Round 6 Optus WAFLW PreviewFriday, August 21, 2020 - 1:46 PM - by Chris Pike

ROUND 6 in the 2020 Optus WAFL Women's Premiership Season marks the penultimate weekend of the home and away campaign with the race on in earnest to lock away a finals position.

Coming into the final two rounds of the 2020 Optus WAFLW season, there remains a race on between four teams to lock away second, third and fourth positions on the ladder and a finals berth.

That means that every game being played from now on will have a say in who ends up playing finals and that includes those involving a Subiaco team who has all but locked in a second straight minor premiership and South Fremantle who remain winless in their inaugural WAFLW season.

OPTUS WAFLW ROUND 5 WRAP

Round 6 in the WAFLW gets underway on Saturday afternoon at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval with Swan Districts taking on Peel Thunder.

Both teams are attempting to lock away a finals position for 2020 with Swans and the Thunder entering the contest on 3-2 records, but Peel's percentage is significantly greater than that of Swan Districts.

That will mean that if the Thunder are able to get the win away from home on Saturday, it would guarantee them a finals appearance which would be a significant result after taking out the wooden spoon in the inaugural WAFLW season in 2019.

Swan Districts made the WAFLW Grand Final in 2019 but it's been an up and down ride so far in 2020. However, a win on Saturday on home turf and they will all but secure a finals appearance as well.

From the Swan Districts team that beat South Fremantle last week at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, Nyra Anderson, Ashley Sharp and Bianca Webb come into the squad this week at the expense of Chanel Jetta, Courtney Lindgren and Shannon Matthews.

Peel lost narrowly to Subiaco last week and from that side, Chloe College, Kaitlin Hayes, Greta McKinley and Demi Okely all come into the squad while at this stage, only Cassie Davidson goes out.

Then on Sunday afternoon, Claremont will host South Fremantle at Claremont's Revo Fitness Stadium with bounce down set for 2pm.

Claremont comes into the game in fourth position with a 2-3 record but only sitting percentage ahead of East Fremantle.

That means that the Tigers can't afford any sort slip up against South Fremantle on Sunday with them needing a win to avoid potentially slipping outside of the top four heading into the last round of the home and away season.

South Fremantle might still be winless in its first season in the WAFL Women's competition, but the Bulldogs are improving each week and they'll look to continue that on Sunday against Claremont.

From the Claremont team that lost to East Fremantle by one point last week, there are four changes with Adele Arnup, Taylor Evans, Dianna Evans and Tui Wineti coming in for the Tigers.

Tessa Doumanis, Brooke Hongell, Matilda Sergeant and Jacinta Valentini are the four players to go out of the Claremont team that will be hosting South Fremantle on Sunday.

South Fremantle has made another five changes for its team that lost to Swan Districts last week and that will take on Claremont this Sunday.

Milla Bickmore, Casey Byrne, Tahlia McRoberts, Chloe Taylor and Sarah Wright are the players all coming in for the Bulldogs this week.

Meanwhile, Emily Boothman, Taylah Cruttenden, Tahlia Dawson-Gibbs, Ebony Humble and Chae-Lee Salbie go out.

The last game of the round also takes place on Sunday afternoon and it should be a beauty between Subiaco and East Fremantle at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park.

Subiaco already looks to have done enough to secure a second straight minor premiership in the WAFLW competition having won their opening five matches of 2020 and having the runaway best percentage among all the teams.

The Lions will look to keep their winning form going on Sunday, though, against the reigning premiers with East Fremantle needing to win to avoid seeing their premiership defence all but come to an end.

The Sharks beat Claremont last week to stay in the finals race but they do need to keep running if they hope to break into the top four over the final two weeks.

Subiaco has added Abbey Dowrick, Tiah Haynes, Jacqueline Toth and Madi Wilkins to its team to take on East Fremantle on Sunday while Kia Buckley, Jayme Harken and Charlie Thomas go out.

East Fremantle has brought in Hannah Brown, Katelyn Catalano, Zoe Gillard, Sara Lewis and Dynella Tripi while Stephanie Sparke and Katrina Tinson go out.
 

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON - ROUND 6

SWAN DISTRICTS (3-2, 3rd) v PEEL THUNDER (3-2, 2nd) – STEEL BLUE OVAL, SATURDAY 12.50PM
Live scores, stats  

CLAREMONT (2-3, 4th) v SOUTH FREMANTLE (0-5, 6th) – REVO FITNESS STADIUM, SUNDAY 2.00PM
Live scores, stats

SUBIACO (5-0, 1st) v EAST FREMANTLE (2-3, 5th) – NEW CHOICE HOMES PARK, SUNDAY 2.00PM
Live scores, stats
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