Reserves Grand Final Preview v Swan Districts

SOUTH Fremantle has been the dominant team in the WAFL reserves competition all season long but Swan Districts is the last team to defeat the Bulldogs setting up Sunday’s grand final at Domain Stadium.

South Fremantle won 18 of its 20 matches throughout the 2015 home and away season to finish four games clear on top of the ladder, and then won straight through into the grand final with a 47-point second semi-final victory over Subiaco at Medibank Stadium.

Swan Districts, meanwhile, has built some good momentum heading into the finals winning 10 of its last 11 matches before losing to Subiaco by two points in the qualifying final but then going on to beat West Perth by 32 points in the first semi-final and the Lions by 61 points in the preliminary final last Sunday.

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While the Bulldogs have been the dominant team all year and enter the grand final on a nine-game winning streak and with having had played just one match in the last month entering the premiership decider, Swans will be backing themselves in of being more than competitive.

The two teams met twice during the season and it was South Fremantle who had a massive 104-point win at Steel Blue Oval in Round 14 with Paul Mugambwa kicking four goals, John Sgherza three and Ben Sokol three – and that trio will again be part of the Bulldogs forward-line on Sunday.

Things were a lot different in Round 14 at Fremantle Oval when it was Swan Districts who turned the tide winning by eight points and handing South Fremantle its second, and last defeat of the season.

South Fremantle has won 11 reserves premierships previously with the first coming in 1936 followed by triumphs in 1952, 1953, 1954, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2009 and 2013.

The 2013 team was also coached by Tony Walters and beat West Perth in the grand final by 36 points with the likes of Blaine Johnson, Kaiden Matera, Alex Grima, Jarrad Winter, Tyler Hall, Jason Maskos, Tim Kelly and Brendan Verrier starring.

Verrier, Simon Panizza, Zac Strom, James Laurino, Maskos and Shaun Bewick are the players who were part of that team now looking to be part of a second reserves premiership in three years with South Fremantle.

South Fremantle will be captained by Paul Mugambwa who will be playing his last game with the Bulldogs following a career that has seen him play 143 league matches and be a key part of the 2009 league premiership side.

It is a strong looking South Fremantle line-up with the only change likely from the second semi-final winning team being the loss of ruckman Josh Branchi due to injury leaving Zac Strom to likely to fill the void in the ruck.

Swan Districts have a strong big men brigade as well led by Troy Yukich and Justin Shand while Jake Nuich can also spend time on the ball as well.

The Bulldogs midfield is strong consisting of the likes of Verrier, Bewick, Anthony Collica, Laurino, Panizza, Tim and Kade Stewart, and Jacob Dragovich.

The back-line will be held up by Dylan Ross, Chris Luff, Nick Borovac, Mitch Carter, Adam Carter, Maskos and Mitch Banks while up forward Mugambwa, Sgherza, Sokol and Traye Bennell are all dangerous.

Swan Districts’ reserves have won just four premierships in history with the first coming in 1946, the next in 1964 and then 1979 before a 27-year drought was broken in 2006 with Brian Dawson the coach.

Swans’ team heading into the reserves grand final has plenty of talent led by Albert Dean, Jason Daniels, Jackson Slater, David McKay, Jesse Turner, Sean Fletcher and Ben Whitsed through the middle.

Rudy Riddoch, Nuich, Dylan Nelson and Steven Wityk help to form a strong forward-line with Josh Kirkup, Laurence Grescos and Tom Smirk solid down back, and Warrick Wilson, Nelson Ansey, Sean Fletcher and Jacob Burnham capable of playing a variety of roles.