SECOND SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW V SUBIACO

SOUTH Fremantle renews another recent finals rivalry this Saturday against Subiaco at Leederville Oval with the chance to advance straight to the 2021 WAFL Grand Final.

South Fremantle booked its place in the second semi-final against Subiaco on Saturday at Leederville Oval with a heart stopping one-point win over the qualifying final victory against Claremont last Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

That was a fifth finals meeting in the last three years that South Fremantle has had with Claremont, and a fourth win for the Bulldogs from those five clashes, and now this Saturday it's a renewal of another regular finals combatant from recent years.

Saturday's clash will be the sixth finals meeting that South Fremantle has had with Subiaco in recent times, but the Bulldogs will be hoping for a change of fortunes.

The two teams have met in second semi finals of 2016, 2018 and 2019 along with a preliminary final in 2018 and Grand Final of 2019 with Subiaco winning each of those including that Grand Final in the most recent clash by 96 points at Optus Stadium.

This will be the fifth of the six match ups to take place at Leederville Oval as well with Subiaco winning each of the previous four by between 18 and 40 points.

South Fremantle went on to finish on top of the ladder for the 2020 season and capitalised on that by winning the club's first premiership since 2009.

Then so far in 2021, the two teams have split their two meetings with the home side winning on each occasion leading into this Saturday's second semi-final match up at Leederville Oval.

It all points to a fascinating contest with the winner to move into the Grand Final in two weeks' time at Optus Stadium while the loser will play host to either Claremont or West Perth in next week's preliminary final.

South Fremantle bounced back from that Grand Final loss in 2019 on the back of losing the previous three preliminary finals to win the premiership in 2020, and now has backed it up with a second place finish in 2021.

Ultimately the Bulldogs were only one Peel goal against Subiaco away from a second straight minor premiership as well so really precious little separates South Fremantle and the Lions in 2021.

The Bulldogs won the first meeting between the two by 18 points back Round 5 at Fremantle Community Bank Oval before the Lions scored a 44-point victory at Leederville Oval in Round 16.

South Fremantle took part in another classic with Claremont last Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval ending up with a one-point win to book their place in the second semi-final against Subiaco.

From that team, the Bulldogs have made a couple of changes opting for premiership ruckman Brock Higgins over Hamish Free while captain Dylan Main has been named for the injured Zac Dent.

South Fremantle coach Todd Curley is looking forward to the challenge up against the Lions knowing they are one win away from a third successive Grand Final.

"They have obviously been a good team this year to finish on top and we can't wait to get up to Leederville Oval to have a red hot crack against them," Curley said.

"We'll have a good look at them this week and then we'll pick the best 22 that we think can get the job done. We look forward to getting up there and getting stuck in."

For Subiaco, reaching the Grand Final would make it their seventh appearance on the big day in the past eight years while for South Fremantle it would be a third successive Grand Final showing.

Subiaco got back to usual proceedings in 2021 after a down year in 2020 by finishing the home and away season with a 14-4 record to claim the minor premiership, and earn the week off in the opening weekend of the finals.

Prior to 2020, the Lions had won premierships in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019 while finishing on top of the ladder every year between 2015-19 and reaching the Grand Final six straight seasons between 2014-19.

It was a remarkable run of dominance but their return to premiership contention again in 2021 has seen the Lions do with a significantly different looking playing squad.

Only Jordan Lockyer, Angus Dewar, Hayden Kennedy, Aaron Heal, Leigh Kitchin, Max Walters, Ben Sokol, Lachlan Delahunty and Greg Clark will play in Saturday's second semi-final who were there for a significant period of those dominant years.

Subiaco now comes into Saturday's second semi-final fresh off the week off after a narrow Round 22 win over Peel Thunder.

From that team, the Lions have made just the two changes with Jackob Atkinson and Jack Mayo coming into the line-up while Isaac Clinch and Lewis Putt go out.

The WAFL Team of the Year was named this week with both these teams well represented. Subiaco had Greg Clark, Leigh Kitchin and Lachlan Delahunty named in the starting 18 while South Fremantle had Noah Strom, Haiden Schloithe, Mason Shaw and Blake Schlensog in the final 22.

SECOND SEMI-FINAL – 2021 OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON
SOUTH FREMANTLE v SUBIACO – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SATURDAY 2.40PM

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