Round 4 Preview - Subiaco v Peel ThunderFriday, April 7, 2017 - 2:05 PM - by Chris Pike

LEEDERVILLE Oval plays host to its second WAFL match in 18 hours on Saturday with a grand final rematch for the first time in 2017 as Subiaco takes on Peel Thunder.

Subiaco was the dominant team throughout the 2016 home and away season losing just four games on the way to finishing on top of the ladder following winning the last two WAFL premierships.

The Lions then cruised into the grand final after a second semi-final win over South Fremantle but what awaited in the decider was a Thunder team ready to make history.

After losing to Subiaco at Bendigo Bank Stadium in Round 22 which included blowing a match-winning lead, Peel went on a historic run beating Claremont in Round 23 and then defeating East Perth, West Perth and South Fremantle to book in their first grand final appearance.

And there, Peel proved too strong for Subiaco winning by 23 points.

Now this Saturday at Leederville Oval will be the first time the two teams have met since that fateful day at Domain Stadium.

Peel went on to win the first two games of 2017 as well in style beating East Perth by 17 points at Leederville Oval and East Fremantle by 86 points at Bendigo Bank Stadium.

However, the Thunder's seven-game winning run was ended last Saturday at home with a 43-point defeat to South Fremantle.

Subiaco also started its season with a 39-point defeat at the hands of South Fremantle before beating Perth by 23 points and West Perth by 11.

While it is a grand final rematch from only a little over six months ago, both teams have had mass changes to their line-ups from then to now.

From Subiaco's grand final team of 2016, Rhys Waters, Simon Moore, Greg Broughton, Brett Robinson, Brett Mahoney, Chris Bryan, Daniel Leishman and Hamish Shepheard all won't be there on Saturday.

And from Peel's premiership side from last year, Tendai Mzungu, Matt de Boer, Josh Bootsma, Shane Yarran, Ethan Hughes, Connor Blakely, Harley Balic, Ed Langdon, Alex Silvagni, Josh Deluca, Michael Apeness, Ryan Nyhuis, Zac Clarke and Clancee Pearce won't be there for the rematch.

That leaves Gerald Ugle, Rory O'Brien, Brayden Lawler, Nick Suban, Darcy Tucker, Blair Bell, Sam Collins and Jonathon Griffin as the only premiership players who will be with Peel on Saturday.

From the Subiaco team that defeated West Perth by 11 points at HBF Arena last Saturday, Justin Joyce goes out of the line-up.

But Adam Cockie looks set to return for the Lions after being forced to bide his time in the reserves over the opening three rounds.

Scott Hancock could be straight in following a game in the reserves back from a knee reconstruction while ruckman David Madut is a chance to be back as well for his first league game since Round 15, 2015.

Former West Perth colts and reserves player Liam Baker is also a chance to make his league debut with Subiaco after starting the season well in the reserves at his new club.

With the mass changes at Fremantle this week, that has a flow down effect on Peel as the Thunder take on Subiaco on Saturday at Leederville Oval.

The positive for Peel will be the returns of Zac Dawson, Suban, Tucker, Cameron Sutcliffe, Danyle Pearce and Griffin from Fremantle. One of those might likely remain an AFL emergency for Saturday night's clash with the Western Bulldogs at Domain Stadium.

But on the negative side, the Thunder will be losing Tom Sheridan, Hayden Crozier, Brady Grey, Harley Balic and Griffin Logue to Fremantle this week.

Whoever is out there for both teams, there is sure to be some left over feelings from last year's grand final that will surface and the difference from being 3-1 or 2-2 for the winner and loser make it a fascinating contest.

SUBIACO (2-1, 5th) v PEEL THUNDER (2-1, 3rd) – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SATURDAY 12.05PM
Selected teams, live stats 
Broadcast – 7mate, FootyRadio (WAFL App)