ROUND 5 PREVIEW V PEEL THUNDER

SOUTH Fremantle is back home on Saturday afternoon to host Peel Thunder and attempt to return to the winner’s circle in Round 7 of the 2022 WAFL season.

The Bulldogs and Thunder both come into Saturday’s clash at Fremantle Community Bank Oval having won two of their first four matches leading into last week’s break for the WAFL’s State match with South Australia at Optus Stadium.

Saturday’s game now presents the chance for the winner to record their third win of the season and to consolidate themselves inside the top five by the end of Round 5 of the season.

South Fremantle started the season with wins against Subiaco and the West Coast Eagles, but they have since suffered defeats at the hands of two teams above them on the ladder at present, Claremont and West Perth.

Peel also comes into the game with a 2-2 record having beaten East Fremantle and West Coast but suffered loss to West Perth and Perth going into last week’s State Game bye.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams since Round 17 last year in Mandurah when South Fremantle hammered a shorthanded Peel by 116 points.

The Bulldogs have won the previous five meetings between the two teams now by an average of 42.4 points.

Peel’s last win against South Fremantle was in Round 16, 2018 in Mandurah and their last win at Fremantle Community Bank Oval was the qualifying final of 2017 when they were on their way to winning back-to-back premierships.

This is actually the first game the two teams will play at Fremantle Community Bank Oval since Round 18, 2019 where South Fremantle won by 40 points.

South Fremantle had three representatives in last week’s WAFL State Team in the eventual four-point loss to the SANFL team at Optus Stadium.

Noah Strom, Chad Pearson and Jake Florenca were out there representing South Fremantle and while it was a narrow loss in the end, Strom enjoyed the experience and especially to do so alongside two Bulldogs teammates.

“It was pretty exciting because they are two of my best mates here at the footy club as well. I was really glad I got the opportunity to play with them at that level,” Strom said.

“We were really excited about the opportunity and for me and Jake it was our first time, and Chad has done it once before. It was a good experience and we all really enjoyed it.”

Looking back on the opening month of the WAFL season, Strom can see a couple of missed opportunities there for the Bulldogs but is looking forward to now building some momentum starting on Saturday at home to Peel Thunder.

“We’ve definitely been in every game so far and the two that we’ve lost we have been right in them as well, and had the opportunity to win but couldn’t quite get over the line,” he said.

“It’s probably a fair reflection of where we’re at to be honest to be 2-2. We haven’t really played our best footy yet and we’re still trying to get the full band together.

“I think once we do that and get through COVID and everything, then we could start to get rolling and start to play some of our best footy.”

While Strom and Pearson could well be the two form defenders from the opening month of the WAFL season, Strom is expecting a tough battle down back and all over the field on Saturday from a talented Thunder line-up.

“It’s good that they have a strong team this year and I’ve seen some of their games, and they’ve got some good young players who are Dockers-listed players that they’ve drafted,” Strom said.

“They’ve come through and have played well for them so it’s going to be a test for us for sure. We’re coming into the game to play our best back at home here so that will be good. Hopefully we can get it done.”

ROUND 5 – 2022 WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON
SOUTH FREMANTLE v PEEL THUNDER – FREMANTLE COMMUNITY BANK OVAL, SATURDAY 2.10PM

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