Preliminary Final Optus WAFLW PreviewFriday, June 25, 2021 - 9:19 AM - by Chris Pike

THEY both have reasons to want a shot at revenge at Peel Thunder in the WAFLW Grand Final for 2021 when Swan Districts hosts Subiaco in this Sunday's preliminary final.

The last spot in the Optus WAFLW Grand Final will be decided this Sunday at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval with Swan Districts and Subiaco doing battle for the rights to take on Peel Thunder.

The Grand Final will take place next weekend at Mandurah's David Grays Arena with Peel having already qualified on the back of beating Swan Districts in last Sunday's second semi-final.

Swan Districts earned the finals double chance on the back of dominating the Optus WAFLW Premiership Season winning 13 of their 14 matches to claim the minor premiership and now hosting rights for Sunday's preliminary final.

Subiaco, meanwhile, had a horror start to the 2021 season losing four of their opening five matches, and six of the last eight. But the Lions then pulled things together to win six of the last seven games of the home and away season to earn a finals spot.

The Lions then beat Claremont in last Sunday's first semi-final to keep their season alive and book a spot against Swan Districts in the preliminary final.

Both Swan Districts and Subiaco are attempting to book their place in a second Grand Final in the three years of the WAFLW competition as well.

Swan Districts played in the 2019 Grand Final but lost to East Fremantle before bowing out in last year's first semi-final also against the Sharks. 

Now after losing to Peel in the second semi-final, Swans will be desperate to earn another crack at the Thunder in the Grand Final next week.

Subiaco finished on top of the ladder in each of the first two WAFLW seasons before losing in the preliminary final to Swan Districts in 2019 and then reaching the Grand Final last year, but losing to Peel.

The two teams met three times during the home and away season with all three victories going the way of Swan Districts but the margins shrunk each time with just one-point separating the two teams in their last clash a little over a month ago.

The first clash was back in Round 5 also at Steel Blue Oval with Swan Districts proving too good that day and beating Subiaco 7.12 (54) to 2.6 (18).

The next clash was just three weeks later and it was also held at the Bassendean venue with Swans again prevailing, but this was a much tighter affair. Swan Districts won 7.6 (48) to 6.4 (40) but Subiaco was starting to find some vastly improved form.

The third and final meeting between the two teams took place in Round 12 and this time it was held at Leederville Oval, and while it was another win for Swan Districts, things really tightened up. Swans only just managed to beat the Lions 3.5 (23) to 3.4 (22).

From the Swan Districts team that lost in the second semi-final to Peel last Sunday, Naomi Baker, Fiona Boucher, Abbygail Bushby, Renee Holwill and Shannon Matthews have all been added to the squad for Sunday's preliminary final.

At this stage, Imahra Cameron is the only player out from the Swan Districts team.

Subiaco kept its hot form going last Sunday beating Claremont in the first semi-final, and from that team, Kia Buckley, Madison Dodd and Tiah Toth have been added to the preliminary final squad for this Sunday with no outs at this stage.

Meanwhile, in the WAFLW Reserves preliminary final it will be Peel Thunder and Swan Districts doing battle from 12.30pm at Steel Blue Oval. The winner will advance to play East Fremantle in next week's Grand Final.

And in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup, the preliminary final will see South Fremantle play Peel Thunder at Steel Blue Oval from 10.30am. The winner will then go on to face West Perth in next week's Grand Final at Mandurah's David Grays Arena.

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – FINALS SERIES

PRELIMINARY FINAL
SWAN DISTRICTS v SUBIACO – STEEL BLUE OVAL, SUNDAY 2.30PM