Former Panther named in WA squad
Railways product Ryan Borchet has this week been named in a provisional 30-man WA squad ahead of a clash with South Australia on May 17.
Borchet, who made his senior debut for Subiaco in 2018, is among three inclusions from the Lions — alongside Archer May and Taj Schofield.
The 27-year-old last year won the Austin Robertson Jr Award as Subiaco's leading goalkicker, along with the Mick (Magic) Bailey league coaches award.
Three years ago, Borchet enjoyed a memorable Goldfields homecoming by kicking four goals in tandem with Ben Sokol as the Lions grabbed a 12.10 (82) to 10.8 (68) win over Swan Districts at Sir Richard Moore Sports Centre.
They combined for five last-quarter goals that lifted the side to an important win that underpinned the first WAFL fixture played in Kalgoorlie-Boulder since 2014.
Borchet was destined for a career in the WAFL as a goal-kicking stand-out for Railways in the GFL colts that included a 17-goal haul against Kambalda in 2014.
The previous season, Borchet celebrated his league debut for Railways by kicking four goals against Boulder from a forward pocket.
He comes from good stock as the son of former GFL chairman Graeme Borchet, who shares the mantle as the region's most decorated coach with Ted (Punter) Robinson, each with six premierships.
The upcoming interstate clash will be played in Adelaide.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Sun
an hour ago
- Herald Sun
TV wrap: What you missed on TV on Monday night
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Premiership coach Chris Fagan says he has been sounded out to coach the Tasmania Devils but has no interest in a senior job once he finishes with the Brisbane Lions. Fagan is contracted with the Lions until the end of 2027, which would make it 11 years in charge, spearheaded by the 2024 premiership. A proud Tasmanian, Fagan has always been at the top of a wishlist to coach the Devils, should they enter the competition in 2028. But he said he would likely move to Melbourne to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren once he finishes at the Lions and wouldn't be tempted to coach another AFL team. 'I've been sounded out a little bit about coaching the team but I don't really want to coach after I'm finished at Brisbane,' he told Channel 7's Agenda Setters. 'I'd rather help someone else out. I have always thought that was my best role in footy: helping somebody else out. 'If an opportunity came up there that fitted in with my lifestyle and I could do it properly, then I would consider it but that may or may not happen.' AFL Jamarra Ugle-Hagan's difficult year has taken another bizarre turn, with the star Dog alleging on Instagram that his car had been stolen from Port Melbourne. AFL AFL fans have been left divided after a TV broadcast giant's 'uncomfortable' move during Carlton's shock loss to North Melbourne.
West Australian
3 hours ago
- West Australian
British and Irish Lions assistant coach Simon Easterby says side eager to impress after Argentina loss
British and Irish Lions assistant coach Simon Easterby says a need to impose themselves more on the contest is a key focus ahead of Saturday's clash with Western Force at Optus Stadium. After the Lions' surprise 28-24 loss to Argentina in Dublin, the tourists have arrived in Perth ahead of the first leg of their nine-date itinerary around Australia. And with less than a month to go until the first of their Tests against the Wallabies, the Lions defensive coach is targeting an improved showing on that side of the ball — starting with the Force this weekend. Lions head coach Andy Farrell was scathing in his review of the Argnetina defeat, labelleing it unacceptable and Easterby said they needed to better set the tone in early phases. 'Reflections are that we probably just didn't quite impose ourselves as much as we would have liked,' he said. 'They scored a couple of tries from the early phases. We want to be really strong in the first few phases and we weren't so. 'It's a system that some guys are familiar with. We just need to make sure we're on the same page as quickly as we can be. There's been lots of good chat around fixing a few areas on both sides of the ball.' The representative side's cohesion was put under the microscope in the wake of the Lions' loss to Argentina and Easterby admitted the chemistry was still building. 'It just takes a little bit of time to build cohesion, different combinations, different parts of the game,' he said. 'You're inevitably going to have a little bit of bedding in time. We know that we're going to have to fix things really quickly and move on. 'There's no better challenge than coming here this week after losing the game in Dublin and putting our standards out on the pitch.' Easterby has been tasked with planning operations on the defensive side of the ball for the Lions and said good defence could lay the foundation for the attack; his job will now be to help the combined side gel as a unit. 'It's important the team has a clear understanding of how we want to defend as a Lions team, where we take lots of bits from different teams, there's lots of brilliant defenders in each countries that you get to select from,' he said. 'We're fortunate we have the best of the best from Ireland and UK. We need to make sure we allow those players to express themselves defensively within a system that allows them to have a bit of a framework, but can also go and make good decisions and impose themselves without the ball.' Easterby acknowledged the rareness of a Lions tour would put a target on the back of the team in each of the nine games they played, but said the squad relished the opportunity to perform. 'Lions tours only come around once every 12 years. You realise that in opposition, this might be their only opportunity as a player, to play against the Lions team,' he said. 'With that comes expectation for us. It's a brilliant challenge.'
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Wallabies sharpening skills ahead of Lions and Fiji
With 12 months of the Joe Schmidt reign behind them the Wallabies have launched straight into "re-sharpening the sword" for the British and Irish Lions. The Wallabies gathered in Sydney on Monday for their first training session ahead of three-Test Lions series which begins next month, and fullback Tom Wright said they hit the ground running. "This morning was less about trying to push over a fresh load of information and plays and structures onto everyone's plate, and more about a refresher, and getting everyone back into language and lingo, and then everyone just sort of hitting the ground running," the Brumbies gun said. "Last year it was a lot of trying to digest and absorb stuff but today it was just re-sharpening the sword, and it was exciting to see that translate as opposed to just picking it up fresh last year." With 37 Tests under his belt, Wright had a breakout campaign for the Wallabies on last year's spring tour, scoring a hat-trick against Wales as well as racking up major carry metres and clean breaks. But with superstar league convert Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii able to play just about anywhere in the backline, including fullback, Wright knows there's competition for the No.15 jersey - and welcomes it. "He goes pretty well anytime he's on the field," Wright said of Suaalii, who was man of the match in his Test debut against England in November. "His talent is probably second to none in the group, and you pair that with his work ethic that he's got, it's really impressive, and he gets the most out of all of us as his teammates. "It was good to see competition for spots heat up today at training, so that's the luxury that the coaching staff have. There's going to be guys that miss out." While the touring Lions are the primary goal, the initial focus for the Australians is their Test against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6. It's the first time the teams have squared off since Fiji shocked the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, breaking a 69-year drought. The Fiji win helped send the Australians crashing out of the tournament at the pool stage. Wright, who was a shock omission from the World Cup by then coach Eddie Jones, said the Wallabies couldn't afford to look past the Fijians, who have included 15 northern hemisphere-based players in a threatening squad. "Obviously we get a taste of the Fijians with the Drua throughout the (Super Rugby) season so we know how lethal they'll be, with and without the ball, and then you drip in some of the guys from Europe obviously, some of the most talented players in the world. "We've got our eyes set on Newcastle and that being a really important fixture to leap-frog into what is obviously a strong Lions side in July too." The Lions have arrived in Perth ahead of their clash with the Western Force and will be licking their wounds after falling to Argentina in their warm-up Test. But Wright said both teams played "exciting footy" and the Wallabies couldn't read much into the result. "The Argentinians were really good and I wouldn't say the Lions played really poorly," the 27-year-old said. "That's a bunch of guys trying to come together for the first time really. I wouldn't read heaps into it." With 12 months of the Joe Schmidt reign behind them the Wallabies have launched straight into "re-sharpening the sword" for the British and Irish Lions. The Wallabies gathered in Sydney on Monday for their first training session ahead of three-Test Lions series which begins next month, and fullback Tom Wright said they hit the ground running. "This morning was less about trying to push over a fresh load of information and plays and structures onto everyone's plate, and more about a refresher, and getting everyone back into language and lingo, and then everyone just sort of hitting the ground running," the Brumbies gun said. "Last year it was a lot of trying to digest and absorb stuff but today it was just re-sharpening the sword, and it was exciting to see that translate as opposed to just picking it up fresh last year." With 37 Tests under his belt, Wright had a breakout campaign for the Wallabies on last year's spring tour, scoring a hat-trick against Wales as well as racking up major carry metres and clean breaks. But with superstar league convert Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii able to play just about anywhere in the backline, including fullback, Wright knows there's competition for the No.15 jersey - and welcomes it. "He goes pretty well anytime he's on the field," Wright said of Suaalii, who was man of the match in his Test debut against England in November. "His talent is probably second to none in the group, and you pair that with his work ethic that he's got, it's really impressive, and he gets the most out of all of us as his teammates. "It was good to see competition for spots heat up today at training, so that's the luxury that the coaching staff have. There's going to be guys that miss out." While the touring Lions are the primary goal, the initial focus for the Australians is their Test against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6. It's the first time the teams have squared off since Fiji shocked the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, breaking a 69-year drought. The Fiji win helped send the Australians crashing out of the tournament at the pool stage. Wright, who was a shock omission from the World Cup by then coach Eddie Jones, said the Wallabies couldn't afford to look past the Fijians, who have included 15 northern hemisphere-based players in a threatening squad. "Obviously we get a taste of the Fijians with the Drua throughout the (Super Rugby) season so we know how lethal they'll be, with and without the ball, and then you drip in some of the guys from Europe obviously, some of the most talented players in the world. "We've got our eyes set on Newcastle and that being a really important fixture to leap-frog into what is obviously a strong Lions side in July too." The Lions have arrived in Perth ahead of their clash with the Western Force and will be licking their wounds after falling to Argentina in their warm-up Test. But Wright said both teams played "exciting footy" and the Wallabies couldn't read much into the result. "The Argentinians were really good and I wouldn't say the Lions played really poorly," the 27-year-old said. "That's a bunch of guys trying to come together for the first time really. I wouldn't read heaps into it." With 12 months of the Joe Schmidt reign behind them the Wallabies have launched straight into "re-sharpening the sword" for the British and Irish Lions. The Wallabies gathered in Sydney on Monday for their first training session ahead of three-Test Lions series which begins next month, and fullback Tom Wright said they hit the ground running. "This morning was less about trying to push over a fresh load of information and plays and structures onto everyone's plate, and more about a refresher, and getting everyone back into language and lingo, and then everyone just sort of hitting the ground running," the Brumbies gun said. "Last year it was a lot of trying to digest and absorb stuff but today it was just re-sharpening the sword, and it was exciting to see that translate as opposed to just picking it up fresh last year." With 37 Tests under his belt, Wright had a breakout campaign for the Wallabies on last year's spring tour, scoring a hat-trick against Wales as well as racking up major carry metres and clean breaks. But with superstar league convert Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii able to play just about anywhere in the backline, including fullback, Wright knows there's competition for the No.15 jersey - and welcomes it. "He goes pretty well anytime he's on the field," Wright said of Suaalii, who was man of the match in his Test debut against England in November. "His talent is probably second to none in the group, and you pair that with his work ethic that he's got, it's really impressive, and he gets the most out of all of us as his teammates. "It was good to see competition for spots heat up today at training, so that's the luxury that the coaching staff have. There's going to be guys that miss out." While the touring Lions are the primary goal, the initial focus for the Australians is their Test against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6. It's the first time the teams have squared off since Fiji shocked the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, breaking a 69-year drought. The Fiji win helped send the Australians crashing out of the tournament at the pool stage. Wright, who was a shock omission from the World Cup by then coach Eddie Jones, said the Wallabies couldn't afford to look past the Fijians, who have included 15 northern hemisphere-based players in a threatening squad. "Obviously we get a taste of the Fijians with the Drua throughout the (Super Rugby) season so we know how lethal they'll be, with and without the ball, and then you drip in some of the guys from Europe obviously, some of the most talented players in the world. "We've got our eyes set on Newcastle and that being a really important fixture to leap-frog into what is obviously a strong Lions side in July too." The Lions have arrived in Perth ahead of their clash with the Western Force and will be licking their wounds after falling to Argentina in their warm-up Test. But Wright said both teams played "exciting footy" and the Wallabies couldn't read much into the result. "The Argentinians were really good and I wouldn't say the Lions played really poorly," the 27-year-old said. "That's a bunch of guys trying to come together for the first time really. I wouldn't read heaps into it."
