Round 2 Preview - Subiaco v PerthFriday, March 24, 2017 - 1:39 PM - by Chris Pike

SUBIACO and Perth both suffered opening round losses to start the 2017 WAFL season as they prepare to do battle in a twilight fixture at Leederville Oval on Saturday.

Coming off playing in the previous three WAFL grand finals, Subiaco fell short in Round 1 last Saturday losing to South Fremantle by 39 points at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Perth, meanwhile, started in stunning fashion against Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval but ended up losing by 12 points.

Round 1 - South Fremantle v Subiaco Match Report 
Round 1 – Swan Districts v Perth Match Report 

With both teams looking to bounce back from those opening round defeats, they will be throwing everything into the clash at Leederville Oval on Saturday that will begin in daylight and finish in darkness with the game starting at 4.15pm.

Subiaco only lost five times in all of 2016, including the grand final defeat to Peel Thunder, on the back of winning the 2014 and 2015 premierships, but now the Lions are in unfamiliar territory looking to bounce back from a slow start to the new season.

Subiaco had conceded four goals in the first 11 minutes to South Fremantle last Saturday before even scoring. Despite the Lions mounting a comeback just before three quarter-time, the Bulldogs steadied to end up beating them by 39 points.

It was the opposite story for the Demons who piled on the first four goals against Swans at Steel Blue Oval. Perth ended up kicking eight goals to four in a scintillating opening quarter.

However, the Demons kicked just three goals the rest of the afternoon with Swans kicking eight to end up winning by 12 points.

Perth did actually win the last meeting it had with Subiaco back in Round 16 last year in horrible conditions at Lathlain Park. But prior to that, the Lions had beaten the Demons in the previous seven meetings since Perth won both encounters back in 2013.

Subiaco will lose premiership defender Hayden Kennedy to a shoulder injury while East Perth recruit Daniel Perkins is also out of the side that lost to South Fremantle last Saturday at the port.

Captain Kyal Horsley is a big inclusion for Subiaco as is former West Coast rookie Corey Adamson.

Brad Stevenson (12 touches), Braden Fimmano (12 disposals) and Ben Sokol (14 possessions, one goal) all played in the reserves last week for the Lions and come into calculations to take on the Demons this Saturday.

Brennan Stack has been included to Perth's squad from the team that played Swan Districts last week following a three-goal effort in the reserves last Saturday.

Kristian Morisey continued to push his name up with 17 possessions in the reserves last week as well while Kurtis Chester had 28 disposals as well to be in the mix.

With both teams coming off a first up loss neither will want to start the season 0-2 setting up what should be a good contest.

SUBIACO v PERTH – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SATURDAY 4.15PM
Selected teams, live stats