McDonald's WAFL Round 15 PreviewFriday, July 3, 2015 - 4:38 PM - by Chris Pike

THERE are just the two WAFL matches as part of Round 15 of the 2015 season but both will have a significant impact on the top five as one clash pits two teams against one another trying to break into a finals place, and the other featuring first against third on the ladder.

Swan Districts will take on East Perth at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval at 2.15pm with both teams needing a win to return to the top five as the race for finals positions heats up.

Then at 2.40pm, the league-leading Subiaco hosts the third-placed Peel Thunder at Leederville's Medibank Stadium in what looms as a fascinating contest.

The second-placed West Perth, fourth-placed South Fremantle, fifth-placed Claremont, eight-placed East Fremantle and last placed Perth all have the bye this weekend.

SWAN DISTRICTS (6-7, 6th) v EAST PERTH (6-6, 7th) – STEEL BLUE OVAL, SATURDAY 2.15PM
Selected teams 
Broadcast – 720 ABC Perth, KIX Digital

Swan Districts and East Perth play one another for the second time in a month at Steel Blue Oval when they meet on Saturday and again it's a crucial contest as they contend for a finals position.

Swans and the Royals played only four weeks ago in a terrific contest at Steel Blue Oval and on that occasion their finals place was at stake and now a month further on that's still the case with both teams currently sitting outside the top five.

Swan Districts had won two straight matches since losing to East Perth to move up into third spot on the WAFL ladder, but a two-point loss at the hands of South Fremantle last Saturday at Fremantle Oval saw the black-and-whites slip to a 6-7 record and to sixth position.

Prior to the bye last weekend, East Perth had won three of its last four matches to also move up into the top five, but the week off saw them slip down to seventh position with a 6-6 record.

Both teams are well matched, always end up playing an exciting brand of football against one another and with a spot in the top five up for grabs, it looms as a cracking contest at Bassendean. 

Swan Districts and East Perth have already met twice this season, including only a month ago in Round 11 also at Steel Blue Oval.

On that occasion, it was East Perth who won a tight affair 13.9 (87) to 11.4 (70) in front of almost 4000 people when the Royals were boosted by the presence of West Coast forward Jack Darling who proved the difference kicking five goals.

And back in Round 2 it was also a tight affair and East Perth ended up holding on to win 16.13 (109) to 15.6 (96) at Medibank Stadium despite Swans coming storming home in the final quarter.

Swan Districts will make at least three changes from the team that lost to South Fremantle by just two points last Saturday, but one of those players named out at this stage isn’t small defender Kirk Ugle who took no further part in the game against the Bulldogs from early in the second quarter.

The three players named out for Swans at this stage are all young midfielders in Jacob Coniglio, Albert Dean and Jason Daniels – neither of whom had much impact last Saturday against South Fremantle.

Rudy Riddoch has put together some strong form in the reserves including another 17 possessions and a goal last week to continue to put himself in contention to return to the league side for Swans.

Ben Whitsed has proven himself a ball magnet in the reserves and had another 30 disposals and six inside-50 entries last Saturday to be the most likely inclusion for the black-and-whites to take on the Royals.

There are others who have been in good form as well for Swans to put themselves in contention for a call up with Jesse Turner having 23 possessions in the reserves last Saturday while Warrick Wilson had 17 disposals, Nelson Ansey 13 touches and Jackson Slater 13 possessions.

East Perth had the bye last weekend following a win over East Fremantle, and from that team 103-game wingman Freddie Clutterbuck goes out of the Royals line-up along with Damian Cavka and Clayton Giblett.

Fraser McInnes and Mark Hutchings were instrumental in East Perth's last up win over East Fremantle, with McInnes kicking two goals from 16 possessions while Hutchings was outstanding with 31 disposals and two goals.

That has put both of them in contention for a call up into the West Coast team but they have only been named emergencies in the Eagles side to play Melbourne at TIO Stadium on Saturday night, so they are still more than likely to take their place in the East Perth line-up.

With Scott Lycett also set to return for the Royals, if McInnes plays as well it gives them an outstanding big man combination that can help share the ruck load with Paul Johnson, and provide tall targets in attack.

East Perth has another important inclusion as well with one of the competition's best defenders Kyle Anderson set to come back from injury that has kept him sidelined since Round 7.

Prior to his injury, he had been used up forward to good effect including kicking seven goals against Perth, but that was through necessity and now with Lycett and McInnes back, he can settle back into his usual role in defence.

Another three West Coast players – Jamie Bennell, Jackson Nelson and Tom Lamb are also set to take their place in the East Perth team on Saturday against Swan Districts with Matt Rosa a chance to come in after being dropped by the Eagles in favour of Sam Butler.

Mitch Howlett, Scott Jones and Tom Shanahan are three more players in contention for a call up into the East Perth team to take on the black-and-whites at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday.

SUBIACO (10-2, 1st) v PEEL THUNDER (7-5, 3rd) – MEDIBANK STADIUM, SATURDAY 2.40PM
Selected teams 
Broadcast – 7mate, 91.3 SportFM 

Subiaco and Peel Thunder currently occupy first and third positions on the WAFL ladder heading into Saturday's clash at Medibank Stadium with the result significant to both clubs as the race towards the finals heats up.

Subiaco suffered just its second loss of the season last Saturday going down to West Perth by 10 points at HBF Arena while Peel won a second straight match beating Perth emphatically by 62 points, so that all points to a terrific contest on Saturday as well.

The Thunder improved to a 7-5 record thanks to last week's big win over Perth and now they are well positioned to end up playing finals for the first time ever in 2015.

And a win over Subiaco would see Peel certainly enter the discussion as a genuine premiership chance while also potentially moving into second position ahead of West Perth depending on percentage.

Subiaco, meanwhile, will be stung by last Saturday's loss to West Perth that ended the Lions' eight-game winning streak.

Subiaco remains two games and a massive percentage on top of the ladder, but another loss to Peel on Saturday and suddenly the Lions aren’t looking quite as secure as the likely minor premiers.

Subiaco and Peel meet just twice this season so Saturday's clash at Medibank Stadium is the second, and last time they play in 2015 aside from a potential match up come finals time if the Thunder are able to secure their place for the first time in the club's history.

The two teams first met this season back in Round 8 at Mandurah's Bendigo Bank Stadium and Subiaco proved too strong on that occasion winning 16.16 (112) to 7.10 (52).

Subiaco has again lost five-time premiership and State defender Darren Rumble to a recurrence of his calf injury that he suffered early in last Saturday's clash with West Perth.

Premiership players Wadye Twomey and Rhys Waters also remain sidelined at Subiaco, but depth is far from a concern for the Lions and they have some players in tremendous form in the reserves desperate to earn a recall to try and cement a place in their league side before the finals.

Big man Jordan Bestry has been in strong form in the reserves for Subiaco so could come in to provide some support to David Madut up against Peel's outstanding ruck brigade. Bestry put together another 19 possessions, seven marks and 35 hit outs in the reserves last week.

Dylan Elliott has been in solid defensive form so could come in to help cover the absence of Rumble with Luke Norriss continuing to be a good ball winner with another 21 possessions last Saturday against West Perth. Simon Moore also had another 16 disposals to keep his name in the mix.

Matt Taberner, Zac Clarke and Paul Duffield have all been challenged by Fremantle in recent weeks to go back to Peel and rediscover some form to earn an AFL recall, and all have achieved that.

Clarke had 21 possessions, five tackles and 36 hit outs in last Saturday's win over Perth while Duffield had 15 disposals and Taberner kicked four goals from 18 touches and seven marks, and it's been enough for all three to book their spot in the Dockers team to face the Brisbane Lions at Domain Stadium on Sunday.

While those three have earned a recall, Tendai Mzungu remains on the outer at Fremantle despite another best on ground performance for Peel last Saturday against his old side Perth when he had 26 possessions, nine inside 50s, six tackles and a goal.

That's good news for the Thunder, though, with his presence giving them a significant boost to take on Subiaco. 

Fremantle won't be that impacted in the big men department, though, with the loss of Clarke and Taberner, with the return of ruckman Jack Hannath to team up with Jonathon Griffin and Craig Moller to share the load in the ruck, and as providing tall forward targets.

Cameron Sutcliffe and Hayden Crozier have both also been dropped by Fremantle so will likely take their place in the Peel team against Subiaco on Saturday with a point to prove that they deserve their place back in the Dockers line-up ahead of the finals.

Fremantle's Irish defender Sean Hurley is also in the mix to come back into the Peel team while Cruize Garlett, Stephen Kane, Dylan Winton, Mitch Gill and Kieran May have been in good form in the reserves to make a case for a recall.

Garlett was the standout in the reserves last week against Perth with 27 possessions with Kane having 19 touches and two goals, Winton 19 disposals and Gill 18.