Round 3 Preview v Perth

SOUTH Fremantle returns to WAFL action this Saturday following the Round 2 bye to take on Perth at Lathlain’s Brownes Stadium with some more than handy inclusions.

South Fremantle began the season in Round 1 with a good effort in the first half against two-time reigning premiers Claremont before ending up losing by 48 points at Claremont Oval with a host of young players in the side, and Ben Saunders going down injured early in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs have had two weeks to stew on that first up loss and now will come out ready to fire at Brownes Stadium on Saturday against a Perth team that had a solid first up win in Round 1 also at home over Peel Thunder before having the bye last weekend as well.

South Fremantle was missing a host of key players for that Round 1 clash against Claremont including Craig White, Adam Guglielmana, John Sgherza, Brendon Gulley, Nick Borovac and Adam Carter with some of those returning to take on the Demons this Saturday.

White comes back into the Bulldogs team after missing Round 1 due a wedding to play his first game since the 2011 first semi-final loss to Subiaco due to him spending a year in Sydney playing and coaching at the Balmain Dockers in 2012.

Important midfielder and goal kicker Adam Guglielmana also comes in for South Fremantle with youngster Jacob Martinez pushing for selection and young key defender Brendon Gulley also back to strengthen an undermanned and youthful Bulldogs’ back-line at present.

Saunders goes out of South Fremantle’s team with his broken collarbone with young midfielder Anthony Collica also out of the line-up.

South Fremantle has a strong record against Perth over the last decade as well to call upon having won 17 of the last 24 meetings between the two clubs including six of 11 at the Lathlain venue.

Bulldogs coach Paul Hasleby certainly took some positives out of the performance against Claremont in Round 1 and is hoping that can translate to a win come this Saturday against Perth.

“It was disappointing we didn’t win because we were in a position to at half-time, but there were so many positives that we take out of it,” Hasleby said.

“It was Round 1 and we need to win some games now, and we’ll give it our best shot against Perth.”

By Chris Pike