Second Semi-Final Preview v Subiaco

SOUTH Fremantle has already beaten Subiaco at Leederville Oval in 2019 and if they can do so again on Sunday afternoon, the Bulldogs will be in the WAFL Grand Final for the first time since 2009.

The Bulldogs played in their fourth successive qualifying final last Saturday and beat Claremont by seven points to now book a spot in their third second semi-final of the past four years

They have lost the previous two second semi-final match ups against Subiaco in 2016 and 2018, but now it could be fourth time lucky on Sunday and if it is, the Bulldogs are straight into the Grand Final at Optus Stadium on Sunday September 22.

It's a remarkable feat by both Subiaco and South Fremantle that as they prepare to do battle in Sunday second semi-final that for a fourth consecutive year, they have finished first and second on the ladder.

For a fifth straight season, Subiaco claimed the minor premiership and they have played in the last five Grand Finals for premierships in 2014, 2015 and 2018, and losses to Peel Thunder in 2016 and 2017.

South Fremantle, meanwhile, has finished in second position in each of the past three seasons and on every occasion has lost in the preliminary final – to Peel Thunder in 2016, Subiaco in 2017 and West Perth in a stunning upset in 2018.

But both teams are back at it again in familiar positions. Subiaco is looking to win its way through to a sixth straight Grand Final while South Fremantle is looking to break that preliminary final hoodoo and qualify for a first Grand Final since 2009 – where they did defeat the Lions.

Given they have finished first and second for four straight years now, the Lions and Bulldogs have met in each of the past three finals series.

Back in 2016, they met in the second semi-final with Subiaco winning by 40 points to move straight into the Grand Final leaving South Fremantle to go on to lose the preliminary final to Peel.

Then in 2017, it was a preliminary final meeting at Leederville Oval and this time Subiaco prevailed by 32 points to again advance to the Grand Final and end the season of South Fremantle.

And last year, it was a second semi-final match up and South Fremantle jumped Subiaco early, but the Lions steadied to continue their record-breaking undefeated season to win into the Grand Final as the Bulldogs hosted a preliminary final the next week and lost to West Perth.

South Fremantle has added Zac Strom, Zac Dent, Adam McIntosh and Tom Blechynden to its squad from the team that beat Claremont in last Saturday's qualifying final win against Claremont.

If Strom and Dent are fit, they would be automatic inclusions while McIntosh is a surprise inclusion when it appeared his season was over with a broken hand.

South Fremantle will also celebrate the 100th game of rock solid defender Jason Maskos. He has cemented himself as one of the best one-on-one defenders in the competition and now gets to celebrate his 100th game on Sunday as the Bulldogs try to win their way into the Grand Final. 

His reward might even be the job on Bernie Naylor Medallist and former teammate Ben Sokol. Brandon Donaldson also reaches his 50th game on Sunday.

Subiaco has lost just one game since the 2017 Grand Final but that didn’t happen to be against South Fremantle and it was earlier this season in Round 6 at Leederville Oval so the Bulldogs will enter Sunday's second semi-final thinking it's not quite mission impossible.

South Fremantle coach Todd Curley is looking forward to the challenge and what potentially is at the end of the afternoon if the Bulldogs do everything right.

"We really look forward to going to Leederville next week now and playing against a very good team. But it's a team we beat there earlier in the year," Curley said.

"Absolutely we are looking forward to it. They are a great team and have been for a long time. We are obviously a team that has changed a lot in the last 12 months but we are improving all the time so why can't we go there and give it a crack."

Subiaco has suffered a significant blow entering the game losing key forward Ryan Borchet to a one-week suspension.

Borchet has kicked 42 for the season and nine over the past two weeks forming quite the partnership with Bernie Naylor Medallist Ben Sokol who has kicked 29 goals the last five weeks and 51 for the season.

But without Borchet there, it's going to mean a different looking Subiaco forward set up meaning they might have to recall Tim Sutherland to play in the ruck and allow Lachlan Delahunty to go forward, or Rowen Powell, might have play more as a tall target in the forward-line.

OPTUS WAFL FINALS SERIES

SECOND SEMI-FINAL
SOUTH FREMANTLE v SUBIACO – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SUNDAY 2.10PM