Round 7 Optus WAFL PreviewFriday, August 28, 2020 - 2:59 PM - by Chris Pike

THINGS are now getting to the business end of the 2020 Optus WAFL Premiership Season with only three rounds remaining and all of a sudden Subiaco can't afford to drop another game setting up a tantalising Saturday match up against Perth to highlight Round 7.

Perth last played in a WAFL final back in 1997. It has been a dreadful 23 years since with the Demons not only not taking part in a single finals series, but rarely remaining in contention for a spot late in the season and along the way collecting six wooden spoons.

In that time, Subiaco has dominated the WAFL. The Lions have claimed 10 minor premierships since 1997, taken part in 13 Grand Finals and won premierships in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019.

So it's fair to say that since 1997, Subiaco has been the best performing team in the WAFL and Perth has been the worst, but all of a suddenly Saturday at Lathlain's Mineral Resources Park could see the Demons book in a 2020 finals appearance and end the Lions' hopes in the process.

The stage is all set for a fascinating contest and it's only fitting that the clash between Perth and Subiaco will be broadcast live on Channel 7 from 12pm.

WAFL TEAM OF ROUND 6 

OPTUS WAFL ROUND 6 WRAP

Perth beat Claremont last Saturday to improve to a 4-1 record on the season to remain in fourth position on the ladder while Subiaco is fifth with a 2-3 record.

That leaves the Demons two games ahead of the Lions with only three matches of the 2020 WAFL season remaining.

Perth can lock away their spot in the finals with a win against Subiaco on Saturday and that would all but end the Lions hopes of not only reaching the finals, but winning a third successive premiership.

However, a win for Subiaco and suddenly the race for a position in the top four remains on in earnest with only one game separating the Demons and Lions with their percentages relatively close as well.

So to say there's a lot at stake at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday would be one of the great understatements.

Working in Subiaco's favour is a current seven-game winning streak against Perth with an average winning margin of 60 points. The last Demons win over the Lions came back in Round 16, 2016.

This would be a fine time to break that run for the Demons and secure a spot in the finals in the process.

Coming off last Saturday's win against Claremont, the Demons have made just the one change with Ethan Hansen coming into the side for the injured Chris Masten.

Meanwhile, there are some big inclusions at Subiaco including Kyal Horsley for his 199th WAFL appearance. Fellow premiership players Aaron Heal and Rowen Powell also return with Aaron Breman and Liam Hickmott also added for the Lions.

Isaac Clinch, Thomas Edwards-Baldwin, Braden Fimmano, Wil Hickmott and Lewis Upton are the players to make way in the Lions team from the one that lost to Leederville Oval co-tenants East Perth last Saturday to put their finals place in jeopardy.

Round 7 also includes the winless Peel Thunder hosting the undefeated South Fremantle at Mandurah's David Grays Arena.

Peel has done its best to be competitive so far in 2020 but it was always going to be a challenge without the access to Fremantle's AFL-listed players and with little ability before the season began to bring in some replacements.

That has meant the Thunder have lost their opening six matches this season including going down to Peel Thunder last week in the battle of winless teams to Swan Districts by 29 points at Steel Blue Oval.

South Fremantle is fresh off the Round 6 bye and before that had won its opening five matches of the 2020 WAFL season against East Fremantle, West Perth, Claremont, Subiaco and Swan Districts.

The Bulldogs remain the only undefeated team in the competition this season to be clear on top of the ladder with the best percentage. All they need to do is keep winning and the minor premiership should be theirs on the back of reaching last year's Grand Final.

South Fremantle has won three of its last four games against Peel, including both in 2019, since the Thunder beat the Bulldogs in the 2017 qualifying final on their way to a second straight premiership.

Peel Thunder has made four changes from its team that lost to Swan Districts last week with Raymond Giudici, Thomas Quaife, Robert Schindler-Taylor and Isiah Winder into the team.

Ryan Bennell, Jordan Boullineau, James Ewing and Brad Holmes are the players to go out for the Thunder.

South Fremantle welcomes back key midfielder Jacob Dragovich after he missed the games against Subiaco and Swan Districts prior to the bye. The Bulldogs will also unveil another debut with ruckman Jacob Warne into the side in the continued absence of Brock Higgins.

Seaton Thompson will also make his first league appearance of the season for the Bulldogs with Kyle Hamersley, Travis Abbott and Tom Blechynden the three players to lose their place in the side.

Round 7 in the WAFL continues with East Fremantle hosting Claremont at New Choice Homes Park from 2.30pm on Saturday.

The Sharks played well last week up at Joondalup before being overrun by West Perth but now they have another chance at their second win of the season which could still leave the Tigers vulnerable in the race to the finals.

Claremont lost at home last Saturday to Perth meaning the Tigers could still be the team vulnerable inside the top four even though they remain in third position despite that loss.

But the Tigers have played a game more than Perth, Subiaco and East Perth who are the teams attempting to still leapfrog them meaning they can't afford a slip up against the Sharks on Saturday with a bye for them still to come over the last two weeks.

Claremont would go a long to securing a fourth straight finals appearance with the win on Saturday but the loss would leave them with a nervous final two rounds.

East Fremantle might be out of the finals hunt coming into Round 7, but they have shown further improvement so far for the most part on what they produced in 2019 and it's a chance to put that into further practice on Saturday on their home turf.

From the East Fremantle team that went so close against West Perth last week, Zach Jackson, Nick Kommer, Reuben McGuire, Max Murphy, Ambrose Ryan and Brynn Teakle all come into the line-up.

Tim Bockman and Nick Bonomelli are the confirmed outs so far for the Sharks.

Claremont is attempting to bounce back from the loss to Perth last Saturday with Jared Hardisty, Tom Lee and Ed McGinty all coming into the side.

Ruckman Jeremy Goddard along with Charlie Malone and Tyron Smallwood are the players going out for the Tigers.

The final game of the round takes place at Leederville Oval from 2.35pm between East Perth and Swan Districts.

The Royals kept their slim finals hopes alive last week with a stirring win over Subiaco while Swan Districts won its first game of 2020 against Peel Thunder.

East Perth improved to a 2-3 record on the season with the win over Subiaco but the Royals will need to keep winning over the last three weeks to remain any hope of breaking into the top four.

East Perth has added Mitch Dobson, Jordan Hayden, Sebit Kuek and Harley Sparks to its squad that beat Subiaco last week with nobody named out at this stage.

Meanwhile at Swan Districts, Mitch Bain, Jordan Beck, Seb Bright and Patrick Italiano have all been included with Aidan Clarke, Deven Costigan, George Hampson and Brayden Noble going out.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 7

PERTH (4-1, 4th) v SUBIACO (2-3, 5th) – MINERAL RESOURCES PARK, SATURDAY 12.05PM
Live scores, stats  
Broadcast – Channel 7

PEEL THUNDER (0-6, 9th) v SOUTH FREMANTLE (5-0, 1st) – DAVID GRAYS ARENA, SATURDAY 2.00PM
Live scores, stats

EAST FREMANTLE (1-4, 8th) v CLAREMONT (3-3, 3rd) – NEW CHOICE HOMES PARK, SATURDAY 2.30PM
Live scores, stats

EAST PERTH (2-3, 6th) v SWAN DISTRICTS (1-4, 7th) – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SATURDAY 2.35PM
Live scores, stats
Broadcast – 91.3 SportFM