Kacey Nicholas makes WAFL Team of the Year 2022

GIVEN how close and even the 2022 WAFL season was, spots in the Team of the Year were more hotly contested than ever and that's highlighted by the fact that a whole host of quality players who had terrific seasons couldn’t quite sneak in.

At the end of each round of the 2022 WAFL season, a Team of the Week was selected made up of the standout 22 performers from that weekend's action giving players from each team 18 opportunities to put their case forward for a spot in the Team of the Year.

Ultimately the Team of the Year was put together based on the players named most often in the weekly teams which meant that every player that earned selection at least six times earned a spot in the final 25 – with the team including 22 players plus three emergencies.

By the end of the 20 rounds this season, 152 individual players all earned a spot in the Team of the Week with Peel Thunder having the most players to earn a spot at least once. 

Peel had 22 players make a Team of the Week and they had the most across the competition to make it just once with 12. West Perth ended up with 19 players earning a spot at least once, Claremont 18, Swan Districts 18, South Fremantle 17, East Fremantle 16, East Perth 12, Subiaco 11, Perth 11 and the West Coast Eagles eight.

Of the 418 available spots in the Teams of the Week across the 20 rounds, it was East Fremantle's players who earned selection the most with their 16 players earning a spot on 60 occasions. West Perth was next with 58, Claremont 54, South Fremantle 54, Swan Districts 49, Peel 40, Subiaco 40, East Perth 34, Perth 20 and West Coast nine.

Only one player earned selection 10 times throughout the season and that was Swan Districts wingman and vice-captain Jesse Turner.

East Fremantle's Cam Eardley was the only player to earn a spot nine times with Claremont's Jye Bolton, Sandover Medallist Blaine Boekhorst, East Perth's Angus Schumacher and South Fremantle's Toby McQuilkin named to Teams of the Week eight times.

Digging deeper into the Team of the Year and down back, South Fremantle's Noah Strom, East Fremantle captain Matthew Jupp and Perth's Kasey Nicholas were the standout key defenders to earn spots in the back-line.

South Fremantle's Toby McQuilkin had a standout season too to earn his spot in the back six while Eardley and Claremont's Lachlan Martinis are the attacking half-back flankers who were automatic inclusions into the Team of the Year. 

While those six defenders earned their spots, Angus Dewar (Subiaco, five selections), Tony Notte (Swan Districts, five), Chad Pearson (South Fremantle, four) and Drew Rohde (Subiaco, four) were other back-line players to put themselves in the hunt.

Claremont's Ryan Lim and Swan Districts' Jesse Turner were the standout wingmen of the season while Jye Bolton, Angus Schumacher and Blaine Boekhorst claimed the three on-ball positions.

The competition was stiff, though, and fellow midfielders Bailey Rogers, Sam Fisher and Haiden Schloithe grabbed spots in the forward-line where they did spend some time throughout the season as well.

Then on the interchange it was made up of fellow midfielders Luke Meadows, Kyle Baskerville, Liam Hickmott and Hamish Brayshaw with Stefan Giro and Shane Nelson also taking up two of three emergency spots.

There were plenty of other midfielders across the competition unlucky to miss out too including Milan Murdock (East Fremantle, five), Aidan Clarke (Swan Districts, five), Mitch Crowden (Peel, four), Connor Blakely (Peel, four), Tom Blechynden (South Fremantle, four), Jake Florenca (South Fremantle, four), Tobe Watson (Swan Districts, four) and Aaron Black (West Perth, four).

There were two standout ruckmen throughout the season and they were South Fremantle's Hamish Free and Peel Thunder's Lloyd Meek. Free just got the nod in the Team of the Year while Meek filled up an emergency spot. Scott Jones was also named to the Team of the Week three times.

Then in the forward-line, the two standout key forward targets for the season were West Perth's Tyler Keitel and East Fremantle's Jonathon Marsh so they occupied the full-forward and centre half-forward positions. West Perth's Keegan Knott took a spot in the forward pocket for his strong season too.

There were again unlucky forwards to miss out including Ryan Borchet (Subiaco, five), Ben Sokol (Subiaco, four), Mason Shaw (South Fremantle, three), Alex Manuel (Claremont, three) and Luke English (East Fremantle, three).

WAFL TEAM OF THE YEAR 2022
BACK: Noah Strom (SF), Matthew Jupp (EF), Toby McQuilkin (SF)
HALF-BACK: Cam Eardley (EF), Kasey Nicholas (P), Lachlan Martinis (C)
CENTRE: Ryan Lim (C), Jye Bolton (C), Jesse Turner (SD)
HALF-FORWARD: Bailey Rogers (C), Tyler Keitel (WP), Sam Fisher (SD) 
FORWARD: Keegan Knott (WP), Jonathon Marsh (EF), Haiden Schloithe (SF)
RUCK: Hamish Free (SF), Angus Schumacher (EP), Blaine Boekhorst (EF)
INTERCHANGE: Luke Meadows (WP), Kyle Baskerville (EF), Liam Hickmott (S), Hamish Brayshaw (EP)
EMERGENCIES: Lloyd Meek (PT), Stefan Giro (S), Shane Nelson (WP)

BACK POCKET – NOAH STROM (South Fremantle)
South Fremantle clearly had the best defence throughout the competition this season and he was right at the cornerstone of that. Over his entire 89-game WAFL career now after serving a significant reserves apprenticeship, he has consolidated himself as a no-nonsense key defender who might not grab the spotlight like his teammates, but at the same time is very rarely beaten and is outstanding at taking on the league's best forwards. Another standout and reliable season as the rock of a terrific defensive unit.

Times named in 2022: 6
Previous Teams of the Year: 1 (2021)

FULL-BACK – MATTHEW JUPP (East Fremantle)
The East Fremantle captain once again led his team in inspirational fashion from full-back throughout the 2022 season and was a major reason why he got his second taste of playing finals football, and first since 2014. He was one of just three Sharks players to play in the 2014 preliminary final and be there again in 2022. He put together a strong season as one of the best key defenders in the competition and celebrated his 150th game to earn life membership at East Fremantle along the way.

Times named in 2022: 7
Previous Teams of the Year: 1 (2021)

BACK POCKET – TOBY MCQUILKIN (South Fremantle)
He came from nowhere virtually to earn a league debut in the back end of the 2021 season for South Fremantle. He has never looked back since and was his team's Player of the Finals in his debut season and then took an even greater leap forward throughout 2022. Proved himself equally capable of playing lockdown defensive roles, being a terrific intercept defender and then was creative and effective as an attacking defender averaging 23.6 possessions a game. Has had a remarkable first 33 games of his WAFL career.

Times named in 2022: 8
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

HALF-BACK FLANK – CAM EARDLEY (East Fremantle)
His move last year to the half-back flank continues to be paying dividends both for him personally and for East Fremantle as a team. Not only did it open spots up in the midfield, but he has proven himself ideally suited to a role down back. His combination of playing as an intercepting defender and then as an attacking weapon out of defence was fully on show in 2022 where he ended up averaging 27.5 possessions a game. He had a high of 40 in Round 3 and had over 30 touches another five times as he now approaches life membership 146 games into his WAFL career.

Times named in 2022: 9
Previous Teams of the Year: 1 (2020)

CENTRE HALF-BACK – KASEY NICHOLAS (Perth)
It has been a bit of a journey for the 26-year-old to consolidate himself as a regular league player at Perth since making his debut back in 2017. He has played 44 reserves games along the way and only managed 18 league appearances in those first three seasons, but has consolidated himself the last three years and stepped up even further in 2022. It wasn’t an easy back-line to be part of given they were often under siege with opposition forays forward, but he stood strong impressively as a defender and intercept marker while doing his best to set up play out of the back-line. Was clearly the best season of his 57-game career.

Times named in 2022: 6
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

HALF-BACK FLANK – LACHLAN MARTINIS (Claremont)
On a Claremont team full of superstars and higher profile players, it's hard to ignore that he has become their barometer. When he is playing well and at his best giving great run and creativity off half-back for the Tigers, it's remarkable how much of a better team they look and that they almost become unbeatable. When he's then not there or has a quiet day, the difference is stark. Luckily for Claremont, he had plenty of good days in 2022 averaging 25.7 possessions a game and when he's getting that much of the ball, and is attacking from half-back, he's one of the very best in the competition.

Times named in 2022: 7
Previous Teams of the Year: 1 (2021)

WING – RYAN LIM (Claremont)
He celebrated his 150th game in style in a first semi-final win against Peel Thunder and now the Claremont life member will be hoping to cap off the best and most consistent season of his career by winning Saturday's Grand Final. Put together a standout season for the Tigers averaging 27.7 possessions a game including picking up 30 or more touches on eight occasions. To top it off, he played State football for the first time in 2022, reached his 150-game milestone and now just needs a premiership to finish off with.

Times named in 2022: 7
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

CENTRE – JYE BOLTON (Claremont)
What a remarkable career he's had now over 131 games with Claremont since arriving in 2016 and there were no signs at all of him dropping off in 2022. His role did change at times and he spent some time setting up play off half-back, but wherever he was playing he was as effective and consistent as ever. Went on to average 30.8 possessions a game and the four-time Simpson Medal winner and dual Sandover Medallist earned a spot in the Team of the Year for a seventh straight season, but all he will care about is trying to become a premiership player now on Saturday.

Times named in 2022: 8
Previous Teams of the Year: 6 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)

WING – JESSE TURNER (Swan Districts)
The Swan Districts vice-captain has been a consistent performer for a number of years now through the middle or on the wing highlighted by being part of the Team of the Year squads in three of the past four seasons, but what he did in 2022 was go to another level in remarkable fashion. He turned himself into one of the elite players in the competition and his engine to run all day on the wing, and outwork his opponents became one of his great traits. His consistently standout performances meant he was one of the players of the season and was named to the Team of the Week in 10 of his 18 games while leading the league at 30.6 possessions a game. That included a career-best 47 possessions in Round 10 while having 40 on another two occasions and over 30 another nine occasions.

Times named in 2022: 10
Previous Teams of the Year: 3 (2018, 2020, 2021)

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – BAILEY ROGERS (Claremont)
He was coming off the year of his life in 2021 where he won a Sandover Medal and did so while earning the reputation as the most effective one-on-one player in the competition. His body might not have always allowed him to have quite the same influence on a regular basis in 2022, but that's marking him mighty hard because he still was among the elite WAFL players averaging 25.6 touches a game and kicking 20 goals while splitting his time from playing on the ball, on the wing and then up forward as another goalkicking option for the Grand Final bound Tigers.

Times named in 2022: 7
Previous Teams of the Year: 3 (2019, 2020, 2021)

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – TYLER KEITEL (West Perth)
It's remarkable now to think that his first full WAFL season in 2016 saw him play as a key defender where he was a prolific ball winner when he's now been the key forward of the last seven years. He's named to the Team of the Year for the sixth time in a career that has now spanned 142 games while kicking 260 goals as he approaches West Perth life membership. Since moving forward regularly early in the 2017 season, he has kicked 252 goals in his last 107 games. Had an especially strong back end of the 2022 season and ended up kicking 36 goals and now will be looking to play a key role in his first premiership for West Perth on Saturday. 

Times named in 2022: 7
Previous Teams of the Year: 5 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – SAM FISHER (Swan Districts)
The 2020 Sandover Medal winner was right back to his best in 2022 in his third season with Swan Districts. Was once again a cornerstone of the midfield for the black-and-whites and put together a tremendously consistent season averaging 24.1 possessions a game while being dangerous going forward too and kicking 11 goals. Up until Round 15 he didn’t have fewer than 20 possessions in a game and an injury in Round 20 was unfortunate, but overall he had a tremendous season and will again be a key part of Swans' midfielder under a new coach in 2023.

Times named in 2022: 6
Previous Teams of the Year: 1 (2020)

FORWARD POCKET – KEEGAN KNOTT (West Perth)
He is a walking highlight reel and has a mortgage on the Goal of the Year awards each and every WAFL season, but there's plenty of substance to the leading small forward in the competition as well. He had to work tremendously hard to earn a regular league spot and had to change clubs to do so after playing 78 reserves games with Claremont, but he's now put together a career made up of 101 games and 169 goals. Has kicked 35 goals again in 2022 including an especially hot start to the season 21 goals in the opening eight matches, and now will be chasing premiership glory on Saturday.

Times named in 2022: 6
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

FULL-FORWARD – JONATHON MARSH (East Fremantle)
Had a standout season as the spearhead of the East Fremantle and he had to stand up given most of the forwards he was expecting to play alongside, Hugh Dixon, Brynn Teakle, Luke Strnadica, Dillon O'Reilly and Cody Leggett, all either went to AFL clubs or got injured. His passion and intensity was infectious, his ferocity was intimidating and his celebrations were unforgettable as he put together a season of kicking 39 goals including six in Round 3 along with two hauls of five, and kicking four another couple of times.

Times named in 2022: 6
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

FORWARD POCKET – HAIDEN SCHLOITHE (South Fremantle)
He could well be South Fremantle's most decorated player this century and despite retiring following the elimination final loss to Peel Thunder, he remained right at the peak of his powers by the end of the 2022 season. He finished the season on fire with all seven of his Team of the Week selections coming in the last eight rounds of the season and he very nearly claimed a second Sandover Medal. He now retires a 200-game player with South Fremantle and it wouldn’t surprise to see him win a fifth fairest and best award and this is his seventh Team of the Year selection.

Times named in 2022: 7
Previous Teams of the Year: 6 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)

RUCK – HAMISH FREE (South Fremantle)
He arrived at South Fremantle in 2021 and spent a season sharing the ruck role with Brock Higgins, but upon his retirement took over the No. 1 role in 2022 and did a terrific job. Carried the load through the middle for the Bulldogs and ended up leading the league with average hit outs of 42.3 for the season. He also worked hard around the ground averaging 12.2 possessions and he did manage to kick four goals along the way to ensure that the Bulldogs are in good hands in the ruck department despite the loss of Higgins.

Times named in 2022: 5
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

RUCK ROVER – ANGUS SCHUMACHER (East Perth)
His third season with East Perth in the WAFL was an outstanding one where he confirmed himself as one of the best and most versatile midfielders in the competition. The former Carlton AFL big-bodied midfielder has found a home for himself with the Royals and while 2022 didn’t end up in the finals appearance they were hoping, he couldn’t have possibly done more. Ended up averaging 27.8 possessions across his 16 matches and his combination of physicality, ball winning and skill made him a standout across the season.

Times named in 2022: 8
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

ROVER – BLAINE BOEKHORST (East Fremantle)
Showing just what a quality season he had was celebrated on Tuesday night when he won the Sandover Medal for 2022 and he did that despite only playing 14 of the 18 matches, including missing the last three after rupturing his ACL in Round 16 against West Perth. However, in those 13 games he did play before getting hurt, he was simply brilliant for the Sharks through the middle with his dynamic ability to break out of congestion, and drive the ball long was game changing. He went on to average 28.4 possessions a game and kicked 14 goals to be named to Teams of the Week in eight of the 14 matches he played.

Times named in 2022: 8
Previous Teams of the Year: 1 (2021)

INTERCHANGE – LUKE MEADOWS (West Perth)
Started his career with West Perth as a tough, uncompromising and long-kicking half-back but the longer his career has gone on the more he has turned himself into one of the standout on-ballers in the competition, even more so since returning from his stint playing in the VFL. His ability to win contested possession and clearances, and to also work well out in space to use his lethal right boot make him quite the weapon for West Perth. Is now 117 games into his WAFL career and chasing that first premiership on Saturday having played in the 2015 and 2018 losing Grand Finals.

Times named in 2022: 7
Previous Teams of the Year: 1 (2016)

INTERCHANGE – KYLE BASKERVILLE (East Fremantle)
Another key part of East Fremantle's return to finals action in 2022 as he built on what he did throughout the second half of 2021 when he was given a permanent role in the midfield. It wasn’t all smooth sailing throughout the season and he did miss six matches through various factors, but he started and finished the season on fire. He averaged 28.2 possessions a game and had over 30 four times, and never fewer than 18 highlighting his consistency and why he's a player the Sharks' midfield can be built around for years to come.

Times named in 2022: 7
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

INTERCHANGE – LIAM HICKMOTT (Subiaco)
He became a premiership player in 2021 by confirming himself as a regular player at Subiaco and while 2022 didn’t have the same team success with the Lions missing finals, what it meant for him was him taking the next step in his career. No longer was he a handy role player on a star-studded team, but he became one of the stars as a prime on-baller for Subiaco. Proved himself a reliable and consistent ball winner by averaging 23.8 touches including having 30 or more touches on five occasions. Now 39 games into his career and already a premiership player, is someone Subiaco can build around moving forward.

Times named in 2022: 6
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

INTERCHANGE – HAMISH BRAYSHAW (East Perth)
In a year where his brothers Angus and Andrew continued to star in the AFL at Melbourne and Fremantle respectively, he put together the best WAFL season of his career that has now spanned 60 matches in the competition dating back to his debut in 2018. Returned full-time to East Perth in 2022 and delivered a tremendous season in the midfield for the Royals averaging 27.8 touches a game including 30 or more on nine occasions to end up named to the Team of the Week six times and finish runner-up in Sandover Medal voting. 

Times named in 2022: 6
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

EMERGENCY – LLOYD MEEK (Peel Thunder)
You often hear that big men take longer to develop and clearly in his fourth season on Fremantle's AFL list, he showed that he's ready to come into his own and be a standout ruckman at AFL level as of 2022 and beyond. He finished the WAFL season with Peel in some remarkably dominant form as he laid claim to being the best big man across the competition. In his last three matches alone of the home and away season, he averaged 22 possessions and 34 hit outs while kicking four goals highlighting his quality. Has shown he's good enough to be a regular AFL ruckman, but should the Thunder be lucky enough to have him at all in 2023, he could dominate further.

Times named in 2022: 5
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

EMERGENCY – STEFAN GIRO (Subiaco)
He had every reason to expect to be part of more team success upon joining Subiaco given the club's remarkable recent history. Whilst 2022 didn’t pan out that way with a rare non-finals season for the Lions, he didn’t disappoint as a recruit fresh out of the AFL system at Fremantle. Settled on a wing for the Lions and went on to averaging 27.6 possessions a game including racking up 30 or more touches on seven occasions highlighting his quality and consistency as a hard running and reliable left-footer.

Times named in 2022: 6
Previous Teams of the Year: 0

EMERGENCY – SHANE NELSON (West Perth)
What a remarkably consistent performer he has been in the midfield for West Perth now over the course of his 207-game career and once again he was the leading ball winner in a Falcons team that won the minor premiership, and have now made the Grand Final. Averaged another 27.2 touches a game while celebrating his 200-game milestone this season as part of a career that's already seen him win four fairest and best awards and now be named to the Team of the Year squad for an eighth time. But all he will be worried about is trying to become a dual premiership player on Saturday.

Times named in 2022: 5
Previous Teams of the Year: 7 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)

PLAYERS OF THE ROUND
Round 1 – Jake Florenca (South Fremantle)
Round 2 – Ryan Lim (Claremont)
Round 3 – Luke Meadows (West Perth)
Round 4 – Jesse Turner (Swan Districts)
Round 5 – Leigh Kitchin (Subiaco)
Round 6 – Blair Bell (Peel Thunder)
Round 7 – Oliver Eastland (Claremont)
Round 8 – Matthew Jupp (East Fremantle)
Round 9 – Toby McQuilkin (South Fremantle)
Round 10 – Aaron Black (West Perth) 
Round 12 – Blaine Boekhorst (East Fremantle)
Round 13 – Noah Strom (South Fremantle)
Round 14 – Brandon Erceg (Swan Districts)
Round 15 – Darcy Tucker (Peel Thunder)
Round 16 – Stefan Giro (Subiaco)    
Round 17 – Tyron Smallwood (Claremont)
Round 18 – Regan Clarke (Perth) 
Round 19 – Milan Murdock (East Fremantle)
Round 20 – Lloyd Meek (Peel Thunder)