South Fremantle Football Club player and Sandover medal winner Haiden Schloithe laying his paver.
Camera IconSouth Fremantle Football Club player and Sandover medal winner Haiden Schloithe laying his paver. Credit: Supplied/Marley Davies www.communitypix.com.au d474105

Sandover Medallist Haiden Schloithe says he still has ‘burning desire’ to play AFL as he places paver on medal walk

Kristie LimWestern Suburbs Weekly

SOUTH Fremantle Football Club midfielder and 2017 Sandover Medallist Haiden Schloithe’s paver is set to remain on the historic Sandover Medal Walk in Subiaco.

Schloithe placed the paver bearing his name in front of his family, who travelled from Katanning, the Sandover family, Sandover medallist Billy Walker and City of Subiaco Mayor Heather Henderson this afternoon, after winning the vote count with 52 votes last night .

West Australian Football Commission (WAFC) general manager Steve Hargrave said the WAFC was working closely with the City and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority to ensure the Walk was protected during future redevelopment work at Subiaco.

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“We highly value the heritage of our great game at Subiaco and we will explore all options to ensure items of historic significance are retained at Subiaco Oval,” he said.

Schloithe (24) joined a list of WAFL stars to feature on the walk, which included last year’s winner and this year’s fourth place-getter, Claremont’s Jye Bolton, retired West Coast Eagles midfielder Matt Priddis, and WA footy legends Graham (Polly) Farmer and Haydn Bunton.

The former Fremantle Football Club rookie said the win meant the world to him and his family.

“It is an absolute honour to win such a prestige award and to have such a great man here like Bill,” he said.

“I felt like I played my best footy after the state game and I was lucky enough to poll pretty well in the latter stages of the vote count.

“A sole focus of mine was just to play some consistent footy this year and just let my footy do the talking.”

Schloithe said while he had not spoken to AFL clubs for a second opportunity at the elite level, he had eight to 10 years of good footy in him.

“It is obviously every kid’s dream to play AFL and I was lucky enough to spend a couple of years on Fremantle’s rookie list as an 18-year-old kid but now, I am a 24-year-old and I feel like I have matured and developed as a person and a footballer,” he said.

“I still have that burning desire to obviously get another opportunity on an AFL list.

“I feel like if I was given another opportunity, I will be doing everything plus more this time around.”

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