Round 22 Preview v Peel Thunder

PEEL Thunder and South Fremantle might not have a finals spot on the line when the two meet at Mandurah's Bendigo Bank Stadium on Sunday, but both will be desperate to win to try and avoid a wooden spoon.

Peel and South Fremantle has won just seven wins between them for the season but both at times have shown an ability to play some terrific football in patches so whichever team brings that for the longest on Sunday will likely come away victorious.

South Fremantle, however, has been finding some improved form and consistency through the second half of the season and that began with a 15-point win over Peel at Fremantle Oval back in Round 9.

The Bulldogs then played tremendously to thump East Fremantle by 67 points in the Foundation Derby before four-straight losses but competitive efforts in particular against Perth and Claremont.

South Fremantle then was outstanding to beat the second-placed West Perth by 39 points at Arena Joondalup and after a slip up against East Fremantle, beat Subiaco prior to last week's bye.

Bulldogs coach Paul Hasleby knows that it's a different type of challenge for his young team to now go into a game where they are perhaps expected to win, but he knows that is something they need to overcome themselves and it won't be easy against a dangerous Peel team in Mandurah.

"That is a challenge that the players have to overcome themselves and if we are going to be a good playing group, as a coach you have to make sure the playing group brings the right attitude and intensity to every game," Hasleby said.

"It doesn’t matter who the opposition is. Peel has proven it can win games on their day, they have some talented players and they will be doing everything they can to get off the bottom of the ladder. I'm very confident that our guys will bring the right attitude."

The Thunder is currently on the bottom with a 3-15 record and with a far inferior percentage to South Fremantle so to avoid the wooden spoon they likely will not only need to win on Sunday, but also beat Subiaco next week before having the bye in the final round.

Remarkably if Peel is able to win both its last two games, it could actually finish as high as seventh on the ladder still with Subiaco a chance to finish last if the Thunder wins their last two games, and the Bulldogs manage to win one of their last two as well.

Peel is a much better team at home as well having won all three of its games at Bendigo Bank Stadium against Swan Districts, Subiaco and East Perth while also putting in strong performances against East Fremantle, Claremont, West Perth and Swan Districts last Saturday before only narrowly losing by six points.

South Fremantle finished strongly two weeks ago against Subiaco to get its fourth win of the season and now the Bulldogs will regain Ashton Hams from West Coast unless the Eagles make a late change ahead of their clash with Geelong on Saturday night at Patersons Stadium.

Hams has been outstanding in his seven matches for South Fremantle this season averaging 24 possessions a game and kicking 16 goals.

Myles Bolger is a chance to come in and make his league debut to help out Sean Tighe in the ruck against Peel's Dockers pair Moller and Hannath.

South Fremantle could also blood another debutant in excitement machine from the colts Marlon Pickett with Tyler Hall another potential debutant.

Wingmen come midfielders Toby Bairstow and Alex Grima are also a chance to come in and add some experience, run and quality to the South Fremantle line-up.

The only out from the Bulldogs team that beat Subiaco a fortnight ago at this stage is lively forward John Sgherza.

Peel had a real chance to beat Swan Districts last week in Mandurah which would have moved the Thunder onto four wins along with South Fremantle, but it wasn’t to be and not having Fremantle pair Jesse Crichton and Viv Michie in the second half no doubt played a part late in the contest.

Michie now goes out of the side with his injury that will end a strong season for Peel that saw him average 25.6 possessions in his 16 games while Crichton remains in the line-up after being made unavailable in the second half last week by the Dockers.

Hayden Crozier and Matt Taberner have both been added to Fremantle's extended squad to take on Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday but both could still be a chance to play for Peel if not picked in the final team.

If they are, then Taberner gives Peel a good forward target while Crozier a ball-winning midfielder who can also go forward and kick a goal on his powerful left boot.

Peel could blood another debutant with Dylan Winton a chance to play after Brad Walsh was impressive last week against Swan Districts in his first league game.

Fremantle ruckman Jack Hannath also returns to partner Craig Moller in the Thunder line-up with Kelvin Lawrence, Corey Morris, Liam McKenna and Brennan Gillam all pressing for selection as well.

By Chris Pike