Round 8 Preview - Claremont v Peel ThunderFriday, May 5, 2017 - 1:54 PM - by Chris Pike

CLAREMONT and Peel Thunder both look to arrest losing slides in the WAFL on Saturday when they meet on neutral turf at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

With Claremont Oval still unavailable due to its on-going redevelopment, Claremont is forced to shift another home game. This time the venue just happens to be Fremantle Community Bank Oval where Peel's contingent of Fremantle AFL players will feel right back at home.

Claremont and Peel both started the 2017 season strongly, but haven’t been able to maintain it in recent weeks putting extra significance on the result on Saturday.

Coming off missing the finals despite a competitive season in 2016, Claremont started well under new coach Darren Harris this season beating East Fremantle, East Perth and Perth.

But the Tigers have since lost to South Fremantle, Subiaco and Swan Districts.

While there's no disgrace in that considering they are the top three teams in the competition right now and all sit on 5-1 records coming into Round 8, Claremont will be desperate to bounce back on Saturday against the reigning premiers.

Peel, meanwhile, steamrolled all the way to last year's maiden premiership and continued that momentum to open 2017 with wins over East Perth and East Fremantle to go on the club's first ever seven-game winning streak.

The Thunder haven’t been able to maintain that, though, suffering four straight defeats since at the hands of South Fremantle, Subiaco, West Perth and East Perth.

With Claremont now sitting at 3-3 and Peel 2-4, the good starts to the season are in the rear-vision mirror and both will be desperate to turn things around again starting Saturday.

Both teams had representatives in the WAFL State squad named to face the VFL later this month in Melbourne.

Claremont is represented in the 37-man squad by Sandover Medallist Jye Bolton, small forward Jack Bradshaw and ruckman Mitch Andrews. Peel has just the one player in the squad, small forward Leroy Jetta who has kicked 16 goals to date this season.

While Peel's defence has been solid this season and is the best in the competition outside the top three teams, the Thunder have been struggling to score with their 67.5 points a game the lowest outside of the winless East Fremantle.

Claremont, meanwhile, is having no trouble scoring going at 91.3 points a game to be third behind just South Fremantle and Subiaco. But he Tigers are allowing 88.0 points a game to be better defensively than only West Perth, Perth and East Fremantle.

Claremont's hopes of returning to the winner's list have received mixed new at the selection table.

The bad news is having captain Jake Murphy, defenders Haydn Busher and John Williams, and midfielder Tom Shanahan going out of the line-up following last week's loss to Swan Districts.

There is exciting news, though, with the naming of Anthony Morabito in the squad for the first time.

The former injury-plagued Fremantle and Peel Thunder player has joined Claremont this season and having overcome another injury, has spent the last two weeks in the reserves and could make his debut with the Tigers against his former team on Saturday.

Ryan Neates would also be another prominent return for the Tigers while Jack Richardson would add some further punch to the forward-line.

Bailey Bennett, Matt Davies, Matt Guelfi and Lachlan Martinis are the other players in the mix at selection for Claremont.

Peel's selection news will largely depend on what happens with Fremantle for their clash with Essendon at Domain Stadium on Sunday.

It does appear Matt Taberner will get the call up for the Dockers robbing Peel of his target he provides in attack, but that's somewhat offset with Michael Apeness being right to return from injury.

Cameron Sutcliffe has also been included in Fremantle's extended squad but he could still line-up for the Thunder on Saturday.

Josh Mathers is one confirmed out for Peel while Danyle Pearce will look to build some form and fitness with the Thunder to try and break back in at Fremantle.

Brad Walsh, Calvin Thorne, Brett Milward and Michael Tassone are the others in the mix at selection for the Thunder to face the Tigers.

CLAREMONT (3-3, 5th) v PEEL THUNDER (2-4, 6th) – FREMANTLE COMMUNITY BANK OVAL, SATURDAY 2.15PM
Selected teams, live stats 
Broadcast – Footy Radio (WAFL App)