Round 12 Optus WAFLW PreviewSaturday, May 22, 2021 - 2:10 AM - by Chris Pike

THE last month of the home and away season in the 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership campaign begins this weekend highlighted by the two form teams locking horns when Swan Districts hosts Subiaco on Sunday.

Round 12 of the Optus WAFLW season marks the beginning of the final month of the home and away campaign before the finals series commences adding some extra meaning to the three match ups this weekend.

It gets underway on Saturday evening at Mandurah's David Grays Arena with the reigning premiers Peel Thunder hosting the winless South Fremantle from 5pm.

Peel is clear in second position on the ladder coming into the final month of the home and away season, and their premiership defence is still well and truly alive.

The Thunder did lose last week but it was only by a solitary point against the undefeated Swan Districts. They are currently two games clear in their second spot and that means they are close to locking in a place in the second semi-final and earning a finals double chance.

That also means that South Fremantle has their work cut out for them once again as they chase that elusive first victory in the WAFLW victory.

Last week's game for South Fremantle was abandoned at half-time following the nasty incident that caused a significant delay and saw Bulldogs youngster Cali Hunt taken to hospital.

But by that point South Fremantle was already well behind against the undefeated Swan Districts and it was going to be a long way back for them to make a contest of it.

The other two matches take place on Sunday afternoon beginning at 12.05pm with the league-leading and undefeated Swan Districts hosting the on fire Subiaco at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval.

Swan Districts are now three games clear on top of the WAFLW ladder having been awarded the points from last weeks' game that was abandoned at half-time with South Fremantle.

That improved Swans to a perfect 11-0 record on the season and with only four rounds now remaining before finals, they are three games and a huge percentage clear of the second placed Peel Thunder.

So that means Swan Districts have all but locked in winning the minor premiership for this Optus WAFLW Premiership Season and that means earning a finals double chance, and also the hosting rights for the second semi-final with a spot in the Grand Final up for grabs.

Despite all of that, Sunday's game for Swan Districts against Subiaco at Leederville Oval should be a fascinating one.

The Lions struggled early on in the 2021 season on the back of being minor premiers in the first two WAFLW seasons and then reaching the 2020 Grand Final before eventually losing to Peel Thunder.

But they have turned the corner in ominous fashion in recent weeks including a big win over East Fremantle and Claremont over the past two games to now be sitting two games clear in fourth position on the ladder

The Lions now appear guaranteed of playing finals and with the form they are in, they could still be a serious threat to the premiership and that could even be the case more so if they cause the upset against the undefeated Swan Districts on Sunday.

The two teams first met this season back in Round 5 at Steel Blue Oval with Swan Districts comfortably claiming the 7.12 (54) to 2.6 (18) victory over Subiaco.

They then played one another just three weeks later and it was a much closer affair with Swans only just managing to prevail 7.6 (48) to 6.4 (40) also at Steel Blue Oval.

Swan Districts has made two changes coming into the game with Naomi Baker and Shannan Rene into the line-up at the expense of Mikayla Bowen and Stephanie Cain.

Meanwhile, Subiaco has made the four changes with Taylisha Brown, Hayley Corlett, Amy Hunt and Tylor McIntosh the inclusions. Ellie Blackmore, Tarnica Golisano, Jamie Rust and Tiah Toth go out.

The last game of the round takes place at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park with East Fremantle playing host to Claremont from 2pm.

It's an important game for both teams as well with East Fremantle on its last legs to stay in the finals mix while Claremont also needs to win maintain their hold in third position and avoid slipping behind Subiaco into fourth.

Meanwhile in the WAFL Reserves competition, Round 12 sees all three games take place on Sunday with East Fremantle playing Claremont, West Perth taking on South Fremantle at Joondalup's Provident Financial Oval and Subiaco hosting Swan Districts.

Then in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup action, East Perth plays Peel Thunder at Leederville Oval on Saturday while on Sunday morning, East Fremantle plays Claremont and Subiaco takes on Swan Districts.

Then in the afternoon at 3pm, West Perth plays South Fremantle at Provident Financial Oval.
 

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 12

PEEL THUNDER (8-3, 2nd) v SOUTH FREMANTLE (0-11, 6th) – DAVID GRAYS ARENA, SATURDAY 5.00PM

SUBIACO (5-6, 4th) v SWAN DISTRICTS (11-0, 1st) – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SUNDAY 12.05PM

EAST FREMANTLE (3-8, 5th) v CLAREMONT (6-5, 3rd) – NEW CHOICE HOMES PARK, SUNDAY 2.00PM