Second Semi-Final Preview v Subiaco

SOUTH Fremantle is one win away from the 2016 WAFL Grand Final entering Sunday's clash with the two-time defending premiers Subiaco in the second semi-final at Medibank Stadium.

There couldn’t be a greater contrast in game style or finals experience between Subiaco and South Fremantle heading into Sunday's second semi-final at Medibank Stadium but that only adds to the intrigue heading into the contest.

With a spot in the grand final on the line, Subiaco puts its defensively minded, physical game approach into gear on the back of the experience of having won the last two premierships.

Meanwhile, South Fremantle is playing its first finals campaign since 2011 and had 16 finals debutants last Saturday in the 52-point qualifying final win over West Perth.

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The Bulldogs might not have the finals experience of Subiaco but they play an exciting, hard running and attacking brand of football that is designed to give their potent forward-line featuring Ben Saunders, Mason Shaw, Blaine Johnson, Tyson Pickett and Haiden Schloithe every chance to put a winning score on the board.

Subiaco has a group that is made for hard, contested finals football and it has proven successful the past two years but the youth and exuberance of South Fremantle proved too much last week for a finals experienced West Perth last week and the Bulldogs now will be hoping it stands up again.

While South Fremantle's forward-line has been dynamic all season with the Bulldogs averaging a league best 91 points a game, Subiaco's back-line has been dominant led by Declan Jackson, Aaron Heal, Jordan Lockyer, Greg Broughton, Wayde Twomey and Daniel Leishman.

Subiaco conceded just 63 points a game this season to be far and away the leading defensive team in the WAFL. Only twice this season did a team score more than 11 goals against the Lions and that was in an 80-point loss to East Fremantle and then a win over Peel Thunder.

South Fremantle might have averaged over 13 goals a game and then kicked 18 in last Saturday's qualifying final win.

But against Subiaco in Round 7 the Bulldogs managed just 10 goals in a 31-point loss and then just eight goals in a Thursday night game in Round 18 that Subiaco won by 11 points.

Subiaco is the only team that South Fremantle has not beaten in the last two seasons with Todd Curley coach of the Bulldogs.

Subiaco beat South Fremantle three times in 2015 by 89, 22 and 44 points before then winning by 31 and 11 points in the two meetings this year.

South Fremantle has missed finals since losing to Subiaco in the first semi-final of 2011 also at Medibank Stadium by 85 points.
    
Sunday will be South Fremantle's first second semi-final appearance since 2009 when the Bulldogs beat Subiaco by 70 points and then beating the Lions again in the grand final by 18.

That was South Fremantle's last finals win before last week against West Perth while since then Subiaco made the grand final of 2011, and has won premierships in 2014 and 2015.

Subiaco's back-line might have been tremendous all season, but the Lions have also done enough in attack largely on the back of having a key focal point in Hamish Shepheard (51 goals) and emergence of excitement machine Liam Ryan (35).

The Bulldogs' back-line can't be sneezed at either with Josh Pullman and Blayne Wilson the talls with Chris Luff coming back into contention this week. Marlion Pickett has had the best season of his career while Jason Maskos and Matthew Gundry work hard.

The ruck battle will be fascinating with Subiaco to back in the returning Lachlan Delahunty with help from Clancy Wheeler up against South Fremantle workhorse Brock Higgins.

South Fremantle will sorely miss the suspended Ashton Hams but has Tim Kelly, Shane Hockey, Steven Verrier, Dylan Main, Brendan Verrier and Shaun Bewick to work hard through the middle opposed to Chris Phelan, Kyal Horsley, Leigh Kitchin, Craig Hoskins and Adam Cockie.

South Fremantle coach Todd Curley is looking forward to the challenge of trying to beat Subiaco for the first time with him in charge of the Bulldogs.

"We just have to play our way and be bold. We started really poorly last time but we didn’t have Hams, Schloithe or Johnson," Curley said.

"That's not to say personnel will make a difference but we are now healthy and if you talk about preparation, we are in good shape and will be prepared as well as we can be and have some confidence. We just have to let the boys go out there and do their bit.

"They have won the last two flags and they can celebrate them, but they count for nothing in this finals series. What matters is what happens on Sunday and we'll have a crack. If we are good enough, then we are."

Subiaco had the bye in Round 23 and then the break in the first week of the finals so its last match was back in Round 22 when the Lions came from behind to beat Peel Thunder in Mandurah.

But that day Subiaco went in without captain Horsley and Phelan with Delahunty and Hayden Kennedy still out injured.

Horsley and Phelan are automatic inclusions now to take on South Fremantle on Sunday while Delahunty appears to be as well to play his first game since Round 13.

Premiership small defender Kennedy proved his form and fitness in the reserves last week as well so looks set to return from a shoulder injury for his first game since Round 10 as well for Subiaco.

Dangerous forward Ben Sokol is another to come into selection consideration for the Lions particularly after kicking a career-best seven goals in Round 7 against his former South Fremantle team.
South Fremantle could hardly have been more impressive in beating West Perth by 52 points last Saturday in the qualifying final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

But the Bulldogs to lose Ashton Hams through suspension from that team who had 26 possessions and three goals. Veteran Adam Guglielmana proved his form and fitness in the reserves on return from a hamstring injury and looks set to be the natural replacement.

Steven Edwards is another who would still be hoping to break into the Bulldogs line-up while Chris Luff and Tom Vandeleur could come into calculations to add some added strength to the back-line.

LEAGUE SECOND SEMI-FINAL
SUBIACO v SOUTH FREMANTLE, MEDIBANK STADIUM, SUNDAY 3.10PM
Broadcast – Channel 7, 720 ABC Perth

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