WAFL wrap up

by LES EVERETT

THE latest from the WAFL scene...

CLAREMONT: Big key forward Myles Quinn won the fairest & best. Mark Riley will continue as coach and former Docker Brad Dodd is tipped to move from the Sharks to the Tigers.

EAST FREMANTLE: Rod Lester-Smith, who played with East Fremantle, Hawthorn and Brisbane, will coach the Sharks in 2003. The fairest & best award was won by former Swan Districts player David Morgan.

EAST PERTH: Small forward Paul Ridley is the top Royal for 2002. Still no word on the coach for 2003. Grant Holman has moved to Victoria and is considering playing the Diamond Valley league. Aaron Marley, winner of the club's Ken McAullay Medal for the best player in the grand final has returned to Collie. The club is hopeful former Sydney rookie Michael Swan will join the Royals and that his brother David will stay on to play another season. Former Hawthorn and West Coast player Richard Taylor will play for East Perth in 2003.

PEEL: Former Docker Darren Bolton has won Peel's fairest and best award for 2002. Sandover Medallist Allistair Pickett was runner up. John Ditchburn will coach Thunder in 2003. Ditchburn, who played for South Fremantle, is the brother of former Claremont and Carlton player Ross and has forged his coaching reputation in the bush. He won the JJ Leonard Medal as WA's coach of the year in 1999 and has coached the WA country team.

PERTH: Richard Kelly won the fairest & best award for the Demons. Kelly was picked up at 60 in the 1999 draft by Carlton but didn't play an AFL game. Stan Magro will continue as coach.

SOUTH FREMANTLE: WAFL leading goal scorer Zane Parsons won the fairest & best after completing his first injury-free season. John Northey will stay on as coach. Former St Kilda and North Melbourne player Joe McLaren is tipped to join the Bulldogs in 2003. There's also hope former Bomber and Docker Simon Eastaugh might return to the Bulldogs from the Sharks where he played in 2002.

SUBIACO: Big ruckman David Lucas from Corowa Rutherglen has won Subi's top award. The 29-year-old played 18 games in his first season for the Lions. Former North Melbourne player Peter German, who coached Peel in 2002, will take over from Kevan Sparks as coach of the Lions.

SWAN DISTRICTS: Rugged midfielder Dwayne Griffen and stylish defender Clint Hampson shared the Swan Medal. Former Perth, St Kilda and Melbourne ruckman Steve Turner will coach Swans in 2003. Turner has been involved with WA state underage teams in recent years.

WEST PERTH: Former Swan Districts player Ron Skender was the fairest and best Falcon in 2002. The ruckman was a key player in West Perth's successful finals campaign before coming up against the strong East Perth big men in the grand final. Darren Harris exceeded expectations in his first season as a WAFL coach and will be in charge in 2003.

Peel fairest & best winner Darren Bolton (right) pictured with team mates Allistair Pickett and Daniel Wells (left) at this year's Sandover Medal count. And in the background you might recognise some big names and big people.

Disclaimer