2020!!
Subi continue to be a strong finals contender after the ending of their 100+ year association with their traditional home ground. They along with Joondy finally get a fair cut of the junior districts distribution. They are still a financial power due to establishing a future fund in the mid teens but are now second to the Royals.
Souths also continue to be strong finals contenders, the ground sharing (with EF) and new facilities are a boost to both clubs finances and their stream of quality youngsters continues to flow after getting back their Mandurah/peel zone when Peel are rebranded as the Peel Dockers (full Freo reserves).
Joondy officially become the Joondalup Falcons due to financial pressures when the new facilities don't prove to be the financial boom they hope but continue to play at or above maximum capacity and remain in the finals mix. Darren Harris and Mono's swap coaching rolls.
Peelmantle,, as mentioned above cease to exist, becoming the Peel Dockers, a full reserves outfit for Freo in Freo colours. They lose their zones and they along with the already established Eagles reserves work under similar rules to what exists in the SANFL. They will be finals contenders but will suffer at times when their AFL team has a run of injuries and they rely on more amm's players.
Swans, will suffer a bit when a fair and equitable district redistribution is done and EP return as a stand alone team, but they continue to produce quality youngsters especially from their north west zone, they will have the highest content of indigenous players in the league. They will have a new coach in his second year but he will be part time. They will be a mid table team.
C'mont, will also suffer a bit from the zone redistribution losing some of their northern coastal zones to Subi and Joondy but will continue to benefit from the PSA kids and their North west zone that has driven their team list for so long. Their new venue is in the final stage of redevelopment and proves to be a financial boom for the club which is well deserved after their years in the wilderness at other substandard venues. Finals there or there abouts.
EP, In their 2nd year of being back as the traditional Royals, are cashed up and the most financial club in the league, They are in the 2nd year of re-building but can attract quality recruits which sees the climb off the bottom in 2019 to mid table in 2020.
Perth, The D's gain significant respect for refusing lucrative bribes from the Eagles to become their alignment team. They have improved due to the development of their youngsters and the employment of a top shelf recruiter who actually knows what he's doing. Their new facilities have boosted the clubs finances and they have a new coach that builds on Spaldings solid development work, but still not quite finals contenders but will be by 2022.
EF, Their faith in Wiley and their youngsters pays dividends in 2019 & 2020 as they are back as finals contenders. Their move back to their traditional home at the redeveloped Freo oval is a massive boost in the clubs morale and finances and the crowds return for their derby clashes with Souths.
Generally, all clubs have come to terms with the new era of a 10 team comp with 18 rounds and no byes. The Eagles reserves team does not play home games so the other clubs have the extra home game retaining the 10 home games so gate, bar and sponsors revenue is not impacted. Freo continue to play out of Centrelink stadium to justify the taxpayers investment in it. Freo have negotiated a deal to retire Peels debt at terms that suit Freo not the Govt. The establishment of the 2 AFL reserves teams provides no improvement in the AFL teams performances but the WAFC and the 2 clubs will claim it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Crowd numbers will stay pretty much the same with the Freo clubs underpinning numbers due to the co-hosting.