The 2008

West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League (WAFL) is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The league currently consists of ten teams, which play each other in a 20-round season usually lasting from March to September, ...

(WAFL) Grand Final was the culmination of the 124th season of the premier Australian rules football league in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. It was played at Subiaco Oval on 20 September 2008 and was won by the

Subiaco Football Club The Subiaco Football Club, nicknamed the Lions and known before 1973 as the ''Maroons'', is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and WAFL Women's (WAFLW). It was founded in 1896, and admitted to the WAF ...

, who defeated the

Swan Districts Football Club The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and WAFL Women's (WAFLW). The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb ...

by 57 points.

Background

Subiaco had dominated the 2008 season as no team in a major Australian Rules League had since

Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is the main port for the ...

in the 1914 SAFL season. After twenty home-and-away games the Lions had lost just one game by the narrowest of margins to their Grand Final rivals in mid-season, with the closest any other opponent got to them being eighteen points. The Lions were targeting their third straight WAFL flag, and their fourth in just five years, all the while finishing an unprecedented seven and a half games clear of second-placed West Perth.

Swan Districts The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and WAFL Women's (WAFLW). The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb ...

had finished fourth at the end of the season and had beat two higher ranked opponents in South Fremantle and West Perth to get to this match. The game showcased numerous young players who were to be drafted in the upcoming 2008 AFL Draft including

Nic Naitanui Nicholas Mark Naitanui (; born 4 May 1990) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was born in Sydney to Fijian parents, and his family moved to Perth, Western Austra ...

Chris Yarran Christopher Yarran (born 19 December 1990) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was also listed with the Richmond Football Club but did not pla ...

Clancee Pearce Clancee Pearce (born 23 October 1990) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). After attending Chisholm Catholic College and then Guildford Gramma ...

Todd Banfield Todd Banfield (born 28 June 1990) is an Australian rules football player who played in the Australian Football League (AFL). Banfield played 53 games for the Brisbane Lions between 2010 and 2013 and joined Richmond in 2014, before being deliste ...

Daniel Rich Daniel Rich (born 7 June 1990) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited with the seventh overall selection in the 2008 AFL draft, 2008 national draft. ...

Adam Cockie Adam Cockie (born 18 April 1989) is a former professional Australian rules footballer. He played with the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 2009 to 2010. Football career Cockie made his senior football debut for ...

and

Greg Broughton Greg Broughton (born 29 September 1986) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). After playing in Subiaco's 2006, 2007 ...

Teams

Subiaco

Swan Districts

Match Summary

Swans started the game in superb style, as they had the run of the game early, starting with West Coast-listed player Tony Notte kicking the first goal in the opening minute of the game. The underdogs continued to use the ball cleverly and take their chances throughout the opening quarter to open up a somewhat surprising sixteen point lead at quarter time. In the second term the contest was much more tight and the Lions ferocity was beginning to take its toll on Swans. At half time Subiaco held a slender four point lead. As the game progressed Swans began to break down across half forward and couldn't find their way to goal enough times to counteract a potent Lions forward set up where WAFL leading goalkicker

Brad Smith Brad or Bradley Smith may refer to: Sportspeople * Bradley Smith (cricketer) (born 1969), English former cricketer * Brad Smith (footballer, born 1948), Australian rules footballer and premiership coach of East Fremantle * Brad Smith (ice hockey) ...

kicked six goals, Mapleston four and Phil Read and Shaun Hildebrandt three each. Subiaco then went on in almost 'cruise control' to claim the Premiership.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2008 WAFL Grand Final Wafl Grand Final, 2008 West Australian Football League Grand Finals