Round 10 Preview v Swan Districts

SOUTH Fremantle broke some records last time at Steel Blue Oval earlier this season and now the Bulldogs return to Bassendean needing to win on Saturday over Swan Districts to ensure they remain on top of the WAFL ladder.

It’s bottom against top when Swan Districts hosts South Fremantle for the second time this season at Steel Blue Oval but with some nasty weather predicted and a youthful Swans not afraid of the challenge, the Bulldogs will need to watch out for the upset.

South Fremantle has been tremendously impressive so far this season winning seven of its eight games to currently sit on top of the WAFL ladder with a percentage of 147.3 on the back of being the highest scoring team (97 points) and conceding the least amount (66).

It is the opposite story at Swan Districts with the black-and-whites having won just one of eight games while being the worst attacking team (51 points) and second worst defensively (93) to make up for a horror percentage of just 54.6.

But the game isn’t played on paper and once the teams run out on to the Bassendean ground on Saturday the scores are both on zero and nothing is guaranteed. The stormy weather predicted is also capable of producing some surprising results.

However, heading to Steel Blue Oval holds no fears for South Fremantle having already beaten Swan Districts there in Round 2 this year by 50 points in similarly tough conditions. The Bulldogs held Swans to just 2.6 (18) that day in their lowest ever score in the club’s history.

A big factor in where the two teams currently sit is the health of the respective playing squads.

From what Swans coach Greg Harding would have hoped to have at his disposal in 2016, none of Kirk Ugle, Murray Newman, Tallan Ames, Aaron Elari, Nathan Blakely, Jake Nuich and Jarrad Blight are available to play this week.

In contrast, South Fremantle is just about at full strength and has a host of players banging down the door playing outstanding football in the reserves.

Further illuminating the plight of Swans, they have amassed the least amount of possessions in 2016 and concede the most against. They are the worst performing team in last quarters and third quarters, and second worst in opening terms where they average a score of just nine points.

South Fremantle, meanwhile, is by far the highest scoring last quarter team in the competition and the third best performing first quarter team, best in second quarters and fourth best in third terms.

Depth is something South Fremantle has in spades of right now with only Jarrod Parry sidelined with a season-ending knee injury.

Brendan Verrier could return from injury this week in the reserves while former Western Bulldogs AFL player Zephaniah Skinner will play his first game in the reserves on Saturday for South Fremantle as well against Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval.

With a clean bill of health coming out of last Saturday’s win over Peel at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, there are no outs at this stage for South Fremantle but Shaun Bewick, Dylan Main and Jason Maskos have been added to the squad.

Bewick responded to being dropped last week in style with 40 possessions and two goals against the Thunder while Main had 33 disposals and Maskos 18.

Highlighting the depth of the Bulldogs at present, Josh Branchi, Jacob Martinez, Tom Vandeleur, Brad McPhail, Chris Luff, Bailey Matera and Matthew Ah Siu have all played some good league football and are capable performers but can’t currently crack into the squad of 25.

There are plenty of changes at Swan Districts as coach Greg Harding looks for the right formula to get the team’s second win of the season.

Teenagers Aidan Clarke and Brayden Hackett have been two of the shining lights in their first taste of league football in recent weeks, but both are out of the side for the black-and-whites.

Captain Tallan Ames is also out for Swan Districts taking 238 games of experience with him and meaning someone else will have to step up as Swans try to match up on South Fremantle’s forward-line of Ben Saunders, Mason Shaw and Zac Strom. The wet and windy weather conditions could help in that though.

Ruckman Troy Yukich is also out for the black-and-whites after carrying the ruck in his first seven league games following the season-ending injuries to Nathan Blakely and Jake Nuich.

Matthew Jukes has earned his place back in the Swans side after 29 possessions in the reserves last week while Rudy Riddoch has banged down the door as well following 22 touches and four goals last Saturday.

Jacob Coniglio had 20 possessions in the reserves as well to put himself back in the mix while Jack Watson had 11 disposals, Ben Whitsed 23 and Brandon Erceg 14.

Tyson Hodge is also a chance to make his debut to provide some height and versatility to the Swans’ line-up.

ROUND 10
SWAN DISTRICTS (1-7, 9th) v SOUTH FREMANTLE (7-1, 1st) – STEEL BLUE OVAL, SATURDAY 2.15PM
Broadcast – KIX Digital

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