Round 12 Preview v East Perth

SOUTH Fremantle finally returns to action for the first of a string of consecutive matches following a stop-start six weeks due to three byes with the Bulldogs taking on the league-leading East Perth on Saturday at Leederville’s Medibank Stadium.

South Fremantle currently sits in sixth position with a 3-6 record following an up and down 2014 campaign to date.

The Bulldogs began with four consecutive losses to Subiaco, Perth, East Perth and Swan Districts before bouncing back with wins over East Fremantle, West Perth and Claremont to revive life into their finals hopes.

However, not being able to play consecutive games from week to week since the wins over the Sharks and Tigers on April 25 and May 3 has proven costly.

Since thrashing Claremont by 64 points at Fremantle Oval in Round 7, South Fremantle had the Round 8 bye before losing to Peel Thunder in Mandurah by 24 points.

It was then another break for the State game with South Fremantle then backing up from another week off to play in the Foundation Derby on WA Day where East Fremantle prevailed by 15 points.

South Fremantle then once again was unable to build any momentum by having yet another bye last week leading into this Saturday’s clash with the on-fire East Perth.

East Perth now sits on top of the WAFL ladder having won five straight matches since losing to Subiaco on Good Friday.

That has seen the Royals improve to an 8-2 record to be on top of the ladder and looking to stay there with a win over the Bulldogs on Saturday.

When the two teams met earlier this season under lights at Fremantle Oval in Round 3, the Royals dominated the Bulldogs to win by 75 points.

South Fremantle has again had a break since its last game which was the Foundation Derby on WA Day against East Fremantle and from that team that ended up losing by 15 points, the Bulldogs lose the retired Kris Miller and the out-of-form Marlon Pickett.

AFL-experienced big man James Sellar is a chance to return from the knee injury he has been battling since it occurred during the Round 2 match against Perth at Fremantle Oval.

Sellar did return to play Claremont in Round 7, but spent most of that day in a forward pocket and was clearly hampered by his knee still. However, that game was now way back on May 3 so he has had another six weeks to get right since that before hopefully taking to the field on Saturday.

Jarrod Parry looks likely to return to the South Fremantle line-up to strengthen the midfield with Jason Maskos also a chance to come in for his first game in the league team since Round 4.

Traye Bennell has stepped up from the colts to play good football in the reserves so far in 2014 including averaging over 23 possessions a game in his past three matches which has put him in the mix to make his league debut on Saturday with Mitch Banks also a chance to make his first appearance in the league side for South Fremantle.

East Perth does lose Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls from the team that thrashed Perth last Saturday and while Scott Lycett, Patrick McGinnity and Callum Sinclair have been named as outs at this stage, only Lycett is expected to play for West Coast and Gold Coast so the other two should still play for the Royals.

Then the East Perth team has some big inclusions and none more so than returning co-captain Craig Wulff who was in terrific form again in 2014 before suffering a nasty finger injury in the Round 8 victory over Peel Thunder.

Garry Moss played his best game in the reserves last week against Perth as well with 25 possessions so the classy left-footer continues to put his hand up to play his first league match since undergoing a knee reconstruction last year.

Mitch Howlett also can’t do much more in the reserves including 35 disposals last Saturday.

And then there are several West Coast players who will come into the East Perth line-up as well including Brant Colledge, Simon Tunbridge and Sam Butler.

RESERVES TEAM
T Bairstow, M Banks, T Bennell, M Bolger, S Borovac, J Branchi, M Carter, E Collard, A Collica, J D’Vauz, B Fimmano, A Galiano, A Gillespie, M Gundry, J Hall, L Harvey, B Hill, J Maskos, K Matera, B Matera, S Mills, M Nicholson, S Panizza, J Pantano, J Parry, M Pickett, M Russell, J Sgherza, B Sokol, T Stewart, J Tartaglia

COLTS TEAM
M Ah Siu, D Cabassi, B Colbung, B Collier, J Culleton, J Depane, B Donaldson, J Dragovich, J Florenca, J Foster, M Grubelich, O Ham, K Hosking, B Kersten, C Loersch, J McComb, C McGuinness, J Mcguire, G McLeod, J McMaster, J Mirco, D Moore, A Nodari, L Pearson, C Salmon, K Stewart, N Strom, B Truss, S Williamson