NAIDOC ROUND PREVIEW V CLAREMONT

SOUTH Fremantle will attempt to bounce back in another instalment of the fascinating rivalry with Claremont as the NAIDOC Week tradition continues at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday.

South Fremantle has a remarkable and storied history with Aboriginal talent which will be celebrated as part of NAIDOC Week on Saturday with the Bulldogs also looking to hit back from a disappointing loss two weeks ago as the WAFL season resumes.

The Tigers and Bulldogs are continuing their tradition of playing one another for the Jimmy Melbourne Cup during NAIDOC Round which began at the urging of then club chief executives Todd Shimmon and Brian Ciccotosto in 2007.

It has now become one of the highlights of any WAFL season and Saturday's match up should be no different between two teams with a fascinating recent rivalry.

Both teams suffered disappointing losses two weeks ago as well leading into the bye with Claremont going down to East Perth by 26 points at Leederville Oval.

South Fremantle, meanwhile, were the first team to lose to the West Coast Eagles so far this season falling afoul of them by 41 points under lights at Mineral Resources Park.

That leaves the Tigers in third position at 7-3 and South Fremantle in fourth at 6-4 coming into a crucial match up as both teams attempt to remain in touch for a top two position behind West Perth and East Fremantle.

South Fremantle and Claremont began the NAIDOC Week concept in the WAFL back in 2007 by playing off for the Jimmy Melbourne Cup and with both teams wearing specially designed Indigenous themed jumpers to mark the occasions.

They have continued to do it every year since and will clash for the 16th time in NAIDOC Week this Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval in what is an important game for both clubs.

Claremont has won 10 of the previous 15 battles over the Jimmy Melbourne Cup since 2007 but South Fremantle has won the last couple both held at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

This will be the first time the NAIDOC Round match up will take place at Revo Fitness Stadium since 2019.

South Fremantle and Claremont have met in NAIDOC clashes now every year since 2007 with the Tigers having won six of the seven previous clashes.

South Fremantle perhaps has the strongest Indigenous heritage of all clubs in the WAFL, and possibly Australia, with the Bulldogs' Indigenous Team of the Century reading like a who's who of football royalty.

That team includes Stephen Michael, Maurice Rioli, Nicky Winmar, Peter, Phil and Wally Matera, Basil Campbell, Brad Collard and Benny Vigona as well as recent AFL stars Ash McGrath, Shannon Cox, Roger Hayden, Dean Rioli, Jeff Farmer and Mark Williams.

The most recent South Fremantle player in that team is Toby McGrath who retired at the end of 2012.

This will be the second time the two teams have met in 2022 with Claremont winning by 11 points at Fremantle Community Bank Oval back in Round 11.

Prior to that, they did battle twice in the finals last year firstly with South Fremantle winning the qualifying final by a point after Claremont co-captain Jared Hardisty missed the potential winner after the siren.

Two weeks later in the preliminary final and South Fremantle held Claremont goalless for three quarters before winning by 11 points and booking a spot in the Grand Final for a third straight year and breaking the Tigers' hearts once more.

Prior to Claremont's breakthrough win earlier this season over South Fremantle, the Bulldogs had won eight of the past 10 over the Tigers including the 2020 Grand Final, qualifying and preliminary finals of 2019, and then both finals match ups of 2021.

South Fremantle's NAIDOC Week jumper was designed by Shardah Jetta-Farmer.

The Red V represents the path to the meeting place, Fremantle which is portrayed in the centre of the guernsey. Boomerangs are tools used for hunting and protection in battle and therefore symbolises our players going into battle on field each week.

The Swan River is depicted at the bottom and shows where the river meets the ocean in Fremantle. Some personal touches include the family symbol of our designer and footprints along the side of the jersey representing our Indigenous players past and present.

Following the opening 10 rounds of the season, Claremont is the fourth best attacking team at 78.5 points a game and third best defensively at 67.7 points. 

South Fremantle remains the best defensive team conceding just 60.7 points a game but they are only seventh for points for at 70.0.

Claremont is both the best second and fourth quarter team in the competition, having outscored their opponents by 81 points in second terms, and 115 points in fourth terms. They are ranked seventh, though, in first quarters and seventh in third terms.

South Fremantle's best quarter is their third terms across the season where they are ranked fourth while they are ranked fifth in each of the first, second and fourth quarters.

NAIDOC ROUND – 2022 WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON
SOUTH FREMANTLE v CLAREMONT – REVO FITNESS STADIUM, SATURDAY 2.10PM

LEAGUE LIVE STATS
RESERVES LIVE STATS
COLTS LIVE STATS