was also a standout.

 The Demons are likely to finish in fifth position unless West Perth can upset the Sharks in Round 20.

South Fremantle 20.10 (130) v West Perth 10.8 (68)

No team in the competition has scored more than the Bulldogs this year and only two sides all season have posted a larger game total than 130.

The Bulldogs ran out 62-point victors on Saturday and the minor premiers piled on eight final term goals and are showing no signs of slowing down heading into finals.

Trey Ruscoe, Rohan O’Hehir and Chase Bourne each booted three goals, while Jake Florenca was scintillating with 36 disposals and eight marks.

Tom Blechynden and Hamish Free also impressed, as did Matthew Parker, Matthew Ward and young gun Jaxon Artemis.

West Perth were boosted by Shane Nelson’s 36 disposal game and Tyler Keitel and Riley Spring each added three goals.

Interestingly, Ruscoe made up no ground on Keitel in the Bernie Naylor Medal Race, with the former three goals back.

Ruscoe gets to play against the wooden spooners in the final round while Keitel comes up against East Fremantle.

Peel Thunder 13.12 (90) v Subiaco 4.9 (33)

It’s been a season to forget for both sides, but the reigning premiers were too strong for Subiaco as Jack Delean and Isaiah Dudley each helped themselves to three goals in a 57-point win.

Jeremy Sharp, Scott Tuia, Liam Reidy and Archie Callow led the way for the visitors, while Oscar McDonald and Jack Sears also impressed.

Greg Clark and Marlin Corbett found the football 21 times a piece for the Lions, while Jack Mayo and young gun Charlie Burke played well.

Swan Districts 11.12 (78) v West Coast 11.7 (73)

The game of the round came from the eighth and tenth placed sides in a stunning twist.

The second game of a Mineral Resources Park double-header saw the Eagles and the Swans fight out a thriller into the night, a late goal from Ayden Cartwright the deciding moment in the game.

The Eagles led for the entirety of the first half off the back of some brilliant moments from key forward Jack Williams, but Swan Districts brought the heat in the second half to take the lead into three-quarter time.

Goals to debutant Leon Kickett and Otis Harvey extended the lead out to three goals for the Black Ducks, before Harry Barnett took centre stage.

He took an intercept mark on the 50m arc and went back and slotted a long range goal, before nailing another goal from outside 50 just minutes later.

Finally, with just four minutes remaining Barnett took a big pack mark inside 50 and went back and kicked his third goal in 11 minutes to give West Coast the lead.

Cartwright’s sealer came from a coast-to-coast play from Swans, and they held on to win by five points.

Williams and Barnett were the best of the Eagles alongside Thomas Edwards-Baldwin, Coen Livingstone, Jack Petruccelle and Connor Klemke, who held Leigh Kohlmann goalless.

For Swan Districts it was Jesse Turner who led the way, fighting through a tag to earn 34 disposals and a goal, while Luke Cotellessa, Josh Cipro, Nathan Blakely and Jehb O’Donohue all impressed.