NAIDOC Round Preview v Claremont

SOUTH Fremantle takes on Claremont in the annual NAIDOC Week clash at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday with the Bulldogs needing to bounce with a win to remain clear in a top two positions heading into the bye and a clash with Subiaco.

South Fremantle and Claremont have made NAIDOC Round their own over the past decade and that tradition continues with the two teams doing battle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval over the Jimmy Melbourne Cup.

The Bulldogs and Tigers began playing during NAIDOC Week back in 2007 and it has become a tremendous event on the WAFL calendar ever since.

Higgo's Heroes - NAIDOC Round 
South Fremantle continues to lead way in Indigenous development 

Coming into this Saturday clash sees both teams coming in on the back of completely contrasting seasons to date with South Fremantle holding a 10-3 record and Claremont 3-10 while the Bulldogs are in second spot on the ladder and the Tigers are second last.

But that doesn’t tell the story of how competitive Claremont has been and what a strong contest Saturday should be.

Claremont might have won just three games this season but six of the Tigers' 10 losses have been by under 10 points while they have been a realistic chance of winning all but two of them at some point during the fourth quarter. The two they were out of the running in came against Subiaco.

That all points to Claremont being a competitive outfit in 2016 but a frustrated one unable to play for four quarters and to get over the line when they have played well enough to expect to.

South Fremantle, meanwhile, has been the big improvers of 2016 having won 10 of 13 matches to remain just percentage off top spot with a game in hand on Subiaco.

But a loss last Saturday at home to East Perth means South Fremantle comes into the clash with Claremont on Saturday needing to win to remain a game clear of the third placed West Perth.

South Fremantle and Claremont met for the first time in 2016 back in Round 8 at the Claremont Showground with the Bulldogs pulling off a remarkable comeback to win by eight points after the Tigers led by 25 points early in the last quarter.

South Fremantle and Claremont have two of the strongest Indigenous histories in Australia, and as a result of that both clubs pulled together in 2007 to make it an annual contest against one another during NAIDOC Week for the Jimmy Melbourne Cup.

The event has become a tremendous occasion in the WAFL each year with a traditional ceremony held before each game along with past Indigenous greats of both clubs attending to make it a memorable day.

Both clubs also began what is now the league-wide tradition of wearing specially designed Indigenous jumpers.

Claremont has actually dominated the NAIDOC Round clashes against South Fremantle winning eight of the nine contests.

South Fremantle's Indigenous heritage will be represented on Saturday by Marlion Pickett, Jacob Martinez, Tim Kelly, Steven Edwards and potentially Tyson Pickett. Claremont's Indigenous brigade will include Francis Watson, Keifer Yu, and potentially Gerrick Weedon.

South Fremantle went down to East Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval last Saturday and is still without Ashton Hams, Haiden Schloithe and Adam McIntosh, and now key defender Josh Pullman is also out of the line-up to take on the Tigers.

Brad McPhail looks set to replace Pullman in the team as a key defender having played his one previous league game back in Round 8 also against Claremont at the Claremont Showground.

Chris Luff remains in contention for his first league appearance of the season as well following 23 possessions, nine marks and a goal last week in the reserves.

Tyson Pickett continues to put himself in the mix for his debut after another three goals last week in the reserves for the Bulldogs while Blaine Johnson should be right to come back after missing another game last week against the Royals due to a hamstring complaint.

Claremont coach Michael Broadbridge continues to search for the winning formula with the Tigers and in the hunt for that forwards Chris Oakley, Jack Richardson and Jack Bradshaw all go out of the team against the Bulldogs this week from the one that lost to Perth the previous Saturday.

Claremont has plenty of players in good form in the reserves who come into the mix to play on Saturday including Hugo Breakey, Zac Langdon, Alexander Manuel, Rowen Powell, Justin Speed and Gerrick Weedon.

Last week in the reserves against Perth, Breakey had 21 possessions and two goals for the Tigers, Powell 31 touches and two goals, Speed 26 disposals, Weedon 14 possessions and four behinds, and Manuel 12 touches and a goal. 

ROUND 16
SOUTH FREMANTLE (10-3, 2nd) v CLAREMONT (3-10, 8th) – FREMANTLE COMMUNITY BANK OVAL, SATURDAY 2.40PM
Broadcast – 7mate

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