WAFL 2025: Robbie Farmer strikes a gem in Claremont’s easy victory as round 15 of WAFL colts lands in Albany

It was a big night for the Great Southern colts who contributed to Claremont’s 72-point walloping of Subiaco at Retravision Stadium on Saturday. Six of the best Great Southern players helped their side to a 17.8 (110) to 5.8 (38) win. The six were Railways’ Robbie Farmer, Albany’s Kaleb Germain, Lake King’s Joshua Grahame and Royals trio Blake Panizza, Mitch Paine and Elijah Williams. Farmer, especially, had his fan club. “Bring Robbie on!” came the voices from the stadium’s terraces, and they soon got their reward. Farmer booted a super major, hoofed from a distance. Now combining footy with school at Scotch College in Perth, Farmer enjoyed that one. Challenged by Claremont talent manager Lachy Davis to apply more pressure and be more proactive defensively, he said he had taken the instructions on board and was delighted with the victory. Paine said he had really enjoyed coming back to Albany. “It was great to come and play on the home deck and see all the locals again,” he said. “Our teamwork was really good, and we used the ball really well.” Davis was impressed with Paine’s effort. “He defended hard,” he said. “There’s no nonsense when Mitch is over the ball.” Panizza also did well on the wing, using his pace to drive forward while Williams, in what Davis said was his third game of the week, had a great first half in a tough role at half-forward and was rested after half-time. He added that Grahame had played his best game of the season while Germain had done well up front and on the wing. Grahame is studying agriculture and business in Perth and sees his future as being more likely on the family farm than under the bright lights of the AFL. With Lake King about 340km from Albany it was less of a homecoming for him than for several of his teammates, but the win was still something to savour. “It was great to see the young guys cheering on the sidelines, it was super enjoyable,” he said. “I’m having a great time in Perth, studying agriculture, living with one of my teammates. “I love the farm so it’s unlikely footy will be a long-term thing, but I intend to stick around for as long as I can.”