The unfortunate retirement of Brad Sheppard and Tom Cole’s season-long ankle injury opened the door for more opportunities for Foley in 2022 and the Subiaco product often found himself in the deep end standing the opposition’s most dangerous small forward.
It’s a task that challenges the best backmen, and Foley would have learnt plenty in a backline that had to cope with too much football coming into the defensive arc.
Getting 16 games under his belt, after six last year and one in the last round of 2020 was another positive step forward for the Subiaco product, whose endurance and neat skills suggest he has the tools to be successful at the top level.
Turning 23 in October, Foley – taken via pick 31 in the 2018 national draft - is among the next generation West Coast hopes can continue to take the club forward in coming seasons.
Standout performance: Starting off strong
One of the best against Gold Coast in round one, Foley was rock-solid across half-back and distributed the ball efficiently coming out of defence in a narrow but gutsy defeat to the Suns.
Foley picked up a career-best 24 disposals, took eight marks, gained 412 metres and rebounded from defensive 50 on six occasions in an impressive performance.
Season averages
Disposals – 12.8
Marks - 4.3
Intercept possessions – 3.9
Tackles - 2.5
Rebound 50s – 2.2
