WAFL 2022: Potential Perth Demons recruit Will Bravo’s move west on hold after latest WA border announcement

Young gun Will Bravo’s potential move west to join WAFL outfit Perth has been put on hold because of WA’s latest COVID-19 hard border measures. The talented speedster from NAB League side Dandenong Stingrays was considered one of the unluckiest players in the country to not get picked up in his draft year of 2020. The 19-year-old was all set to relocate to Perth after the original border reopening date of February 5 but WA Premier Mark McGowan’s backflip on Thursday night has thrown those plans into disarray. Bravo, currently training with Richmond’s VFL side where he debuted last season, was rated among the top medium-sized forwards in his draft year by AFL talent guru Kevin Sheehan. He trained with Hawthorn last pre-season in the hope of earning a rookie spot in the Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period (SSP) before getting overlooked. “Will is a medium forward whose real weapon is his speed which enables him to get separation from his opposition,” Sheehan said. “His marking and tackling are also features of his play.” East Fremantle’s trio of Victorian recruits Matt Williamson, Jackson McDonald and Sam Medland, who were due to arrive on February 5, are also in limbo. It’s understood the trio had full-time jobs and accomodation waiting for them but now it’s unsure when they will get here. Several Perth Demons players, including ex-Fremantle Docker Brady Grey and the Stubbs brothers - Sam and Ben - have been stuck in their home states of Tasmania and Queensland respectively since visiting their families over the Christmas break. Tasmania and Queensland were both escalated from quarantine-free travel upon returning back to WA to extreme risk, like the rest of Australian, meaning a G2G pass is required to get back. Grey, who has been training with his original club Burnie Dockers in north-west Tasmania, and the Stubbs siblings are awaiting approval to get back for their original flight bookings on February 5 but will be forced to undergo 14 days quarantine. South Fremantle swingman Blake Schlensog, who went back to Victoria during the off-season break, is also in the same boat after initially planning to come back after the borders opened up.