Reserves Grand Final Preview – Perth v SubiacoFriday, October 1, 2021 - 10:54 AM - by Chris Pike

PERTH won its way straight to the reserves Grand Final for 2021 impressively but Subiaco come into the game off the high of a stirring preliminary final fightback to set up a terrific contest for Optus Stadium.

The reserves Grand Final will open the day at Optus Stadium on Saturday and will feature Perth taking on Subiaco.

That's a Demons team that features a pair of retiring league players Christian Eyres (113 league games) and Matthew Rogers (161) along with a string of experienced and young players looking to make up for a disappointing 2021 overall at Perth.

Subiaco, meanwhile, has had to come through winning the elimination final over West Perth by 44 points, first semi-final against Swan Districts by 24 points and then the preliminary final by eight points to get to the Grand Final.

The Lions were 14 points down in last Sunday's preliminary final to Claremont but kicked the only four goals of the last quarter to win and set up a Grand Final clash with the Demons at Optus Stadium.

Perth beat Swan Districts by nine points in the qualifying final and then Claremont by four points in the second semi-final to get to the Grand Final.

It should be a high quality contest too with plenty of league experienced players on either side. Perth not only includes retiring ruckman Eyres and forward Rogers, but Corey Yeo is a former captain of the club and he'll lead the way in the midfield while Jack Richardson is a proven goalkicker. 

Mitch Browne, Conor McPartland, Oscar Bird, Jye Clark, Jordon Reid, Marshall Jones, Jayden Quill, Mitch Henderson, Brodie Gray and Conor Sing are among the others who have shown they can deliver at league level.

Subiaco's reserves have kept the pressure on for spots in their league side as well with Kaidyn Fullgrabe, Ryan Borchet, Jack Beverley, Lewis Putt, Jordan Faraone, Noah Ash and Isaac Clinch among those who wouldn’t be out of place playing later on Saturday afternoon.

This is only the second time that Perth and Subiaco have met in the reserves Grand Final. The first time was 1972 with the Lions prevailing while the Demons won their encounter in 1988.

Perth is attempting to win the club's 13th reserves premiership and first since 1996. The Demons' last premiership at any level came in 1999 with the colts triumphant so a win on Saturday would be their first flag this century.

It's a different story at Subiaco with the Lions looking for a 19th reserves premiership and first since going back-to-back in 2017-18. Across the three grades this century, Subiaco has already won 16 premierships to Perth's zero.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – FINALS SERIES
RESERVES GRAND FINAL

PERTH v SUBIACO – OPTUS STADIUM, SUNDAY 9.20AM
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