20 footballers from Augusta-Margaret River who starred in the WAFL or AFL

Here are the top 20 to have had an impact in the WAFL or the AFL. 

The list is based only on their performances in the WAFL or the AFL, not on their careers in the SWFL or any other competition.

To be eligible, a player had to be born in Augusta or Margaret River, or recruited to the WAFL/AFL from Augusta-Margaret River. Eligibility was determined using official WAFL records.

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East Fremantle 1959-1961. 13 WAFL games.

Yes, it’s supposed to be a top-20 list, but how could I possibly leave Nelson Rodgers out? So we’ve gone down to Number 23. A stalwart of footy in the region, Rodgers was born in Margaret River and recruited by East Fremantle from the town. He eventually returned to the South-West (and his beloved Hawks) and was inducted into the SWFL Hall of Fame in 2015.

Peel Thunder 2009-2014. 61 WAFL games.

Recruited by the Thunder from Augusta-Margaret River, he played six seasons in the WAFL and is now playing in the Peel Football League.

East Perth 2008-2010. Perth 2012. 53 WAFL games.

The brother of Tim Noakes (who features higher up on this list), Ben Noakes also plied his trade with the Royals and returned to the South-West after finishing in the WAFL. He won a fairest & best with Wembley last year.

Subiaco 1976-1983. 34 WAFL games.

Recruited by Subiaco from Margaret River, he played three seasons with the Lions before going to court to win a clearance to Carlton in the VFL. But the big forward was unable to crack a league berth with the Blues, playing 43 reserves games and kicking 69 goals in three seasons. He rounded out his top-level career with Subiaco before joining Thornlie in the now-defunct Sunday League.

Collingwood 2014-2016. East Fremantle 2017.

Drafted by Collingwood, Marsh played 15 games in three seasons with the club, but then opted to return to East Fremantle (where his grandfather Ray Sorrell played). He has been an excellent performer in 2017, representing the WAFL against the VFL in Melbourne, and is likely to move up this list in the coming years.

Sydney Swans 2016-current. 7 AFL games (to the end of 2016).

The other Marsh brother, Harrison, is also likely to move up this list. Like his brother, he played his junior football with Augusta-Margaret River before joining East Fremantle and being drafted by the Sydney Swans in 2012. He made his AFL debut in 2016, playing seven games in his first season. It was tough to split the pair, but the likelihood that Harrison will carve out an AFL career kept him ahead of his brother.

Swan Districts 1952-1953. 36 WAFL games.

A strong half-back flanker, Cartledge was born in Margaret River but joined Swan Districts from the Goldfields. He racked up 36 games in just two seasons with the black ducks before going back to the ‘fields. He later played for South Bunbury in the SWFL.

East Perth 2009-2011. Subiaco 2016. 63 WAFL games.

Something of a modern day footballing journeyman, Shepheard joined East Perth from the Augusta-Margaret River Hawks and was drafted by the Fremantle Dockers in 2009. He then went to Sandringham in the VFL, back to the Hawks, then to Subiaco (where he won a premiership and kicked 51 goals in a season) and now plays with the Southport Sharks in the NEAFL.

Perth 1952-1959. 39 WAFL games

Smith was a rover/forward who often partnered club stalwart Francis “Dickie” Walker during a great period for the Redlegs, who won a rare flag in 1955. Unfortunately for Smith, he didn’t play in that grand final.

West Perth 1966-1972. 33 WAFL games.

A back flanker/utility, Hill found it tough to cement his spot in a very strong West Perth team, but did force his way into the 1969 premiership team.

East Perth 1975-1980. 45 WAFL games.

Duggan was born in Margaret River and joined the Royals directly from Augusta-Margaret River, playing as a ruck-rover in a strong era for East Perth.

East Perth 2005-2010. Perth 2012. 92 WAFL games.

Born in Augusta and recruited to the WAFL from Augusta-Margaret River, Noakes won East Perth’s fairest & best in 2008.

Swan Districts 1955-1959. 90 WAFL games.

Born in Margaret River in 1935, he joined Swan Districts from the midwest and just missed out on the club's golden era of the 1960s.

East Perth 2009-current. 87 WAFL games (to the end of 2016). 

Anderson was born in Kalamunda, but joined East Perth from Augusta-Margaret River and played his first league game in 2009. He is currently the Royals' co-captain and had played 87 games to the end of 2016. He represented the WAFL against the VFL in Melbourne this year, but was injured early in the match.

East Perth 2011-2017. 109 WAFL games.

Recruited from Augusta-Margaret River, Payne made his debut for the Royals in 2011 and quickly became a fan favourite. He recently retired from the WAFL after 109 games, during which time he won the club’s 2014 fairest & best award.

East Perth 1968-1975. 81 WAFL games.

A forward pocket in East Perth's 1972 premiership team, Whittle was recruited to the strong East Perth team from Margaret River.

East Fremantle 1995-2005. 172 WAFL games.

Recruited to East Fremantle from Augusta-Margaret River, he played in the Sharks' 1998 premiership and won the club's 2003 fairest & best award.

Miller is perhaps best remembered for being one of the first players signed by Fremantle, when the Dockers were admitted into the AFL at the end of 1994. But he was also a strong WAFL footballer who won two fairest & best awards with East Perth, in 1992 and 1997. Born in Busselton, but from a dairy farm near Margaret River, Miller joined East Perth in time for the 1988 season. He would go on to play 175 WAFL games, becoming a life member of the Royals in the process, and 16 games for Fremantle. He also captained East Perth for a time.

Born in Darwin, Clape was recruited to East Perth from Margaret River in 1988 and racked up 93 games for the club over seven seasons. During this time, he was drafted into the AFL by West Coast and he made his debut in 1992, eventually going on to play 29 games in a very strong Eagles line-up. Clape missed selection in both the Eagles 1992 and 1994 premiership teams and was delisted at the end of the 1994 season. But Carlton gave him another chance, picking him up in the pre-season draft. It was a dream move for Clape, who featured in the Blues' 1995 premiership and played a total of 58 games with the club to the end of the 1998 season.

Ironmonger is the only player from the area to have won a Sandover Medal. At 200cm and 110kg, he was an imposing ruckman who found success in the WAFL with East Perth from 1980 to 1984, playing 76 games and kicking 62 goals. The highlight was undoubtedly his 1983 season, which saw Ironmonger win the coveted league best & fairest award (though Peter Spencer won East Perth's fairest & best that year). In 1985, he was tempted across to the VFL by the Sydney Swans, where he would play 45 games over three seasons. Another 43 games with Fitzroy between 1988 and 1991 rounded out Ironmonger's 164-game senior career (though he also played for Werribee in the VFA), which also saw him represent WA on four occasions and NSW once. He later settled in the USA and helped get the sport going in California.

Recruited from Augusta-Margaret River to East Perth and then to Hawthorn, Stratton has become a fixture in a very strong Hawks line-up. He played 23 league games with the Royals in 2008 and 2009, before being drafted at Number 46 in the 2009 National Draft. In 2010, he won a Rising Star nomination and he has since won three premierships with the Hawks. By the end of 2016, he had 138 AFL games under his belt and was on the verge of becoming a Hawthorn life member.

A brilliant centre half back who represented his state on six occasions, Anderson was born in Margaret River in 1924 but grew up in Midland. He was ineligible to play in the underage competition during WWII and made his debut for Swan Districts when open-age football resumed in 1945, immediately making an impact and earning selection in the 1946 state team that took on South Australia. But his career looked finished when he lost four fingers on his left hand in a sawmill accident in 1947. Still, Anderson changed his playing style and eventually won back his position as state centre half back in 1950 and 1952. In total, he played 216 games for Swans, won three fairest & best awards, was club captain for two years and won a place in the Swan Districts team of the century. He was later vice president of Swan Districts and was inducted into the WA Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

Almost certainly the best back pocket in WAFL history, Wally Price was born at Margaret River in 1926, the son of English immigrants. He joined West Perth in 1942 from the metropolitan juniors competition and embarked on a career that would see him play 256 games for his club and 12 for his state. Many of those games were played alongside one of the greatest full-backs in history in Ray Schofield, so it comes as no surprise that the Cardinals should have seen plenty of success during Price's years with the club. He played in three premierships, won the club's fairest & best in 1952 and was chosen in a back pocket in its team of the century. After he finished his playing career with West Perth in 1954 (at the age of just 28) he took up the reins as coach of Griffith in NSW, returning to Perth to coach West Perth's reserves in 1958 and 1959, before turning to umpiring. In the 1960s, he was the driving force behind the formation of WA's 200 Club and is one of only two players on this list to have been inducted into the WA Football Hall of Fame.

The Derickx boys, who played with Claremont, just missed out on this list.