Round 2 Preview v Perth

SOUTH Fremantle got its 2015 season off to a perfect start last Friday night and now the Bulldogs have the chance to make it two from two this Saturday against Perth at Lathlain Park with the game live on 7mate.

South Fremantle started its season tremendously last Friday night beating West Perth at Fremantle Oval and now hits the road to take on a Perth team coming off a 96-point Round 1 loss to Swan Districts with the Demons now on a 15-match losing streak.

The Bulldogs have not started a season with consecutive victories since 2006 when the then reigning premiers opened the new campaign with six straight wins before eventually going on to lose the grand final of that year to Subiaco.

South Fremantle was impressive beating West Perth by 35 points last Friday night at Fremantle Oval giving the Bulldogs their first Round 1 victory since they beat East Perth by four points in a remarkable contest in 2010.

The Bulldogs then had the bye in Round 1 in both 2011 and 2012, and did beat East Perth again in 2011 in Round 2 and then Perth in a stunning comeback in Round 2 of 2012, but the last two years has seen them lose their season-openers.

South Fremantle lost its first four matches of 2014, the opening seven of 2013 and three of the first four in 2012 so after winning last Friday night, the Bulldogs are looking to make their first good start to a season since winning five of their first six matches in 2011. That was also the last time South Fremantle played finals.

South Fremantle loses Anthony Collica from the side that beat West Perth last Friday night at Fremantle Oval after he picked up 18 possessions in the opening round, but depth is far from a concern at the Bulldogs early in the season.

Toby Bairstow, Chris Luff, Matthew Gundry and Bailey Matera are all fighting to take Collica's spot in the team to take on the Demons on Saturday, and possibly fill one or two more positions if the coaching staff decides more changes are necessary.

Bairstow is a veteran of 107 league games and he racked up 34 possessions in the reserves last week to put himself right in contention to add to South Fremantle's midfield this Saturday.

Luff is a quality key defender who has joined South Fremantle from Peel Thunder this season where he previously played 43 matches, and now the 24-year-old former State 18s representative could make his league debut with the Bulldogs this week.

Gundry is a small defender who finished the 2014 season in strong form in the league team and he did his chances of a recall no harm in the reserves last Saturday while Matera is a chance for his league debut this Saturday after 23 possessions in the reserves.

Further highlighting South Fremantle's depth to start the season, John Sgherza, Mitch Carter, Paul Mugambwa, Alistair Gillespie, Ben Sokol, Adam Carter and Sam Lowrie will all remain in the reserves this week.

All have previously proven themselves capable of being strong league footballers and on top of that, Cory Dell'Olio, Jarrod Parry and Nick Borovac are quality players remaining on the sidelines for at least one more week.

Perth had a difficult start to its season last Saturday against Swan Districts but it is a stronger looking Demons line-up that has been named this week to take on South Fremantle.

Hawthorn premiership player Chance Bateman returns to the Perth side to add his leadership, skills and running ability, and based on his form to close out 2014 he still has plenty left in the tank to help out the Demons with.

Key defender Chris Billings missed Round 1 through suspension but returns to face the Bulldogs this Saturday and his reward will be to help out fellow key defenders Brent Latch and David Johnston in matching up on South Fremantle's key forwards James Sellar, Josh Pullman and Ben Saunders.

Kane Ransted is also included in the squad for Perth after playing solidly in the reserves last week on return to the Demons this season after being away in 2014. He brings with him 71 games and 80 goals previously, but he is equally capable of playing forward or back.

Joel Kalajzic had 25 possessions in the reserves last week for Perth and he could have earned himself a league recall while Callum Wally picked up 20 disposals last week in the reserves and the former Claremont colts and reserves player could be in line for league debut now this Saturday.

Kieran Hug is the only out at this stage from the Perth side that lost to Swan Districts by 96 points last Saturday.

RESERVES SQUAD
M Ah Siu, T Bairstow, M Banks, J Branchi, M Carter, A Carter, J Dragovich, A Gillespie, M Gundry, J Hall, L Harvey, S Lowrie, C Luff, J Maskos, K Matera, B Matera, B McPhail, S Mills, P Mugambwa, M Nicholson, N Olds, S Panizza, J Parry, J Sgherza, B Sokol, T Stewart, N Strom, J Tartaglia, D Warrell

COLTS SQUAD
C Ah Chee, D Brown, D Burke, D Cabassi, B Colbung, J Colpitts, B Corner, J Cupin, C Datson, Z De San Miguel, B Donaldson, M Dzelebdzic, J Florenca, J Foster, C Foster, M Grubelich, O Ham, B Kersten, J McComb, C McGuinness, J McMaster, J Musika, A Nodari, K Pirangi, A Robinson, C Salmon