Panning for Gold Tue, June 28, 2016 - 1:38 PM

With the WAFL competition looking as even as it has in years, WAFL clubs will be keeping a close eye on this year's Landmark Championships matches in Perth with some recent recruiting coups from mature country stocks paying dividends.

With uncontracted country players over the age of 19 able to play at a WAFL Club as a one point player under the WAFL's Player Points System, stealing those two or three quality one pointers can be the difference between winning and loosing matches.

There is no better example then last year's WAFL Past Players Rising Star from the Landmark Championships in Subiaco's Liam Ryan.  The quiet Ryan, hails from a football heart land in Geraldton and has rocketed his name into possible AFL draft contention after a number of eye catching performances for the Lions.

His partner-in-crime in the Subiaco forward line is Hamish Shepheard who was inspired to give WAFL football one last crack after being delisted from the AFL and having a successful season in the South West for Augusta Margaret River as well as competing for the South West and state country sides.  Shepheard's form has been so impressive for the Lions he will have a tight tussle with Mount Barker's Ben Saunders in the run home for the Bernie Naylor Medal as the WAFL's leading goal kicker. 

Carey Park's Brayden Lawler was the find of the 2014 Championships and in a season and a half at Peel, has played in 28 League games in one of the toughest sides in the competition to crack into.

Other players of note to have come through the Landmark pathway include South Fremantle ruckman Josh Branchi and East Perth midfielder David Roche.

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