Banfield stars as Claremont cause EGT WAFL Colts boilover against South FreoSunday, September 21, 2025 - 3:21 PM - by Denholm Melrose

Claremont have won their third consecutive EGT WAFL Colts premiership, knocking off the minor premiers in South Fremantle by 55 points in the second game of WAFL Grand Final day at Optus Stadium on Sunday.

The Mel Whinnen Medal was awarded to Charlie Banfield for his best-on-ground performance, finishing with 28 disposals, five clearances, nine inside 50s, five marks and two goals in a dominant display.

The opening term was a back-and-forth affair, with the two sides trading goals for the entirety of the term. Cody Curtin closed the quarter with a colossal kick, the 55m bomb after the siren giving the Tigers a one-point advantage after the first period.

Both Banfields, Charlie and Harper, won plenty of the football, as did Heath Mellody and Kaleb Germain, who both also chipped in with goals. Mellody took a big pack mark in a stunning moment.

 

 

 

 

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For South Fremantle it was Cameron Maynard who wowed the Optus Stadium crowd with a remarkable one-hand pickup through traffic and then finished with a running goal, while captain Jacob Donald and Max Thomas were also prolific.

The second term was all Tigers as the underdogs booted three goals to zero, with Joseph Hopkyns cleaning up everything down back. Harper Banfield and Mellody continued to find plenty of the ball, as did Charlie Banfield and Kaleb Germain.

To add to the Bulldogs’ issues, star Toby Whan’s day unfortunately ended abruptly with a shoulder injury. Lucas Robinson and Fred Rodriguez fought hard to keep their side in it.

Down by 20-points at the main break and without one of their star midfielders, things were beginning to look bleak for South Fremantle and when Charlie Banfield added to his big afternoon with the first goal of the third term it appeared to be getting away from the minor premiers.

Cameron Maynard then responded with a dazzling display, kicking a great goal and then pulling out a backflip to get his side up and about.

The Bulldogs started to press and gain momentum, resulting in a Byron Foster goal and Maynard kept making things happen, magnificently creating a goal for Jay Elliott-Tideman. The rest of the quarter became a bit of a stalemate on the scoreboard, with Lucas Robinson starring aerially but South Fremantle wasting a few opportunities.

Charlie Banfield, amidst finding lots of the football and Ryda Luke exchanged goals to end the quarter and the Tigers went into the final break with a 13-point advantage.

Claremont came out scorching in the final term, Curtin kicking his third and fourth goals to ice the game and win the Tigers third straight flag. Charlie Cossom nailed two goals in the final term and Curtin kicked a further two goals to take his tally for the game to six as the underdogs booted eight goals to one in the last period to seal the threepeat.

Charlie and Harper Banfield, Hopkyns, Curtin, Samson Jennings-Hopkins, Mellody and Germain were the Tigers’ best, while Oscar Willis and Joshua Grahame also impressed.

Charlie Banfield, Oscar Willis, co-captain Max Hansen-Knarhoi, Curtin and Grahame became two-time Colts premiership players after all winning last year’s Grand Final as well.

South Fremantle were led by Fred Rodriguez, Lucas Robinson and Cameron Maynard.

SCOREBOARD

CLAREMONT 4.2, 7.6, 10.6, 18.6 (114)

SOUTH FREMANTLE 4.1, 4.4, 8.5, 9.5 (59)

Goals – CLAREMONT: C Curtin 6, C Banfield, C Cossom, V Davies, K Germain, S Jennings-Hopkins 2, H Banfield, H Mellody. SOUTH FREMANTLE: C Maynard 3, J Elliott-Tideman, B Foster, T Longmuir, R Luke, L Robinson, F Rodriguez.

Best – CLAREMONT: C Banfield, C Curtin, H Mellody, H Banfield, J Grahame, K Germain, J Hopkyns, S Jennings-Hopkins. SOUTH FREMANTLE: F Rodriguez, L Robinson, C Maynard, M Thomas

Umpires: T Nguyen W Turner C Hamilton L Russell.