South Fremantle pre-season fixtures

SOUTH Fremantle kicks off its pre-season campaign this Saturday morning in an intra-club game before three official hit outs against Perth, West Perth and Swan Districts before the 2013 season proper starts.

The Bulldogs finished the 2012 season full of promise winning four of its last five games with a host of youngsters stepping up.

Now with Toby McGrath, Ryan Murphy, Josh Head and Hayden North all off into retirement, the youngsters that shone so brightly late in 2012 will need to stand up even further this year.

However, along with the recruitment of Mitch Banner, Warrick Andreoli, Mitch Carter, Alistair Gillespie and returns of Craig White, Reece Adams and Tyler Hall, coach Paul Hasleby looks to have a strong squad at his disposal heading into his second season as senior coach.

While wingman Shaun Bewick has been the hard luck story of the pre-season after injuring his knee, the rest of the squad has greatly benefited from the arrival of new strength and conditioning coach Mike Vegar from East Perth.

Now this Saturday is the first opportunity for the team to get out in a competitive contest in an intra-club game at Fremantle Oval.

That leads into a pre-season clash with Perth at Brownes Stadium on Saturday February 23 followed by two home fixtures against West Perth and Swan Districts over the next two weeks leading into the WAFL 2013 season-opener against Claremont at Claremont Oval on Saturday March 16.

Hasleby has been impressed with the pre-season the team has undertaken leading into the 2013 campaign and now is looking forward to getting the competitive hit outs underway.

“In our first game we will mix up the teams and it’s very hard to get a lot of time to do what you are trying to do, but the main aim is for the guys to get used to the high-intense environment in a properly umpired game where they can get rid of some of those pre-season cobwebs,” Hasleby said.

“We have had a massive focus on the strength and conditioning part of our team this year brining in Mike Vegar full-time.

“We think the guys are a lot further advanced than they were last year in terms of their fitness, and that is coupled with a big focus of a defensive game plan which we think will hold us in good stead in close games this year, and also the big games hopefully later in the year.”

Following the final pre-season game against Swan Districts at Fremantle Oval on Saturday March 9 the jumper presentation will take place at the club for the 2013 season.

The colts presentation will take place in the club rooms at Fremantle Oval at 12.30pm and then the league’s at 5.30pm following the game with Swans. Hasleby will be speaking and of course, everyone is welcome to attend with food and drinks available to all.

SOUTH FREMANTLE PRE-SEASON MATCHES

Saturday February 23 v Perth

Colts – Brownes Stadium, 9.10am

Reserves – Brownes Stadium, 11.40am

League – Brownes Stadium, 2.10pm

Saturday March 2 v West Perth

Colts – Fremantle Oval, 9.00am

Reserves – Fremantle Oval, 4.00pm

League – Fremantle Oval, 6.30pm

Saturday March 9 v Swan Districts

Colts – Fremantle Oval, 9.10am

Reserves – Fremantle Oval, 11.40am

League – Fremantle Oval, 2.10pm