Round 1 Preview | v Swan Districts

THE beginning of a new era at South Fremantle begins this Saturday with the Bulldogs beginning the 2019 WAFL season on the road to Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval.

There's no denying the change over the off-season at South Fremantle coming off losing a third successive preliminary final to fall heartbreakingly short of a first Grand Final appearance since 2009.

Following that loss to West Perth, South Fremantle has lost some all-time greats of the club including Ashton Hams, Ryan Cook, Cory Dell'Olio and Ben Saunders, while workhorses Shane Hockey and Jarrod Parry also retired and Matthew Parker was drafted to St Kilda.

But depth has long been one of South Fremantle's great strengths through that run of three successive preliminary finals and now players waiting in the wings biding their time will get to show what they are capable of throughout 2019.

THE INSIDE WORD | DYLAN MAIN PLAYER COLUMN ROUND 1
DEPTH BUILT AT BULLDOGS WILL HAVE CHANCE TO SHINE
STEWART READY TO FIRE BACK WITH BULLDOGS

The new era all begins on Saturday afternoon at Steel Blue Oval against Swan Districts as the Bulldogs look to continue their impressive form recently against the Black Ducks.

South Fremantle has won its past four matches against Swan Districts by an average of 40.8 points. The Bulldogs last loss to Swans came at Steel Blue Oval back in Round 2, 2017.

Even beyond that, the Bulldogs have won seven of their last eight meetings with Swans and eight of the past 10.

What the players departing South Fremantle from last season does is open up opportunities for others.

Zac De San Miguel, Zac Dent, Josh Collard, Regan Spooner and Glenn Byron are among the players to get a chance to show their development in Round 1 while Caleb Datson will make his debut and so will former Peel Thunder ball magnet Andrew Haydon.

Kade Stewart returns to South Fremantle as well following two years in the AFL with Hawthorn and then a season in 2018 back home with Katanning.

There's still a strong group of experienced players at the Bulldogs, though, including Haiden Schloithe, Zac Strom, Mason Shaw, Nick Suban, Blayne Wilson, Brock Higgins, captain Dylan Main, Shaun Bewick and Adam McIntosh.

There is then a group of players starting to become seasoned campaigners too capable of taking a step forward further in 2019 including Jacob Dragovich, Noah Strom, Jason Maskos, Chad Pearson and Brandon Donaldson.

All that means that there's still plenty of reasons to be optimistic about what South Fremantle is capable of in 2019.

Dual fairest and best winner and 2017 Sandover Medallist Schloithe is looking forward to getting the season underway and to see which players take the next step with the increased opportunities they will receive.

"It's been a long pre-season and I can't wait for Saturday to come around. It should be an exciting time," Schloithe said.

"We've obviously lost four or five champions of our club but it's also exciting for a few of the younger players coming through and also for some of the other blokes who have been in and out of the side the last few years. They can really cement their spot in the best 22 now. It's exciting times."

ROUND 1
SOUTH FREMANTLE v SWAN DISTRICTS – STEEL BLUE OVAL, SATURDAY 3.00PM

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