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Fremantle veteran Michael Walters is at peace with his decision to retire after failing to overcome an ongoing knee injury.
Walters made his retirement official on Thursday, bringing down a glittering 239-game AFL career that featured 365 goals.
The 34-year-old underwent knee surgery during the summer, made it back to appear for the Indigenous All Stars and a Dockers pre-season match, before being sidelined again.
Walters made his comeback on limited minutes via the WAFL last month, but the writing was on the wall when he pulled up sore from that match.
“I have been working my backside off to try and get back to play some form of footy and while mentally I am still committed, unfortunately my body wouldn’t allow me to continue playing,” Walters said.
“I never left a stone unturned, I tried to return and play again at the top level and it just didn’t work out.”
With Walters’ future now determined, more attention will turn to fellow veteran Nat Fyfe.
Fyfe, who also underwent knee surgery over the summer, missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury.
The 33-year-old made a successful comeback last month, but he will now miss the next two to four weeks after injuring his calf while warming up as the sub during last week’s 12-point win over St Kilda.
Walters won Fremantle’s goalkicking award across five separate seasons and will go down as one of the club’s best ever forwards.
“My family has played a big part in my entire footy career,” Walters said.
“Firstly, starting with my mum, dad and brother. I still remember waking up for junior footy and my mum had packed my gear and was ready to go with a warm bowl of porridge.
“My dad, who was my first idol, gave me my passion for footy and has given me feedback on all my games, including right up to my last one this year.
“I’ve always looked up to my brother and he has always taken care of me and has always been in my corner throughout my entire life, while my wife, Marnie, has ridden the bumps with me.
“We talk about purpose in life and football, and she gave me a purpose, along with my kids as well.”
AAP
Thank you for reading today. We will be back soon with another live coverage of the news.
Here’s a recap of some of today’s top headlines:
Back to estimates now and earlier this morning Premier Roger Cook reiterated the state will not offer any more funding to beleaguered Collie coal miner Griffin Coal from next year.
The state has committed $308 million all up to prop up the failing miner, to shore up coal supply for its coal power stations, with Griffin set to draw down on that entire pool of money.
“We’ve made it quite clear that the government will not be on the hook beyond June 30, 2026,” he said.
“If the parties related reach a commercial decision in relation to the way that the Griffin mine and the Bluewaters power station [in Collie] function, well, then we’ll consider any proposals from that point but we’ve made it quite clear that we will not be funding the arrangements beyond the 30th of June, 2026.”
Western Australia has recorded more than 10,000 flu cases just halfway through the year as immunisation coverage in the state slips below the five-year average.
As of Thursday, WA Health had recorded 10,738 cases, according to the department’s notifiable infectious disease dashboard.
That figure is below the five-year average for the year to date of 12,566 cases, but is more than double the 4641 cases recorded by the end of June last year.
There were 17,019 flu cases recorded last year, with the peak in August, when 4577 cases were recorded in that month alone.
The previous high-water mark for flu infections in WA post-pandemic came in 2023, when 21,029 cases were recorded.
During budget estimates on Tuesday, Health Minister Meredith Hammat said WA was facing “the worst flu season in 10 years”.
Hammat made the comment while fending off questions from Vasse MLA Libby Mettam on ambulance ramping, and noted the government had extended its free flu vaccine program until the end of July.
Data to the week ending June 15 shows WA is lagging in flu vaccination coverage, with a total of 755,847 shots administered so far this year, behind the five-year average of 777,628.
This was particularly pronounced in younger age groups, with coverage in children aged between six months and four years at 16.1 per cent – behind the five-year average of 25.4 per cent – and only 12.4 per cent of children aged five to 11 vaccinated, compared to the five-year average of 17.1 per cent.
WA’s total flu vaccine coverage sits at 22.4 per cent, behind the five-year average of 33 per cent.
Children are overrepresented in WA’s flu numbers for 2025, with 2594 – or about one quarter – of the 10,738 cases reported in kids aged up to nine years old.
The WA government has launched a snap review into the state’s childcare system in the wake of reviewing its working with children system following the arrest of accused Melbourne paedophile Joshua Dale Brown.
WA Premier Roger Cook confirmed the review would look at the rules and regulations governing the state’s childcare sector, including things like working with children checks and police clearances.
“I hope this review provides Western Australian parents with the confidence that the childcare sector in Western Australia is well regulated,” he said.
In the wake of victim survivors calling for men to be banned from working in childcare centres, Cook said it wasn’t something the government was considering.
“I understand at the moment, everyone’s emotions are heightened, and that leads you to it leads everyone to a range of views and comments,” he said.
“Obviously, we don’t want to discriminate against people just simply because of their gender, that’s not who we are.
“But we do need to make sure that we keep our kids safe and I’m sure the regulatory authorities will take everything into account.”
Fremantle veteran Michael Walters is at peace with his decision to retire after failing to overcome an ongoing knee injury.
Walters made his retirement official on Thursday, bringing down a glittering 239-game AFL career that featured 365 goals.
The 34-year-old underwent knee surgery during the summer, made it back to appear for the Indigenous All Stars and a Dockers pre-season match, before being sidelined again.
Walters made his comeback on limited minutes via the WAFL last month, but the writing was on the wall when he pulled up sore from that match.
“I have been working my backside off to try and get back to play some form of footy and while mentally I am still committed, unfortunately my body wouldn’t allow me to continue playing,” Walters said.
“I never left a stone unturned, I tried to return and play again at the top level and it just didn’t work out.”
With Walters’ future now determined, more attention will turn to fellow veteran Nat Fyfe.
Fyfe, who also underwent knee surgery over the summer, missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury.
The 33-year-old made a successful comeback last month, but he will now miss the next two to four weeks after injuring his calf while warming up as the sub during last week’s 12-point win over St Kilda.
Walters won Fremantle’s goalkicking award across five separate seasons and will go down as one of the club’s best ever forwards.
“My family has played a big part in my entire footy career,” Walters said.
“Firstly, starting with my mum, dad and brother. I still remember waking up for junior footy and my mum had packed my gear and was ready to go with a warm bowl of porridge.
“My dad, who was my first idol, gave me my passion for footy and has given me feedback on all my games, including right up to my last one this year.
“I’ve always looked up to my brother and he has always taken care of me and has always been in my corner throughout my entire life, while my wife, Marnie, has ridden the bumps with me.
“We talk about purpose in life and football, and she gave me a purpose, along with my kids as well.”
AAP
Budget estimates continued late into the night yesterday, so we’ve gone back to have a listen to what was being discussed while many of us were getting ready for bed.
Education Minister Sabine Winton was grilled by opposition education spokesman Liam Staltari on the “Cool the Schools” commitment, which promised upgraded air conditioning to 45 schools across WA.
The commitment will be delivered in two tranches, but which schools will be in what tranche is yet to be decided.
When pushed for some clarity around when it would be announced which schools would be made the priority in round one, expected to be completed in the 2027-2028 financial year, Winton said the department was still deciding.
“When will tranche two be delivered by? Probably more important for the schools that now will be waiting,” Staltari asked.
“It will be fully delivered in our term of government, as is what the commitment was in March,” Winton replied.
Staltari: So just to confirm, minister, you can guarantee that all 45 schools will be upgraded by March 2029?
Winton: This government is focused on delivering on our election commitment.
Staltari: Is the minister willing to supply a yes or no to that answer?
Winton: I will be delivering on our election commitments. Is that firm enough for you?
Staltari: Not as firm as a yes or no, frankly, minister.
Winton: Can I just repeat it? I will be delivering this election commitment in this term of government.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch has spoken to media outside court following the sentencing of Reagan Chown, stating the sentence was “never going to be enough” and that he would be asking the state government to look at changing the laws around what constitutes as murder.
Chown was charged with the manslaughter, not murder, of Constable Anthony Woods.
“[Woods was] killed by an alleged drug dealer, high on meth, in a stolen car, on bail, evading police,” Blanch said, while surrounded by fellow officers, and Woods’ family.
“The court were bound by the sentence. It’s never going to be enough.
“We charged him with the murder. I will be asking the government to have a look at the laws. I think murder should stand in these cases, when you are a criminal, behaving criminally, evading police and killing a police officer.
“I’m not a lawyer, but I’m a police officer who leads over 7000 police officers and 10,000 staff all up, and the community of Western Australia would expect I would ask this question of government.”
Blanch described Woods as an “outstanding” police officer who “we all aspired to be”, and a “hero”.
Reagan Chown has just been handed down a sentence of 15 years and six months in the WA Supreme Court over the death of Constable Anthony Woods, and the events leading up to the fateful incident.
Justice Joseph McGrath told the court Woods was doing his duty on behalf of the community when he was run over and killed by Chown.
He sentenced Chown to 14 years and six months for manslaughter.
He also handed down a year for stealing a motor vehicle, and a year for driving in a reckless manner – the latter to be added onto the total sentence.
Chown will be eligible for parole after serving 13 years and six months, backdated to June 8, 2023, when he was initially placed in custody.
His driver’s licence has also been suspended for four years, starting on the date he is released from prison.
We’ll bring you the full story soon.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is backing his players to handle whatever the SCG turf throws at them in Sunday’s crunch clash with Sydney.
The AFL is set to give the SCG surface the tick of approval despite Bulldogs and Swans players slipping dangerously on the patchy turf during last week’s clash at the ground.
The venue still hasn’t recovered properly from an Andrea Bocelli concert in April, with particular concern over the Paddington end of the ground.
Longmuir labelled the turf “unsafe” in the wash-up to last week’s game, and heavy rain this week fuelled further calls for Sunday’s match to be shifted to an alternative venue.
But with the AFL set to stick fat with the SCG for Sunday’s game, Longmuir is telling his players to simply embrace the challenge.
“Like I said all along, if the AFL tick it off, we will play anywhere,” Longmuir said on Thursday.
“Both teams will have to play on the same surface. We’ll embrace it and just get to work.
“We’ve had a fair bit of practice playing at slippery surfaces.
“Optus Stadium last year wasn’t great, it was a bit slippery. If that’s all it is, we’ll be able to handle it.
“We’ll get a good look at (the SCG) at captain’s run, and the players will be well-prepared with their boots.”
Staying in the WA Supreme Court, and prosecutor Justin Whalley is addressing the court ahead of the sentencing of Reagan Chown over the death of Constable Anthony Woods.
Chown was high on methamphetamines and driving a stolen Holden Cruz when Chown and his colleagues attempted to pull him over in June 2023.
Woods attempted to pull Chown from the car after their chase came to an end in a cul-de-sac and fired his Taser, but fell and was dragged under the car as Chown reversed.
During his manslaughter trial earlier this year, Chown claimed he wasn’t in control of his actions as he had been Tasered, but a jury rejected that argument and found him guilty after deliberating for less than three hours.
On Thursday, Whalley told the court Chown should have stayed where he was after the chase.
“The reckless driving of vehicles by offenders often affected by methamphetamine is prevalent in our society,” he said.
“The court needs to send a clear message if an offender fails or desists in their attempts to evade capture … then they will be subject to punishment.”
Whalley said the case was a “serious example of criminal manslaughter” and urged Justice Joseph McGrath to impose a “substantial term of imprisonment”.