Round 3 Preview | v West Perth

SOUTH Fremantle is back on home turf this Easter Sunday with the Bulldogs looking to get their second win from three attempts to open the WAFL season up against West Perth.

Coming off a heartbreaking three-point loss to Perth also at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, South Fremantle is back at home and in celebration of Easter Sunday will be looking to make it a memorable day against the Falcons.

West Perth comes into the game without a win so far in 2019 but after what happened in the preliminary final last year nobody at the Bulldogs will be taking them lightly.

The league clash bounces down at 2.10pm on Sunday afternoon and will be broadcast live on Channel 7 from 2pm. The colts clash is on before the league game from 11.30am while the reserves clash is on afterwards from 5pm.

BULLDOGS CAN’T QUITE TOPPLE DEMONS AT HOME

South Fremantle has started the new season with a four-point victory against Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval and then the three-point loss to Perth on home soil last Saturday.

With the new-look nature of the South Fremantle team, there have been plenty of players stepping up over the first two weeks including Jacob Dragovich who is coming off a career-high 41 possessions against Perth.

Kade Stewart has also returned impressively with 53 disposals across the first two games with experienced players Haiden Schloithe, Nick Suban, Blayne Wilson, Zac Strom, Brock Higgins and Shaun Bewick starting encouragingly.

The South Fremantle back-line has stood up well led by Noah Strom, Chad Pearson and Jason Maskos while up forward, Mason Shaw has kicked four goals across the two games.

West Perth, meanwhile, has lost its opening two games of the season starting with a stirring comeback against Peel Thunder before a three-point loss in Mandurah. The Falcons were then thrashed at home by Claremont to the tune of 56 points last Saturday.

Sunday’s game will be the first meeting between the two teams as well since a preliminary final clash last year that neither of them will forget.

South Fremantle came into the game with a Grand Final spot on the line having beaten West Perth nine straight times including two weeks earlier by 98 points also at Fremantle Community Bank Oval in the qualifying final.

But West Perth shot out of the blocks in stunning fashion to start the preliminary final and they went on to win the game and advance to the Grand Final against Subiaco at Optus Stadium.

There’s been mass changes on either side since that game with that being the last game for South Fremantle of Cory Dell’Olio, Shane Hockey, Steven Edwards, Ryan Cook, Matthew Parker and Ashton Hams.

As for West Perth, Luke Meadows, Jay van Berlo and Chris Keunen all won’t be there who played in that preliminary final triumph and subsequent Grand Final thumping from the Lions.

Coming off last week’s narrow loss at home to Perth where South Fremantle dominated the last quarter but couldn’t quite get that one more goal late, there will be at least one change with Zac De San Miguel out of the line-up.

Captain Dylan Main looks set to return after hurting a hamstring early in Round 1 against Swan Districts. Kyle Hamersley, Blair Della Franca, Chris Ah Siu and Josh Collard have all been added to South Fremantle’s squad as well.

West Perth struggled to a 56-point loss to Claremont last Saturday but from that team, regain key forward Tyler Keitel for his first game of the season coming off a suspension following the Grand Final last year.

Brayden Antonio, Ben Delaporte, Zac Guadagnin, Baylee James and Dean Munns have also been added to West Perth’s squad while Kael Coleman, Troy Yukich and Dylan Yem are the outs at this stage.

ROUND 3
SOUTH FREMANTLE v WEST PERTH – FREMANTLE COMMUNITY BANK OVAL, SUNDAY 2.10PM

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