WAFL's top 25 players since 2000: Experts name best this century
When it comes to the WAFL, we've been spoiled this century.
In an era that's been defined by Subiaco's domination, broken records and the rise of cult heroes, picking the best 25 players since 2000 is an unenviable task.
It was also a project undertaken by one of our expert panellists back in 2012. And with just seven making the cut again, it's safe to say that the last 13 years of WAFL action have produced some movers and shakers.
Our expert panel consisted of esteemed commentator Jacob Landsmeer and WAFL historians Sean Cowan and Greg Wardell-Johnson.
First, each judge came up with their individual top 25. Then, the player they deemed to have been the best since 2000 was awarded 25 points, the second-best 24 and so on and so forth down to player 25, who was given one point.
The lists were then collated to create a consensus order.
The calibre of the players selected is perhaps best judged by who was left off the list, rather than who made it.
The selectors considered players who were on a VFL list for at least three years. They also weighted WAFL achievements higher than AFL, wanting to reward the best of the state league rather than those who went on to play the majority of their careers at the next level.
Originally published as Expert panel names the top 25 WAFL players since 2000
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Melbourne community football coach sacked after vile Tammy Hembrow comment
A community football coach has been sacked after making a crude social media remark about fitness influencer Tammy Hembrow's relationship with AFL star Bailey Smith. The Harvey Brunswick Leschenault Football Club confirmed on Friday that League coach John Baggetta had been terminated after he posted the offensive slur to Facebook, where he referred to Hembrow as a 'c** bucket'. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. The full comment read: 'He's trying to keep his relevance and she's a c** bucket.' Earlier this week, Smith and Hembrow were spotted on a Gold Coast date, kissing and sharing lunch at a waterfront restaurant. The sighting fuelled speculation of a new romance just two months after Hembrow's split from her former husband, Matt Zukowski. Later, she appeared online wearing what looked like Smith's jacket. Smith has not confirmed the relationship, responding only with a string of expletives when questioned by reporters at Geelong training. Their public outing attracted a wave of online commentary, much of it targeting Hembrow with misogynistic remarks. Baggetta's comment, left under a news article, quickly sparked calls for his dismissal. 'The board of the Harvey Brunswick Leschenault Football Club wish to inform all players, members, officials and supporters that John Baggetta has been terminated as League coach,' the club said in a statement. 'Regarding the social media post made by John, we do not condone those comments, and they do not reflect the values or standards of the Harvey Brunswick Leschenault Football Club at any level.' The club said such remarks were 'not to be tolerated in society'. Journalist Sherele Moody demanded his sacking in a post on social media. 'I shared a post recently with a range of disgusting misogynist slurs by Australian men directed at Tammy Hembrow after she went on a date,' she wrote. 'Old mate John Baggetta's comment was the worst – he called Tammy a C** Bucket. A man responsible for mentoring and shaping the points of view of young men is just casually throwing around sexist slurs.' The club said it consulted with its women's team and members before making the decision. 'We are incredibly proud to have a women's team, female representation on our board and women actively involved as members of our club. 'We have consulted with members of our women's side and we are committed to offering them and all the females in our club any support necessary. 'We also remain committed to supporting anyone else affected by these comments and welcome open communication with those who may have concerns.' It has been an intense week for Brownlow Medal fancy Smith and fitness queen Hembrow since news of their date first broke. Paparazzi photos showed the couple leaving a ritzy, chef-hatted venue at Burleigh Heads last Saturday — the day after the Cats' victory over Essendon in Geelong. According to The Herald Sun, it is the second time the pair have been spotted together on the Gold Coast. Love Island he was the one who chose to end their marriage. Smith's ex, Izzy Armitage, who dated the footy player back in 2021, earlier this week.
Herald Sun
3 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Shayne O'Cass's Kembla Grange tips: Saturday August 16, 2025
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News. Form analyst Shayne O'Cass provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis for Kembla Grange plus tips for Narrandera and Gilgandra on Saturday. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ KEMBLA GRANGE TIPS BEST BET Race 8 No.6 CES SOIREES LA: Accepted for Sunday's Mona Lisa Prelude which says it all. NEXT BEST Race 4 No.1 POUR BENN: Can only be fitter again for a commendable debut run on a Heavy 9 here. VALUE Race 1 No.6 DEEP AFFECTION: Has run better than it looks in some top grade races. QUADDIE Race 5: 1,2,3,6 Race 6: 4,5,9,12 Race 7: 1,7,9,11 Race 8: 6,9,10,11 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Jeff Penza will be short odds to win the TAB Jockeys Challenge. KEMBLA GRANGE INSIDE MAIL RACE 1: Maiden Plate (1000m) DEEP AFFECTION (6)'s form reads '0000' but hang on; she did run in the Inglis Nursery, a 2YO Open at HQ, the Inglis Millennium and the Sweet Embrace. And what's more, they were actually pretty decent runs up (until the Sweet Embrace, anyway). Trialling well. Could be back in the city again before too long. MILITARY LEGEND (7), the Les Bridge/Bon Ho galloper, made a very creditable debut at Canterbury on July 23. Locals CHOCECLAIR (5) and MOVER AND SHAKER (4) have claims. BET: DEEP AFFECTION (6) to win. RACE 2: Class 1 Handicap (1500m) OMNIC (1) is a son of Proisir who has a win, four seconds and a third on his resume and mostly in much better calibre races than what he might line-up against in today bearing in mind he is nominated for the Farm next Wednesday. TESSY TEE (4) likewise has been a consistent and reliable horse with a win, four seconds and a third from her eight starts. On-pace type who has some very strong form around here. BET: OMNIC (1) to win or if scratched TESSY TEE (4) to win. RACE 3: Maiden Plate (1400m) BENDRODT (1) races in the colours of John Muir who bred and raised this son of Exceed And Excel. Now a 4YO, this Chris Waller-trained bay opens his 2025/26 account armed with a resume of six placings from his eight starts, with a good portion of those in town. Trials are good, gets his big chance today. ZOUSTRONG (4) has the home track advantage. Has placed here behind his handy stablemate Commanding Belle. DECALOGUE (7) falls back to a provincial Maiden off a Canterbury maiden where subsequent Kenso winner Sixties was runner-up. BET: BENDRODT (1) to win. RACE 4: Super Maiden Handicap (1600m) POUR BENN (1) is a New Zealand bred gelding trained by David Payne who won a VRC Derby among others races with his father, Ace High. Pour Benn was $5.50 into $4.40 when he made his debut here on a Heavy 9 in a mile Super Maiden and battled on as best he could in the conditions to finish fourth. Fitter and smarter perhaps for the experience. HAMMOON HEROINE (4) got to within a half-length of the potentially above-average Patissier and Hurry Miss when she ran third on debut here over 1400m. BET: POUR BENN (1) to win. RACE 5: Benchmark 68 (1600m) TIP TOP TIMING (6) is a Clarry Conners trained gelding who fronts up today for his 76th start but he's not the first iron-horse, ageless warrior to wear these colours. Anyway, what is more important is that despite the fact he just turned eight and has been around the block, he is actually racing in great form. This is the ideal race for him. Rosehill Midway acceptor IRISH BLISS (2) has some good numbers across the board. CASH ME (1) has to be respected as a last start provincial winner. BET: TIP TOP TIMING (6) to win. RACE 6: Maiden Handicap (1200m) They don't come much better bred than RUINATION (5). This recently turned 3YO colt is by Wootton Bassett out of Ron Quinton's Coolmore Classic winner Daysee Doom. Ruination is trained at HQ by Michael Freedman who has booked Jeff Penza for the debut and was dealt a winning draw too (3). Speaking of well-bred 3YOs, shout out RIVENDELL (4), a Vinery gelding, by Ole Kirk out of Wayupinsthesky trained by Peter Snowden (of course). Nice trials, nice horse. MISS PEONY (12) is the best long shot of the day IMHO. Top debut here at $61 last month. BET: RUINATION (5) to win, MISS PEONY (12) each-way. RACE 7: Benchmark 64 (1200m) NOBLE SOLDIER (1) racked up his 50th career start on June 21 when clocking in five lengths behind Lulumon, Storm The Ramparts et al in a Rosehill Benchmark 78. He is back at home at Kembla on Saturday on more or less his preferred surface and given what he has done in the past, he is very well weighted on 60kg. PRETTY SASSY (9) is ready to go but where she goes is anyone's guess; she's accepted for 3 races in 3 venues. KING CHARLES (11) is on a hat-trick. On top of that, he is a local and was a last start t/d winner. BET: NOBLE SOLDIER (1) each-way. RACE 8: Benchmark 64 (1000m) CES SOIREES LA (6) has accepted for the Mona Lisa Prelude at Wyong on Sunday which says a lot about how she is going right now. Long story short; she is (my) best bet if she comes here and a decent place chance at odds in the small field if she goes to Wyong. If she is out, it would open the door for the flashy mare CAN'T TOUCH THIS (9) who led and won by a pretty comfortable margin in the end in that 1000m Class 1 here on August 1. For the record, she drew barrier 3 and had Jeff Penza on, it's Penza again and box 2 today. BET: CES SOIREES LA (6) to win (best bet) or if scratched CAN'T TOUCH THIS (9) to win. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ NARRANDERA BEST BET Race 5 No.10 SUPER RIFF: Infrequent winner but hasn't always had the best of luck. GILGANDRA BEST BET Race 1 No.4 ZOUGA BOSS: Drawn well, has done enough to warrant top billing. Originally published as Shayne O'Cass's best bets and inside mail for Kembla Grange on Saturday
ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
AFL round 23, Fremantle vs Brisbane, Essendon vs St Kilda live blog, updates, scores and stats
The race for the AFL finals is reaching its climax, and Fremantle's clash with Brisbane is one of the biggest and most pivotal games remaining. Essendon will also host St Kilda in Friday night footy, while Sydney and Richmond do battle in AFLW action. Follow the live blog below, keep up to date with all the latest stats in our ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.
