East Fremantle star, number one pick prospect Zippy Fish breaks WAFLW record with 39 disposals

Not even a mouthguard can obscure it.

Every time Zippy Fish gets her hands on the footy, the cheesiest of grins flashes across her face.

But even her trained cheeks would’ve pulled up sore from the 18-year-old’s latest feat.

Against West Perth in round seven, Fish won 39 disposals in East Fremantle’s 36-point win. It’s a WAFLW record, albeit stats have only been taken since 2022.

Fish makes every disposal count. It’s why she’s considered a pick one contender for the AFLW draft later this year. And it’s why East Fremantle coach Matt Templeton could tell that she was having a blinder, even if he didn’t check the stats sheet until post-match.

“I honestly didn’t know until after the game,” Templeton said. “Someone mentioned to me that she’d had 39 and I jokingly said ‘Well I reckon there was a time there that she could’ve gotten a handball back.’

“I wasn’t up in the box but apparently they were quite excited as they watched her numbers go up and up. You could feel that she was playing a good game. I was calling out ‘Well done Zippy’ pretty regularly.

“We could’ve gotten her to 40.”

Looking at the final 7.3 (45) to 1.3 (9) scoreline, one would assume that the Sharks dominated from the outset. But West Perth won several key statistical indicators, including inside 50s 34-23 and disposals 301-271.

The difference was Fish’s seven inside 50s. She even kicked a goal herself for good measure.

“She’s such a great user of it,” Templeton said. “It’s incredible what she did on her own but her intention was to be selfless and bring others into it.”

Templeton is well aware that he won’t have Fish at his disposal for much longer. Outdone on the weekend only by fellow pick one prospect Ash Centra who had a whopping 47 disposals and four goals in the Coates Talent League, Fish is a certainty to be playing AFLW next year.

The only question is for whom.

“I wouldn’t put it past her to go there,” Templeton said of Fish’s pick one potential. “Nothing is holding her back from that mantle.

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“But by the same token, there are talented players at pick five and pick 10 or wherever you end up.

“We’re fully aware that Zippy’s horizons are quite bright. We try and do our best to set up not just Zippy but everyone in our program for future success if they get called up to the next level.

“Compared to any other player that’s come through, I certainly haven’t seen anyone better. She’s a star and a quality human. Any club will be lucky to get her.”