Round 18 Preview v Subiaco

SOUTH Fremantle and Subiaco sit at opposite ends of the ladder but if the Bulldogs are able to limit the Lions' scoring power then they have enough firepower themselves to make it a real contest on Saturday at Fremantle Oval.

Subiaco now sits in second position on the WAFL ladder having won three straight matches, and five of its last six to now sit on an 11-4 record to be significant percentage ahead of the third-placed Swan Districts.

The Lions are still eyeing off the minor premiership as well with them sitting only the one game behind East Perth, with a similar percentage and a game still to go in the run home against the Royals.

However, first things first Subiaco has to try and take care of business against a South Fremantle team with enormous talent despite having just the four wins for the season to date.

With Haiden Schloithe, Ashton Hams, Brendan Verrier, Steven Verrier, Jacob Martinez, Shaun Bewick and Toby Bairstow all good ball winners, Ben Saunders dangerous up forward and Dylan Ross, Zac Strom and Nick Borovac solid down back, South Fremantle has the makings of a solid line-up.

Add in the experienced Craig White and Paul Mugambwa, and the youth of Tim Kelly, Matthew Gundry and Ben Sokol, and there is enough for Subiaco to need to be mindful of.

South Fremantle is coming off the bye but before that beat Perth by 12 points having kicked the game's last two goals after conceding what had appeared to be a match-winning lead at three quarter-time.

Subiaco has also had the better of recent battles with South Fremantle.

The Lions beat the Bulldogs back in Round 1 this year by 48 points and last year, won the first two meetings before South Fremantle won by eight points in Round 20.

The bye came at an inopportune time for South Fremantle once again following the drought breaking win over Perth leading into Saturday's clash with the second-placed Subiaco.

South Fremantle won that game against Perth despite the absence of Ashton Hams, Adam Guglielmana and Ryan Cook, all likely to finish in the top five of the Bulldogs' fairest and best count for 2014.

Hams now returns this Saturday to face Subiaco having missed just the one game after getting hurt in South Fremantle's loss to Claremont but Guglielmana and Cook remained sidelined for at least one more week with hamstring and calf injuries respectively.

Key forward Josh Pullman and the versatile Mitch Carter are two other players also looking to force their way back into the South Fremantle in the run home to the finish of a tough season for the Bulldogs, and to coach Paul Hasleby's three-year tenure at the helm.

Subiaco is in terrific and high-scoring form having kicked the highest score of the season last week against Perth and that spells danger for a South Fremantle with a proficiency in having big scores kicked against them in recent times.

Subiaco kicked the highest score by any team in the WAFL this season last week against Perth on the back of the biggest first and last quarters.

The Lions have averaged 105 points a game so far in 2014 to be the highest scoring team in the league while South Fremantle is the second worst defensively averaging 95 points a game against them.

Subiaco has also been the best finishing team over the course of the season in the WAFL outscoring its opposition in fourth quarters by a total of 172 points and that could spell trouble for South Fremantle with the Bulldogs having been outscored in second halves by a total of 199 points.

The Bulldogs have been strong starters to games, though, and are the third best opening quarter teams in the competition having outscored their opposition by 85 points over the course of the year to date. The problem there is that Subiaco is also the best starting team in the league.

Subiaco does lose ruckman Frank Stockley to a hamstring injury suffered in last Saturday's win over Perth with Joel Ashman, James Garcia and Aaron Heal in the mix to return to the Lions' line-up.

Jordan Bestry is also a chance to make his league debut for the Lions having played 11 reserves matches so far in 2014 on the back of 39 in the colts the past two years.

The 19-year-old 198cm developing ruckman could receive his chance to help out Andrew McDougall in the ruck in the absence of Stockley and with Lachlan Delahunty still sidelined with injury as well for the clash with the Bulldogs.

RESERVES TEAM
T Bennell, M Bolger, S Borovac, J Branchi, M Carter, E Collard, A Collica, J D'Vauz, J Dragovich, B Fimmano, J Garlett, M Gundry, J Hall, L Harvey, B Hill, J Maskos, K Matera, B Matera, A McIntosh, S Mills, M Nicholson, S Panizza, J Pantano, J Parry, J Pickett, M Pickett, J Pullman, M Russell, J Sgherza, B Sokol, T Stewart, J Tartaglia, M Walley

COLTS TEAM
M Ah Siu, B Byron, D Cabassi, J Culleton, J Depane, B Donaldson, J Florenca, J Foster, W Frampton, O Ham, J Hickey, B Kersten, C Loersch, J McComb, G McLeod, J McMaster, B McPhail, J Mirco, D Moore, L Pearson, C Salmon, K Stewart, N Strom, B Truss, S Williamson