Our brightest stars: West Perth districtWednesday, July 8, 2020 - 3:35 PM

Western Australia has a proud history of developing elite football talent, with many of the game’s brightest stars beginning their careers at local junior football clubs right across the State.

In a series of articles highlighting the rich talent pool in WA over the years, Lenny Fogliani takes a closer look at the best current and former WAFL and AFL players to emerge from junior clubs in WA’s regions and districts.

This article focusses on junior clubs in West Perth's metropolitan district.

To find your local junior club, please click here.

A number of great players have come from West Perth's metropolitan district. Below are some of the most notable.

Photo: Brett Heady. AFL Photos

WEST PERTH

The West Perth Junior Football District has proven to be a strong zone for producing quality WAFL and AFL footballers.

There are currently nine junior Clubs within West Perth’s district - Brighton JFC, Edgewater-Woodvale JFC, Joondalup-Kinross JFC, Neerabup JFC, Ocean Ridge JFC, Quinns District JFC, Wanneroo JFC, Whitford JFC, and Yanchep JFC.

A host of prominent WAFL and AFL footballers have come from the West Perth District. Here are some of the more notable:

BRETT HEADY – WHITFORD JFC

Known as “Jobby,” Heady was a fan favourite of the Eagles during the 1990s. Across 10 seasons, Heady played 156 games (32nd most by an Eagle) and kicked 237 goals (8th most by an Eagle). During his time with the Eagles, Heady was a key member of both the 1992 (28 possessions, 4 marks, 3 tackles) and 1994 (10 possessions, 2 goals) AFL Premiership teams. He also won the first two Glendinning-Allan Medals, in 1995, after starring performances against Fremantle in round seven (19 possessions, 5 goals) and round 22 (14 possessions, 5 goals). He also represented WA in State of Origin on three occasions (1990, 1991, 1993). He is named on the interchange bench in Subiaco’s Team of the Century.

BRAD HILL – QUINNS DISTRICT JFC

The cousin of GWS rising Star Bobby Hill, Brad Hill has made a name for himself as one of the best wingmen in the modern era. Across nine seasons, Hill has played 150 games (95 with Hawthorn, 54 with Fremantle and 1 with St Kilda), kicked 79 goals (58 with Hawthorn, and 21 with Fremantle) and has career averages of 20 possessions, 4 marks, 4 inside 50s and 2 rebounding 50s. During his time with Hawthorn, he was a key member of the Hawks’ premiership three-peat in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and also won Hawthorn’s Most Promising Player Award in 2014. During his time with Fremantle, he won the 2017 Best and Fairest, and finished third in the 2019 Best and Fairest. He has represented the Indigenous All Stars on two occasions (2013, 2015) and also the All Stars in the 2020 State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match. At the end of 2019, he joined St Kilda.

STEPHEN HILL – QUINNS DISTRICT JFC

The cousin of former West Coast and Western Bulldogs’ player Josh Hill, Stephen Hill is arguably Fremantle’s greatest wingman. Across 11 seasons, Hill has played 206 games (8th most by a Docker) and kicked 112 goals (14th most by a Docker). Throughout his career, Hill has been placed in the top ten of his Club’s Best and Fairest nine times (2009: 6th, 2010: 4th, 2011: 7th, 2012: 6th, 2014: 3rd, 2015: 3rd, 2016: 2nd, 2017: 9th, 2018: 9th), represented the Indigenous All-Stars (2015), won the 2014 Glendinning-Allan Medal, the 2010 AFLCA Best Young Player of the Year Award, Fremantle’s Best First Year Player Award in 2009, and finished fifth in the 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star Award. In 2015, he won Life Membership at Fremantle, and in 2019 he was named on the wing in Fremantle’s “25 since 95” team.

NATHAN VAN BERLO – WHITFORD JFC

The older brother of former Fremantle and West Perth player Jay, and West Perth player Mitchell, Nathan Van Berlo was an excellent defensive midfielder for Adelaide. Across 11 seasons, Van Berlo played 205 games (15th most by a Crow), kicked 68 goals and had career averages of 18 possessions, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s and 2 clearances. He was the Captain of Adelaide between 2011 and 2013, leading the Crows to 34 wins from 66 games as well as making the finals in 2012. He had three top-ten placings in his Club’s Best and Fairest (2007: 7th, 2008: 6th, 2011: 2nd),  and also won Adelaide’s Emerging Talent Award in 2005. He won the Showdown Medal in 2011 after a starring performance against Port Adelaide with 32 possessions (10 contested), 8 marks, 5 inside 50s, 5 clearances and 3 tackles. He is currently the Midfield Coach of the West Coast Eagles.

JORDAN LOCKYER – JOONDALUP-KINROSS JFC

The son of triple East Fremantle premiership player Andrew, Jordan is one of the WAFL’s best key defenders of the modern era. Since joining Subiaco in 2015, Lockyer has gone on to play 97 games for the Lions and has career averages of 14 possessions, 4 marks, and 2 tackles. He was a key member of the Lions’ premiership triumphs over West Perth in 2015 (16 possessions, 9 marks, 3 tackles) and 2018 (19 possessions, 8 marks, 3 tackles), and against South Fremantle in 2019 (12 possessions, 5 marks). Since joining the Lions, Lockyer has three top-ten placings in the Club’s Best and Fairest (2015: 4th, 2017: 6th, 2019: 3rd), and in 2018, he won Subiaco’s Player of the Finals Award. He was also on Sydney’s list between 2011 and 2014.

SHANE NELSON – EDGEWATER-WOODVALE JFC

The older brother of West Perth’s rising star Scott Nelson, Shane is one of the most consistent midfielders in the WAFL in the modern era. Across eight seasons, Nelson has played 158 games for West Perth, and has career averages of 30 possessions, 4 inside 50s, 4 tackles and 4 marks. He was a key member in West Perth’s premiership triumph over East Perth in 2013 with 36 possessions, 6 inside 50s and a goal. Throughout his career, Nelson has won three Best and Fairests (2013, 2014, 2017), has three top-five placings in the Best and Fairest (2012: 5th, 2018: 2nd, 2019: 4th), four top-ten placings in the Sandover Medal (2014: 2nd, 2016: 5th, 2017: 9th, 2018: 4th), and has represented the WAFL in State games on five occasions (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). He also won West Perth’s Rookie of the Year in 2012, after he averaged 25 possessions, 5 marks, 3 inside 50s and 2 tackles across 15 games in his WAFL League debut season.

List of notable players from the West Perth District.