Cathcart ready for first senior finals taste

Tom Cathcart missed out of his first taste of senior finals football last year so is looking forward to making up for it this year in the Reserves with Swan Districts on the back of having a taste of WAFL League action in 2026.

Cathcart had become a key member of the Colts team at Swan Districts that made the Grand Final back in 2024 where he was a rock as part of the defensive unit while then also showing the ability to pinch hit forward to good effect.

He then had no trouble adjusting to playing senior football in the Reserves last year before an untimely ankle injury ended his season prematurely after Round 15.

The 20-year-old has now put together a strong 2026 season mostly in the Reserves team, but he also broke through for the first two League appearances of his career showing the signs of the bright future he has.

Now after Swan Districts earned the first week of the finals off in the Reserves having finished the home and away season in top spot, they take on East Perth this Saturday in a second semi-final at Lathlain’s Mineral Resources Park.

The winner will be the first team to qualify for the 2026 Grand Final at Optus Stadium and Cathcart can’t wait to be part of it.

“It’s pretty surreal and obviously I didn’t get to play in the Reserves finals last year because I had an ankle injury so that was pretty tough to watch that from the sideline,” Cathcart said.

“So I’m super keen to get out there this year and last year that’s all I wanted to do, so it’s really good that I’m going to get out there this year with the boys.

“I think collectively we’ve had a really good year which will make it a lot more enjoyable and we’ve all played a lot of footy together now so it’s going to be good fun.”

Being the best team all year

Swan Districts have been the standout team in the Reserves competition all season and that saw them end up two games and percentage clear in top spot.

They then had last weekend off while East Perth beat Perth in the qualifying final to set up this Saturday’s second semi-final and Cathcart wouldn’t want to be going into a finals campaign with any other playing group.

“We’re all collectively pretty confident and we’ve played a lot of footy together, and there’s a lot of boys who were in that 2024 Grand Final group,” Cathcart said.

“Then with that we’ve got a few other boys who were in the 2021 Grand Final and it wasn’t long ago that the Reserves won one in 2023 too so it’s a good group.

“A lot of boys have got finals experience so we’re feeling pretty confident but we also know that finals is a whole different ball game and anything can happen.”

Getting a League opportunity

Along with playing some strong football this season in the Reserves with Swan Districts, Cathcart got to live out a dream by making his League debut in Round 18 against Claremont at Steel Blue Oval.

He held his place the next week too against Perth and the experience was everything he thought it would be.

“It was everything I thought it would be to be honest,” Cathcart said.

“It was super fast and obviously as a defender there’s no real time to be lazy on defence. It’s a turnover and can ping-pong back the other way so you to be ready all the time.

“You have to pinch yourself that you’re playing against the best guys in the state and it was a childhood dream to be honest.

“Just seeing my name up on the board and finally getting the opportunity was exciting and there were a few other boys who went up from Reserves to League which made the move a lot easier because I had layed a bit of footy with some of those guys especially Ethyn Kane.”

Learning what it takes at League level

While Cathcart had always been looking forward to the chance to play League football with Swan Districts and did all he could to be prepared for it, there’s nothing quite like actually getting to live it out.

By being out there in those two games against two finals bound teams in Claremont and Perth showed Cathcart just what it takes to play at that level. That’s now something he will take into the pre-season as he attempts to become a regular in League level in 2027.

Just by spending some time being matched up some of the league’s best forwards like Alec Waterman, Sam Van Rooyen, Kieran Gowdie, Aaron Clarke and Kane Johnston showed just what level he needs to get to so he can take on forwards of that calibre.

“It is a lot more physical compared to Reserves and obviously there’s higher quality players too,” Cathcart said.

“Because I play down back, if you give your forward a couple of metres, you don’t really have a chance and their teammates will always hit them.

“You come up against guys who used to play AFL and who are some of the best players in the state so to come into the League and play the second and third teams on the ladder was a super challenge.

“But I really enjoyed it and I think this year I was just happy to be out there, but next year certainly am gonna work harder this pre-season, not go away and knuckle down, and hopefully be in that team Round 1.”

Settling into life as a defender

Even though Cathcart was thrown forward to have a good impact with two goals in a memorable Colts finals win back in 2024 along with kicking another two goals in the Grand Final, he’s always felt more at home down back.

He also had a couple of games in the Reserves in 2025 where he kicked two goals and while he’s happy to have that string to his bow where he can be thrown forward, he does see himself spending most of his career as a defender.

“It’s always nice to have the ability to go up forward, but I think I’m a lot more comfortable down back,” Cathcart said.

“I think I’ve got a good ability to read the game down there and feel like I can use my kick a lot more to help set the team up, and I think the majority of my career I have played down back.

“So it is what feels most comfortable but if the opportunity’s ever there to go forward as well and help the team out then I’ll happily do that.”