Sharks kicking goals in the AFL

The strength of football development within the East Fremantle Districts was demonstrated again this week with Eagle Josh Kennedy winning the Coleman Medal for leading goalscorer and Carlton's Patrick Cripps awarded runner up in the NAB AFL Rising Star. With 26 players in the AFL, there are also a number participating in this weekend's finals.

Coleman Medal

Josh Kennedy kicked 75 goals to take out the Coleman Medal comfortably, ahead of Jeremy Camerson from GWS with 63 and Eddie Betts with 58.

NAB AFL Rising Star

WAFL Players claimed the top three places in the NAB AFL Rising Star Award announced by the AFL earlier this week, with our own Patrick Cripps coming in second.

Claremont’s Jesse Hogan took out the 2015 Award playing for Melbourne with 49 votes ahead of East Fremantle’s Patrick Cripps (41 votes - Carlton) and Subiaco’s Dom Sheed (27 votes - West Coast).

Cripps was recruited from East Fremantle by Carlton with the 13th selection in the 2013 AFL National Draft, while Sheed was selected by West Coast from Subiaco at number 11 the same year.

All three players were also part of the WAFL State Academy program and starred for WA in the State 18s National Championships. WAFL Talent Manager Raff Guadagnino said all three were highly deserving of the honour as recognition for their hard work and commitment. “All three of these players were identified as being very talented at an early age and have come through the WAFL talent pathway and their WAFL Clubs. We are extremely proud of their progress and recognition today,” he said.

AFL Finals

Good luck to all the Sharks competing in this weekend's AFL Finals:

West Coast: Josh Kennedy, Jamie Cripps, Brad Sheppard, Elliott Yeo

Fremantle: Garrick Ibbotson, Luke McPharlin, Aaron Sandilands

WIth a few injuries to the likes of Jon Griffin, Chris Masten and Jason Johannison, there may be even more Sharks featuring in the finals in later weeks.