Week 1 Finals Men’s Preview

Both the Reserves and Colts teams from Swan Districts will be part of WAFL Men’s finals action on Sunday in qualifying and elimination finals respectively at East Fremantle’s The Good Grocer Park.

The colts will be first up in an elimination final starting at 8:50am against West Perth before the reserves take on South Fremantle in a qualifying final with that to get underway at 11:25am.

The colts at Swan Districts have once again qualified for the finals on the back of reaching the grand final last year before losing to Claremont at Optus Stadium.

They finished in fifth position on the ladder at the end of the home and away season with a 9-7 record but that is the same as the fourth placed West Perth who only finished ahead of them on percentage.

It doesn’t end up making a difference in terms of the elimination final on Sunday given it’s played at a neutral venue for both teams anyway with the winner to move on to play either East Fremantle or Claremont in a first semi-final next week while the season will be over for the loser.

The two teams met twice during the season starting back in the opening round with Swan Districts winning by 37 points at Steel Blue Oval. The return encounter was at Joondalup in Round 13 and again it was the Swans prevailing by 18 points.

Swan Districts geared up for the finals by beating Peel Thunder by 36 points in Mandurah last Saturday with Levi Calcott kicking four goals and Cooper Shord three with Blake Kelly racking up 33 possessions, Soren Feast 21, Liam Hrabar 21 and Anthony Hansen 18.

One player in the Swan Districts team who wasn’t part of that colts grand final last year but has had a strong season in 2025 and is looking forward to the finals series ahead is Harley Cummings.

“Absolutely, it’s an amazing opportunity we have ahead of us after lots of hard work from the whole group throughout the year,” Cummings said.

“We’ve got an awesome group of boys that have a genuine care for each other. We just have to focus on the game itself the result will take care of itself.”

The reserves at Swan Districts have had a strong 2025 season as well and booked in their finals position with a 9-7 record to be a game clear in third position and to earn a double chance.

First up for the Swans in the reserves is a qualifying final meeting on Sunday against the second placed South Fremantle with the winner to advance to a second semi-final next week against Claremont while the loser will get a second chance in the first semi-final.

The two teams met twice during the home and away season firstly in Round 3 at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with Swan Districts scoring the nine-point victory away from home.

The return encounter at Steel Blue Oval took place in Round 14 and that saw South Fremantle get that win back against the Swans with the 24-point victory.

Swans come into the finals in the reserves on the back of beating Peel in Mandurah by 47 points last Saturday with a best on ground display from Luke Kelly with 32 possessions and three goals.

Connor Blakely also racked up 33 disposals, Chase Loftus 26, Jacob Coniglio 17, Max York 17.

Chayse Martinson also had 25 possessions and kicked a goal as he prepares for his first final at senior level with Swan Districts after being part of the colts grand final team of 2024.

“I believe with the team we have we’ve got and how much of a tight unit we are as a group, we can go along away with finals this year, hopefully all the way,” Martinson said.

“Few league boys back is gonna help us even more, but it’s easier said than done. But I believe with the chemistry and cohesion we have it’ll work.”