WAFLW Semi Finals PreviewFriday, September 4, 2020 - 12:18 PM - by Chris Pike

IT is finals time in the WAFL Women's competition on Sunday afternoon with Subiaco and Peel Thunder playing for a Grand Final spot, and East Fremantle and Swan Districts fighting to stay alive.

After an exciting 2020 Optus WAFL Women's Premiership Season over seven weeks where the four finals teams wasn’t decided until the very last game of the competition, it's now time for the finals with all four teams having a realistic claim at the premiership.

Claremont was the unlucky team to miss out on playing finals after losing in Mandurah to Peel Thunder last Saturday and then with East Fremantle replacing them in the top four by beating Swan Districts on Sunday.

So that sets the stage for a fascinating WAFLW finals series that sees both semi finals played this Sunday afternoon at 2.30pm.

The first semi-final takes place between East Fremantle and Swan Districts in a Grand Final rematch from last year with the winner to stay alive and the season over for the loser.

It's fair to say East Fremantle and Swan Districts are now well and truly used to doing battle with another. They met in last year's inaugural Grand Final and the Sharks prevailed to win the first ever WAFLW premiership.

They've already played twice this year too with Swans winning by 12 points back in Round 4 at Steel Blue Oval and then last week at New Choice Homes Park, it was East Fremantle winning narrowly by three points to book in the finals spot.

Now for the second straight week it's the Sharks hosting Swans at Shark Park and this time there will be no tomorrow for the loser while the winner will advance to the preliminary final.

Then the second semi-final takes place at Leederville Oval at the same time on Sunday afternoon with Subiaco hosting Peel Thunder.

The winner will book in a spot in the WAFLW Grand Final for 2020 while the loser will receive a second chance and host the preliminary final against the winner of the first semi-final between East Fremantle and Swan Districts.

Subiaco also finished with the minor premiership in last year's WAFLW competition before ending up bowing out of the finals in straight sets so the Lions will be desperate to avoid a similar fate by winning on Sunday and advancing straight to the Grand Final.

It's been a remarkable turnaround in 2020 by Peel Thunder. They finished last in the first ever WAFLW season last year but they have been tremendous now this year.

With a win against Claremont last week, not only did they secure a finals spot but moved all the way up into second spot to earn a finals double chance. They will either reach the Grand Final on Sunday or earn the rights to host the preliminary final.

Meanwhile in the WAFLW Reserves competition, East Fremantle takes on Claremont in the second semi-final fighting for a Grand Final spot at New Choice Homes Park on Sunday at 12.25pm.

The loser of that game will play the preliminary final against the winner of the first semi-final between West Perth and Subiaco who play also on Sunday at 12.25pm at Leederville Oval.

And in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup, Peel Thunder and South Fremantle meet in the second semi-final at Leederville Oval at 10.30am on Sunday morning.

The winner of that game will go into the Grand Final and the loser will play the preliminary final against the winner of the first semi-final between Claremont and East Fremantle also on Sunday at 10.30am at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park.

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – SEMI FINALS

FIRST SEMI-FINAL
EAST FREMANTLE (4-3, 3rd) v SWAN DISTRICTS (4-3, 4th) – NEW CHOICE HOMES PARK, SUNDAY 2.30PM
Live scores, stats  

SECOND SEMI-FINAL
SUBIACO (6-1, 1st) v PEEL THUNDER (4-3, 2nd) – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SUNDAY 2.30PM
Live scores, stats