TOPIC:

What did we discover in Round !? Not a huge amount more than we knew pre- season. Subiaco and Claremont look the standouts, Peel and West Perth fought out a good game and will be in the mix come finals time. West Coast may not be as all powerful as the media seem to have portrayed them. Perth really looked the goods on Saturday and they are finals prospects for sure. Souths will certainly be in the mix when they have Pickett and other key players back. Swans need a lot of luck to be genuine finals contenders. If they lose experienced players to injury they will struggle. East Perth and East Fremantle supporters shouldn't despair, they had a tough start on Saturday against the best 2 teams, there is still plenty of time to turn things around.

The issue hanging over the WAFL and other state leagues of course is the AFL mid season draft which was alluded to in an article by Karl Langdon in the West.

thewest.com.au/opinion/karl-langdon-wafl...DsDHdvehvZM5q9D-V10k

Due to the already high number of injuries in the first few rounds of the AFL, there could be a lot of players removed from the 2nd tier competition in June in order to top up lists. Great for the individual players but very damaging to clubs and the WAFL, SANFL and VFL generally.

I guess the only mitigating factor around the midseason draft is that it's restricted to players who have previously been on AFL lists or nominated for an earlier draft and they must want to get picked up. If you don't want to pack everything up and go across to Melbourne and play VFL for a year then that's up to you. Some will see it as an opportunity as others will see it as a pain in the arse.

Didn't see it that way Mike, a few shock results for mine.

Top of the list was South getting the points in the lacklustre low scoring contest at Basso, with so many out I thought we would be towelled up big time on a fine day like that. Easts were another shock to me , thought they would be a lot more competitive than that. Perth impressed as well, mind you they generally do early season, its mid to late things turn pear shape for them. no shock with Subi. even Dennis Commetti was saying on the weekend its getting boring and something needs to be done.

Other things of note, the surface and atmosphere at the new look Lathlain look vastly improved, a smaller arena concentrates the crowd providing at better broadcast product, a model for all WAFL grounds to follow.

The other stand out for me was the collapse in radio broadcasters, having 2 games on air is dead set pizz poor and needs to be address.

footnote, the midseason draft is absolute crap for the WAFL, I agree with Langdon.

mikeh wrote: What did we discover in Round !? Not a huge amount more than we knew pre- season. Subiaco and Claremont look the standouts, Peel and West Perth fought out a good game and will be in the mix come finals time. West Coast may not be as all powerful as the media seem to have portrayed them. Perth really looked the goods on Saturday and they are finals prospects for sure. Souths will certainly be in the mix when they have Pickett and other key players back. Swans need a lot of luck to be genuine finals contenders. If they lose experienced players to injury they will struggle. East Perth and East Fremantle supporters shouldn't despair, they had a tough start on Saturday against the best 2 teams, there is still plenty of time to turn things around.

The issue hanging over the WAFL and other state leagues of course is the AFL mid season draft which was alluded to in an article by Karl Langdon in the West.

thewest.com.au/opinion/karl-langdon-wafl...DsDHdvehvZM5q9D-V10k

Due to the already high number of injuries in the first few rounds of the AFL, there could be a lot of players removed from the 2nd tier competition in June in order to top up lists. Great for the individual players but very damaging to clubs and the WAFL, SANFL and VFL generally.

We may all be spared of the damage in regard to the June pillaging of the Vicco league - there's not all that many players left who could just step in straight away , maybe 6 or 7 depending on who & what circumstance
is involved.
The SANFL clubs are seething because of the fact that no compensation has been settled upon - typical of the Viccos nothing new there

Bazza wrote: Didn't see it that way Mike, a few shock results for mine.

Top of the list was South getting the points in the lacklustre low scoring contest at Basso, with so many out I thought we would be towelled up big time on a fine day like that. Easts were another shock to me , thought they would be a lot more competitive than that. Perth impressed as well, mind you they generally do early season, its mid to late things turn pear shape for them. no shock with Subi. even Dennis Commetti was saying on the weekend its getting boring and something needs to be done.

Other things of note, the surface and atmosphere at the new look Lathlain look vastly improved, a smaller arena concentrates the crowd providing at better broadcast product, a model for all WAFL grounds to follow.

The other stand out for me was the collapse in radio broadcasters, having 2 games on air is dead set pizz poor and needs to be address.

Exactly. Question needs asking of why that is not being addressed immediately. Forget tommorrow or next week, needs fixing now
Too many people in the rural areas have lost interest in the Wafl for that very reason!!