Good riddance
The WAFL will revert to a nine-team competition next year after West Coast confirmed to the WA Football Commission that they would not enter a team in the league.
But the fate of West Coast’s surplus and developing players remains unclear given that no existing club is willing to enter an alignment with the Eagles.
Instead, groups of up to five spare players are likely to be allocated to one or two clubs - probably Perth and East Perth - or sent off to play at amateur level.
West Coast averaged 10 listed players in their reserves team this year.
The proposed model is expected to be confirmed by the end of October with WAFC chief executive Michael Roberts saying it would be addressed as soon as this Saturday’s WAFL grand final was over.
“West Coast have said their preference is not to have a team,” Roberts said.
“And no club has an interest in going into an alignment. They don’t believe it works.
“We now need to work through the various models, whether an alignment, housing players at a club, whether they scatter players or they go and play somewhere else such as amos.
“We have a few weeks to nut that out.
“We don’t have a hard deadline but we want to know what we are doing by the end of October.”
Fremantle’s alignment with Peel has been considerably more successful as it prepares to enter its 10th season though Thunder officials are cautiously examining whether they could revert to a standalone club in 2023.
Roberts said West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett had confirmed the Eagles would not seek another WAFL alignment but were open to a less formal relationship with one or more clubs.
West Coast have had three alignments - with Claremont in 1999 and East Perth (2000-01) and (2013-18) - but entered their own team in the league in 2019 and this year.
They were forced to withdraw from the WAFL last season when the AFL responded to the COVID crisis by banning all listed players from State leagues.
“Trevor has been quite open in saying they are not after an alignment anymore,” Roberts said.
“They understand that it doesn’t work but they are open to a relationship with no strings attached and where they wouldn’t need to hire the coach or tell players where they have to play.
“I think that has sparked interest with a couple of clubs.
“West Coast just want their players housed somewhere and if that means the majority of their players don’t play senior football, then so be it.”
Roberts confirmed that a revamped player points system was imminent with the points cap likely to be reduced but player values also being slashed.
The new model is likely to place equal value on games played in the AFL, WAFL and other State leagues rather than providing a loading on returning AFL players.
Transfer fees are also likely to be slashed, meaning that returning AFL players are less likely to be tied to their original WAFL clubs.
Don’t mean to be blunt, but pity the other plonkers couldn’t piss off too!
Great news. What would be wrong with going back to the previous system where WA players go back to their original clubs and interstate recruits are allocated according to reverse ladder position.
I wonder if the Eagles have Perth in mind as a minder club. At least for non West Australians who go back to original clubs. We agree, most of us, that Perth are at a disadvantage. A few extra young players would help smooth the competitive out.
I think they are looking at groups of 4 or 5 going to a couple of the lower placed clubs such as Perth, so they are still a group within their host team. Perth is an obvious choice to take a group like that, full time professional footballers that will bolster their list and allow their youngsters to stay in the colts and ressies longer to develop rather than being dragged up to league to early. Mind you there must be some quality in their ressies who beat the dominant H & A Claremont on their way to a GF.
[quote=“DG post=212967 userid=857”]Good riddance
Take two. Hope I never see those colours on the field again.
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The report stated : revert to a nine-team competition ‘next year.’ I just wonder what will happen the season after that?
[quote=“DG post=212967 userid=857”]Good riddance
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Spot on. Good bye and good fkn riddance.
I feel for 58shark.
Dear Eagles, a strong club might be able to take on a comp that has been around for 125 years and have a win. That is not you.
I honestly think the wce believe that WAFL people will just roll over. Never going to happen. This is the third time we have seen them off, 2 alignments and their own team.
Please take what you are given you c$nts and f$ck off.
[quote=“Stand the Test post=213017 userid=2542”]I feel for 58shark.
Dear Eagles, a strong club might be able to take on a comp that has been around for 125 years and have a win. That is not you.
I honestly think the wce believe that WAFL people will just roll over. Never going to happen. This is the third time we have seen them off, 2 alignments and their own team.
Please take what you are given you c$nts and f$ck off.
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I think there’s only one thing you feel….continually, buster. 
What? I’m bit lost…
Haha looks like its not the only one we say bye to…how long a holiday did our disease carrying friend cop?
[quote=“DG post=213500 userid=857”]Haha looks like its not the only one we say bye to…how long a holiday did our disease carrying friend cop?
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Permanent. I don’t think anyone wants to see him back on Ozfooty.
Oops maybe not, they seem to be doing a lee Majors, bigger, stronger, they have the technology oops money!
all the way along this you got the feeling Don Nisbett was up to no good other than his own ends - they’ll get mostly what they want if not more again
WAFL lists revamp set to foreshadow West Coast Eagles concessions ahead of 2022 season
John Townsend
WAFL clubs will lose three players from their primary registration lists next year as the WA Football Commission moves closer to providing West Coast with significant recruiting concessions for their retained reserves team.
Under the current WAFL rules, clubs must nominate 40 senior players who cannot be recruited by rival clubs without mutual agreement and a transfer fee.
But that list will be reduced to 37 players next season as part of a competition move to make it easier for players to shift clubs.
It is designed to help struggling teams like Perth become more competitive.
The move comes as clubs prepare for concessions designed to improve the quality of top-up players available to West Coast.
The Eagles were set to abandon their reserves team next year, with listed players returning to their original WAFL clubs when not required for AFL matches, but were forced to change their plans this week when Perth and East Perth refused to house West Coast’s interstate players.
West Coast were adamant that their interstate players had to play together but Perth’s board was opposed to any playing arrangements with their Mineral Resources Park co-tenant.
And senior East Perth players and potential recruits vetoed the club’s interest by saying they would not be part of an AFL host club.
Two West Coast top-up options are now likely to be considered with WAFL rather than amateur clubs the most likely source of players.
The first and most likely option is that each WAFL club will be required to loan one or two senior players to the Eagles.
Those players may either be part of the new 37 list or unprotected members of the club.
But a second option is gaining traction after being identified by several clubs as a method to promote and develop young players without compromising their league squads.
Under the proposal, members of the State 18s programme would be loaned to West Coast – either in their draft year or the season following if they were not drafted.
“A lot of these players would not be ready for league football at their clubs but they are clearly talented and might be good enough to help West Coast while their development is fast-tracked,” one club official said.
“It also gives West Coast the chance to have a closer look at players they might want to draft themselves.”
West Coast played an average of nine listed players in each match this season.
That number is likely to increase by at least two next year given the Eagles spent much of this season with Willie Rioli and Dan Venables as non-playing members of their senior list.
They have lost 2021 WAFL captain Hamish Brayshaw, who signed with East Perth this month, while delisted premiership midfielder Mark Hutchings is set to return to West Perth unless he receives an AFL lifeline at the upcoming drafts.
I think I’m over this shit.
[quote=“Grump post=214143 userid=855”]Oops maybe not, they seem to be doing a lee Majors, bigger, stronger, they have the technology oops money!
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Yes the story of only a short time ago of the Wafl returning to a 9 team competition was a pile of bullshit.
Designed to suck everyone in!
[quote=“Frothy post=214166 userid=3164”]I think I’m over this shit.
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Cannot really blame anyone for feeling like that.
Apparently 3 of the Wafl clubs were in support of staying a 10 team comp.
I am positively angry!