Round 2 Previews: C1 Men and A Women

HCAFC Officials
Apr 17
4 min read

By Spencer Robertson

Budget Car and Truck Rental C1 Men

Hamersley Carine v Kwinana

Carine Regional Open Space/ Beach Oval

Saturday, April 18 3:05 PM

The Men's League side faces Kwinana in their first match at Beach Oval for 2026, reigniting an unlikely rivalry between two clubs from opposite sides of the Swan River.

Fuelled by an early-season thriller last year and a resulting social media banter war, another chapter of the Hawks-Knights duel is set to be written this Saturday.

Last weekend, Hamersley Carine began their C1 campaign off on the right foot by running out comfortable 35-point winners over Jandakot. A five-goal third quarter was enough to swing the momentum the way of the Hawks for good after the two sides arrived at half-time level.

The win was the League side’s first at Atwell Reserve since 2022.

The Knights will head up the freeway confident though, having easily accounted for the freshly promoted Quinns District at home in Round 1.

But history says that overcoming last season’s Preliminary Finalists at home will be a taller ask for the visitors.

Fresh in the minds of the Kwinana players would be the last time they faced Hamersley Carine, when they lost to the Hawks at home in a cutthroat elimination 1st Semi Final last year.

The defeat resigned the Knights to the glumness of a straight-sets finals exit, while Hamersley Carine had the final word in a rivalry that seemed to grow each match.

The victory was set up by a barnstorming seven-goal opening quarter in arguably some of the best football seen under former coach Troy Arnold's tutelage, shaping an obvious blueprint for Saturday's matchup.

As a part of this season’s home opener, Hamersley Carine will be celebrating 20 years since winning the Perth Football League’s 2006 Champion Club award. The honour came off the back of a League and Reserves premiership double, and players from these sides have been invited down to the club to celebrate their past glories and also to cheer the current side on to victory.

In the Reserves, former League skipper Kyan Jones plays his 150th game. “KJ” is revered as one of the great people at the football club, with playing accolades that include club Rising Star winner and 2021 C2 Grand Final captain.

Selection

IN: Zappelli, McCauley, Maxted-Rubery

OUT: Clements, Rhebok, Arnott

Ruck Jayden Zappelli makes his League debut alongside new recruit Bailey McCauley, while Noah Maxted-Rubery returns to the side in defence.

Last time they met

Kwinana	1.1	4.3	5.7	7.10 (52)
Hamersley Carine	7.1	9.2	13.2	15.4 (94)

GOALS

Kwinana: Headland 2. Lepa 2, Kirkwood, Carmody, Haynes

Hamersley Carine: Dennis 6, Martin 4, Rhebok 2, Taylor, Cubahiro, Jones

Saturday, 30 August 2025 at Medina Oval

Budget Car and Truck Rental A Grade Women

Melville v Hamersley Carine

Melville Reserve/ Stock Rd Oval

Saturday, April 18 10:40 AM

The Women’s League side made a big statement to the rest of the PFL A Grade competition in Round 1, falling by just one point to 2025 Grand Finalist Baldivis on the road. Despite holding a goal lead at three-quarter time, the Hawks weren’t able to hang on to the win, but certainly proved they are more than ready for the increased competitiveness of a higher grade.

Yazmin Arias picked up where she left off at the end of season 2025, slotting four majors for the visitors.

The Hawks travel southward for the second consecutive week, this time to face Melville.

In their first game of 2026, the Rams went down to recently promoted Quinns District by 8 points, meaning both sides head into the second week of the season still looking for their first victories.

Semi-finalists last season, Grand Finalists the year prior, and B Grade premiers of 2023, Melville poses another challenge for Hamersley Carine as proven performers in A Grade.

The last time the two sides faced off was back in July 2023, when a clinical Rams side took an inexperienced Hawks line-up to the sword, before comfortably going on to win that season’s premiership.

But much has changed at Beach Road since that matchup, and the Hawks will be optimistic about securing the club’s first A Grade victory in a decade.

In a major milestone, Lesley Farrell will make her 200th senior appearance when she runs out against the Rams on Saturday morning. Farrell’s career began at State League level and has spanned an impressive thirteen seasons, joining Hamersley Carine from Subiaco in 2024.

Selection

IN: Reidy-Crofts

OUT: Kasten-Lee

Coach Bevan Dagg announced just one change to his line-up on Thursday night, bringing winger Tenille Reidy-Crofts back into the senior side.

Last time they met