Follow our live coverage here.
Follow our live coverage here.
Thank you for joining us this week. The blog will be back bright and early Monday morning.
Here’s a recap of today’s headlines:
SCG head curator Adam Lewis is confident the much maligned surface of the iconic venue will hold up for the remainder of the AFL season, including for when the Dockers take to the field this weekend, and has hit out at the “ill-informed” bashing of his ground staff.
The state of the ground was a massive topic after several players slipped on the surface at the Paddington End during last Friday’s clash between Sydney and the Western Bulldogs.
Lewis thanked the Swans for moving their training sessions this week to Tramway Oval, across the road from the SCG, and said extra staff had worked last weekend with grow lamps used on the ground for up to 22 hours a day.
While Sydney was lashed by a rain bomb on Tuesday, Lewis said the SCG had drained really well and was very confident the surface would hold up for Sunday’s match between Sydney and Fremantle.
He said it was his worst nightmare watching players losing their footing last Friday.
“We’re preparing the field the best we can and as soon as we see that our hearts sink,” Lewis said.
“Look, I think its (commentary) been over the top, I really think its been blown out of proportion.”
AAP
It was a horror morning on WA roads today with three serious crashes, two of which have been confirmed to be fatal, taking WA’s road toll even higher.
WA Police have confirmed that around 6.35am a blue Jeep Wrangler vehicle struck a pedestrian who was walking on Phillips Road in Mundaring.
The pedestrian, a 51-year-old man, was critically injured and died at the scene.
The 44-year-old male driver of the Jeep was not injured.
In another incident, just before 6am, a sedan vehicle and a Mack truck towing three trailers collided on Neaves Road in Mariginiup, in the City of Wanneroo.
The 40-year-old driver of the vehicle was killed, and the truck driver, 35, received minor injuries.
The third incident involved a car which collided with a tree in Serpentine this morning. WAtoday understands this crash was also fatal.
WA’s road toll is at a 10-year-high, with 103 confirmed fatalities between January 1 and July 4, 2025, according to the Road Safety Commission website.
In comparison, 2024 recorded 93 fatalities over the same time period and 2023 recorded 75.
West Coast will unleash small forward Malakai Champion as their eighth debutant of the year, but the AFL career of Jayden Hunt is on thin ice.
Champion, who came through West Coast’s Next Generation academy program, will make his debut as the sub in tonight’s clash with GWS at Optus Stadium.
The 19-year-old has kicked seven goals in 11 WAFL Eagles games this year, with his defensive pressure highlighted by an 11-tackle effort against Peel recently.
Champion’s debut comes just a week after West Coast unveiled swingman Jobe Shanahan, who impressed with a goal and three marks from eight disposals in a 29-point loss to Collingwood.
The recent retirements of Jeremy McGovern (concussion) and grand final hero Dom Sheed (knee) – plus injuries to Elliot Yeo, Oscar Allen and Jake Waterman – have further accelerated West Coast’s move to generation next.
Jamie Cripps, Allen, Hunt, Campbell Chesser, Jack Petruccelle and Tom Cole are among the more notable names who are coming out of contract at the end of this season.
Allen is being widely tipped to join either Brisbane or Hawthorn as a restricted free agent, but the rest of the players mentioned face a nervous wait to see if they will be offered a new deal.
It means Hunt’s dramatic drop in form has come at the worst possible time, with the former Demon to be axed for the clash with GWS.
The 30-year-old tallied just one disposal from 14 per cent playing time as the sub last Saturday, which followed on from a two-disposal effort a week earlier against Carlton.
“Form can get everyone at different times,” Eagles coach Andrew McQualter said.
“We’re going to send Hunty back (to the WAFL) and build his game again, like we’ve done with other players this year.”
A man who removed his electronic monitoring device a week ago is still missing, and police are now calling on the community to help them locate him.
Allan Patrick Junior Taylor, 32, removed the device around 10.20pm on June 27, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.
Detectives from the Rapid Apprehension Squad are hoping members of the public can help, and say he is known to frequent areas surrounding Wanneroo and Rockingham.
He is described as 178 centimetres tall, of medium build, with black hair and brown eyes.
If sighted, members of the public are advised not to approach Taylor, but to call police immediately on 131 444.
Anyone with other information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
To some more positive news now for your Friday morning – the teenage boy who broke his neck during a freak accident at Mullaloo Beach has taken his first unassisted steps after months of rehabilitation.
Matthew Haylett, 17 at the time, dived headfirst into the waves on April 2, unaware there was a sandbank underneath the water.
He was told he would spend at least 12 months in hospital to recover.
A GoFundMe page set up to help cover the cost of medical treatment has since raised over $40,000.
His mother, Megan Larson, posted on that page for her son’s 18th birthday on June 12 – “what an amazing gift to himself and the rest of our family on his 18th birthday! Standing for the first time.”
He has since taken his first, unassisted steps, with video footage shows Matthew working with a physiotherapist to achieve the milestone.
The doors to Perth CBD’s first urban commercial village have opened, following a $40 million transformation of the Hay Street site.
Owned by ISPT, the landmark redevelopment of the Enex building has been defined by two new distinct spaces – a city canteen and a central lounge – with the capacity to seat 400 people.
The revamp has also paved the way for mining giant South32 to move into the building.
ISPT head of portfolio Sam Curry said the opening “marks a new era for the Perth CBD”.
“This $40 million injection into revitalising Perth’s CBD aims to cater to the wants and needs of office workers and leisure visitors,” he said.
“As part of the redevelopment, the adjoining A Grade office tower at 100 St Georges Terrace (the South32 site) also underwent refurbishment to seamlessly connect the tower with Enex through a new lobby lift, providing direct access to those residing in the building.”
Today, to celebrate the opening, there is a chance for those of us based in Perth’s centre to snag free lunches for a year from stores in the Enex building, and there will be pop-up giveaway stations with over $30,000 in prizes up for grabs.
Tourism WA has defended the use of east coat production talent for its new Walking on a Dream tourism campaign, after Premier Roger Cook took an extraordinary swipe at the state’s largest creative agency for outsourcing some of the work.
It was revealed yesterday that The Brand Agency had sought help for some of the production of the new campaign from over east, which prompted criticism from Cook who spruiked a Made in WA promise at the March election.
“It’s pretty disappointing, right? And we know that in WA, we’ve got some great production crews, and I’m sure that work could have been undertaken in Western Australia,” he said.
A Tourism WA spokeswoman confirmed 70 per cent of the production of the next campaign would be WA-based, after The Brand Agency assessed 50 WA and Australian production agencies for their suitability to deliver the Walking on a Dream campaign.
One local production agency was shortlisted but didn’t meet the experience requirements or best value for money.
This is Tourism WA’s statement:
The WA Government, through Tourism WA, prioritises local ownership, crew, location and WA based creative input and has guidelines in place to ensure West Australian businesses are being used on our marketing campaigns.
The creative concept for the 2022 Walking On A Dream campaign was developed by the WA-based creative organisation, The Brand Agency, and backed by the fantastic work of Perth-raised global superstar Luke Steele, of Empire Of The Sun fame.
The unique needs of the creative concept meant The Brand Agency evaluated more than 50 West Australian and Australian production agencies who could assist on bringing this world-class campaign to life, carrying out an assessment on each agency’s understanding of the brief, creative vision, VFX experience, previous filming experience and technical ability.
To ensure Walking On A Dream, as our global destination brand, cuts through in a hyper competitive global marketplace, it is vital the competitive procurement process identifies the strongest supplier able to deliver the unique creative concept to the exceptional standard required.
A man in his 30s, who was found with serious injuries in Perth’s east on Thursday evening, has died in hospital and three people are now assisting police with inquiries.
WA Police and St John Ambulance were called to the scene just after 5pm on the corner of Great Eastern Highway and Margaret Street in Midland.
Detectives from the Homicide Squad are now seeking the public’s assistance in identifying what happened in the lead up to the man’s death, and are questioning the three people over the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Retiring veteran Michael Walters reckons Fremantle can win the AFL flag as early as this year, and he’s made his teammates promise to let him be part of the premiership celebrations.
Walters fought back tears on Thursday when he fronted the player group to inform them of his retirement, effective immediately, due to an ongoing knee injury.
It brings an end to a glittering 239-game AFL career that featured 365 goals and countless highlights.
“I reckon they can go all the way if they stay in the moment,” Walters told media on Thursday afternoon.
“This group is a mature group, they’ve got the right coaching staff and everyone around them, with the right leaders.
“I want you guys to promise me one thing. When you do win that premiership, let me drink a can of Jacks (Jack Daniel’s) out of that cup.”
With Walters’ future now determined, more attention will turn to fellow veteran Nat Fyfe.