WAFLW 2024: Jayme Harken’s dreams come true with Claremont grand final win

It’s been a big week of winning for Claremont’s Jayme Harken. The midfield star has won everything there is to win in the WAFL, sweeping the Dhara Kerr Medal for the league’s best player, the Lou Knitter Medal for the grand final’s best player and an elusive first premiership medal. Harken already had a Dhara Kerr Medal in her back pocket, claiming a second at the start of the week, but it was the premiership medal she won on Sunday evening that she was always aiming for and means the most. Claremont’s three-point win over rivals East Fremantle at Pentanet Stadium was Harken’s first grand final victory. She played for Subiaco when the Tigers won the flag two seasons ago and was a part of their losing team in last year’s decider. “All I’ve ever wanted is a premiership medal and the others are bonuses,” Harken told The West Australian. “Now I can celebrate those but the premiership medal is all I’ve ever wanted and I’m just so proud of the girls and their effort, they truly deserved it and I’m just over the moon.” Harken and Sharks young gun Zippy Fish were neck-and-neck in the Dhara Kerr Medal count — with just one vote between them — and they were head-to-head on Sunday too. Fish’s draft stocks rose again, even in a losing effort on Sunday. She is set to land at an AFLW club with one of the first picks in the draft. Harken said her side’s ability to win the ball on the inside was crucial, given how damaging her young rival is when the ball gets to the outside. “She is epic on the outside and with her speed used it really well today, I’m just so glad our girls did the job on the inside,” she said. “Our intent was to win it on the inside and get it forward and that’s what we did all day.” But she admitted the tight finish and low-scoring slog made for a nervous final few minutes. The close rivalry between the two clubs was evident during the third straight grand final match-up and Harken admits the result could have gone either way. “I’m not going to lie I was super stressed there at the end but the girls got the job done,” she said. “It was just both teams going super hard at the footy and one team had to break and we did at one stage and then they came back.” Harken believes the thrilling rivalry between the two clubs is a result of years of development of the women’s game at Claremont and East Fremantle. “We both have such well-structured programs so I definitely think the rivalry will continue in the future and we hope it happens,” she said.

WAFLW 2024: Jayme Harken’s dreams come true with Claremont grand final win

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