Reserves Semi-Final Match Report

Swan Districts have been the standout team in the WAFL Reserves competition all season and now they are the first team into the 2026 Grand Final after holding out East Perth in the second semi-final on Saturday.

Swan Districts finished the season in the Reserves two games clear on top of the ladder to earn the first week of the finals off while East Perth took on Perth in a qualifying final.

The Royals beat the Demons by 80 points in that game to set up this Saturday’s second semi-final match up at Lathlain’s Mineral Resources Park with a spot in the Grand Final on the line.

It was a tight battle in the first half before Swans kicked six goals to two in the third quarter and then had to withstand five goals from the Royals in the last term to hold on for the 15.6 (96) to 13.9 (87) victory.

Latrell Yarran, Ned Reiger, Harley Cummings and Henrick Alforque all kicked two goals apiece in the eventual nine-point victory for Swan Districts.

Blake Kelly was outstanding in the win finishing with 28 possessions to go with seven marks, six tackles and a goal.

Ayden Cartwright added 25 disposals, Luke Cotellessa 21, Brad Lynch 20, Otis Harvey 18, Alforque 14, Tyrone Virgo 13, Dylan Matson 13 and Tom Smith 13 to go with 27 hit outs, four marks and a goal.

Swan Districts were playing having had the week off to start the finals and they made a strong start with the first goal of the second semi-final after five minutes thanks to Cooper Rullo.

East Perth did respond with the next goal before Swans answered back through Ned Reiger and then the Royals got another just before quarter-time which saw them head into the first break with a four-point advantage.

East Perth also kicked the first three goals of the second quarter in the space of eight minutes to open up a 22-point lead before Henrick Alforque responded for Swan Districts.

That got Swans on a roll leading into half-time with goals also to Latrell Yarran, Will Smith, Reiger for his second and then Jai Debono for the black-and-whites to be clinging to a one-point lead by half-time.

East Perth got back in front with the first goal of the third quarter but Blake Kelly immediately responded for Swan Districts.

Chayse Martinson, Yarran and Alforque then also kicked truly to push Swans out to a 19-point lead and then that was out to 25 points by three quarter-time with a goal to Harley Cummings.

That lead got out to 31 points with a goal to Tom Smith to start the final term but East Perth came flying back kicking five of the last six goals of the game, but the one to Swans from Ayden Cartwright proved enough to give his team enough of a buffer for the nine-point victory.

The result means that Swan Districts are the first team into the 2026 Reserves Grand Final at Optus Stadium on Sunday September 20. They will take on the winner of this Sunday’s preliminary final between East Perth and West Perth.