Round 1 Women’s Preview v Claremont

Swan Districts’ 2025 WAFL Women’s season ended with a heart breaking one-point grand final loss to Claremont and now they get an immediate shot at redemption to open the 2026 season on Saturday.

Not only do Swan Districts start the WAFL Women’s season on Saturday against Claremont at Revo Fitness Stadium at 4pm on Saturday afternoon with a grand final rematch, but it’s also a preliminary final rematch in the Rogers Cup between Swans and the Tigers beginning at 1:55pm.

Swan Districts made a stirring run to the WAFL Women’s grand final in 2025 entering the decider against Claremont on a seven-game winning streak including having won two thrilling finals against East Fremantle and Subiaco to get there.

It was then the most nail-biting of grand finals with Claremont just securing the one-point victory and now it’s a rematch from that to start the 2026 season on Saturday at Revo Fitness Stadium.

And just to rub it in for Swan Districts, Claremont will be raising that premiership flag pre-game in front of them but at the same time, that will only serve as some added motivation to earn a measure of revenge.

Coming into Saturday’s season-opener and Claremont have won nine of the last 10 meetings between the two teams which is hardly surprising considering they have played in four straight grand finals, and won three of the past four WAFL Women’s premierships.

Swan Districts’ co-captain Eliza Gelmi is glad to be starting the new season with a chance to get one immediately back over Claremont following last year’s grand final one-point heartbreak.

“It’s a pretty exciting start and I actually feel like we’ve versed Claremont quite a few times in Round 1 and they’ve always been a very strong side,” Gelmi told 91.3 SportFM.

“But this game is going to feel a bit different definitely being it is a grand final rematch so we’ll have to get everyone getting around that one.

“We’re definitely excited to see how this one goes and obviously we’re going for the win there and hopefully by a bit more than a point.”

From last year’s grand final team, there are six changes for Swan Districts with Courtney Ugle, Tyla Fitzgerald, Chloe Reilly, Alex Sharp, Alana Barba and Jess Cox into the side.

Going out from that team for Swans are Carys D’Addario, Adi Griffith, Emma Humphries, Kayla May, Summer Ajduk and Emily McGuire.

There are five changes to the Claremont premiership team from last year with Jayde Musika, Bec Anderson, Eva Campo, Jemimah Port and Ruby Sargeant-Wilson into the team.

Going out from that triumphant Tigers team of last year are Kate Orme, Ella Gilbey, Jess Ritchie, Mackenzie Webb and Rebecca Tuckey.

Meanwhile in the Rogers Cup, both Swan Districts and Claremont played finals last year as well as they prepare to start their seasons also at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday with the game getting underway at 1:55pm.

Swan Districts finished second last year in the Rogers Cup with 12 wins, three losses and a draw before losing to West Perth and Claremont in the first two weeks of the finals.

Claremont went on to lose the Rogers Cup grand final to West Perth a week later so now Saturday will be a preliminary final rematch from last year to open up the 2026 season.