Round 9 Optus WAFLW PreviewSaturday, May 15, 2021 - 10:59 AM - by Chris Pike

THE rescheduled Round 9 of the Optus WAFLW Premiership Season will take place this weekend and the stage is set for three fascinating match ups across the two days as a result.

The COVID-19 lockdown three weeks ago meant that Round 9 in the WAFLW season never eventuated, but it's now been decided it will take place this weekend with the rest of the season pushed back a further week.

That means that the actions gets underway with two games on Saturday afternoon with it top against bottom at Steel Blue Oval with the undefeated Swan Districts hosting the winless South Fremantle.

The battle for second position then heats up at Mandurah's David Grays Arena with Peel Thunder hosting Claremont.

Then on Sunday, it's the fight over fourth position ramping up with Subiaco taking on East Fremantle at Leederville Oval.

The round begins at Steel Blue Oval with Swan Districts hosting South Fremantle, and it can't be ignored what a great mismatch it appears on paper.

The two teams first met this season back in Round 2 at Fremantle Community Bank Oval and on that occasion it was Swan Districts beating South Fremantle 8.11 (59) to 1.0 (6).

Saturday's game will just be the second time that Swans and the Bulldogs have locked horns this WAFLW season.

South Fremantle lost to East Fremantle last Sunday and have made plenty of changes coming into this Saturday's clash with Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval.

Casey Byrne, Tahlia Dawson-Gibbs, Cali Hunt, Ashleigh Little, Reanne Pickett, Lara Rodin-Zimdahl, Makaela Tuhakaraina and Lauren Wafker are the inclusions for the Bulldogs.

Then there is those going out of the team for South Fremantle including Hunter Cronin, Chae Salbie, Rosie Anderson, Breanne Spencer, Kara Turley, Everlyn Burry, Georgia Kowald and Gabrielle Canicosa.

Swan Districts is coming off that one-point win against Peel Thunder last Sunday, but has plenty of changes coming into Saturday's clash with South Fremantle.

Nyra Anderson, Naomi Baker, Dana East, Melisha Hardy, Renee Holwill, Sarah Lakay, Emma Nanut, Aimee Ralph, Tara Stribley and Bianca Webb all come into the side.

Meanwhile, Fiona Boucher, Abbygail Bushby, Imahra Cameron, Hayley Cole, Stephanie Graskoski, Mikayla Hyde, Kareema Kheder, Shannon Matthews, Lauren Osborne and Kloe Taylor go out.

Then also on Saturday afternoon, Peel Thunder plays host to Claremont in a game that could very well end up deciding second position and which team earns a spot in the second semi-final, and a finals double chance.

On the back of winning last year's WAFLW premiership, Peel currently sits in second position on the ladder despite last week's one-point loss to Swan Districts.

The Thunder hold a 7-3 record to be just ahead of Claremont who sit in third position at 6-4.

A win on Saturday for Peel and they go a long way to securing second position but a win for the Tigers and it's going to be a cracking battle for the rest of the home and away season.

Then on Sunday it's a clash between Subiaco and East Fremantle at Leederville Oval that could go a long way to deciding fourth position.

Subiaco has finished in top position in each of the past two WAFLW seasons and reached the Grand Final last year, but up until the last couple of weeks this season has been a challenging one for the Lions.

But they have now won their past two matches coinciding with some AFLW players led by Hayley Miller coming back into their line-up, and that has seen them replace East Fremantle in fourth position on the ladder.

But the Sharks kept their finals hopes alive with a win over South Fremantle last week meaning only one game separates the two teams coming into Sunday's match up.

Subiaco has three changes for the game with Ashtyn Cowie, Beatrice Devlyn and Tiah Toth coming into the side. Kia Buckley, Tarnica Golisano and Jamie Rust go out for the Lions.

There are plenty of changes at East Fremantle with Emily Burton, Mylee Leitch, Skye Prentice, Anjelique Raison, Chloe Reilly and Stephanie Sparke into the team.

Meanwhile, Marni Alston, Rachel Ashley, Lea Caccamo, Georgie Cleaver, Gabby Radojkovich and Kahra Sprylan are out for the Sharks.

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 9

SWAN DISTRICTS v SOUTH FREMANTLE – STEEL BLUE OVAL, SATURDAY 12.00PM

PEEL THUNDER v CLAREMONT – DAVID GRAYS ARENA, SATURDAY 1.40PM

SUBIACO v EAST FREMANTLE – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SUNDAY 3.00PM