Round 12 Preview v Subiaco

SWAN Districts is fresh off the bye and back home to take on Subiaco at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday with the black-and-whites attempting to be the first team to beat the Lions in the 2018 WAFL season.

Swans had the bye last weekend following a 20-point defeat at the hands of Claremont at Claremont Oval and now they return to Steel Blue Oval on Saturday with the challenge of attempting to topple Subiaco.

The Lions arrive at Bassendean clear on top of the WAFL ladder with a 9-0 record coming off reaching the past four Grand Finals and winning the last three minor premierships, so they will have every reason to take on Swan Districts full of confidence.

But it has been a good start to the season for Swans under new coach Adam Pickering.

The black-and-whites do still sit in fourth position on the WAFL ladder with a 5-4 record even though it has been a season that already has been a rollercoaster ride.

Swans got off to a perfect start to the season with wins against Perth and Peel Thunder before suffering a 96-point defeat at the hands of Subiaco at Leederville Oval.

They also lost to West Perth by 31 points the next week before responding well hammering East Fremantle by 90 points ahead of a narrow loss to the second placed South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

That led into a double break for Swan Districts with the State game and the Round 7 bye before a strong win over East Perth and a come from behind effort to beat Perth by 30 points after earlier being down by 40.

That led into a disappointing 20-point loss prior to last week's bye against Claremont with Swan Districts now attempting to take it right up to Subiaco on Saturday.

Not only are Subiaco undefeated this season, the Lions have also won the past six straight matches against Swan Districts by an average of 56 points.

Swans' last win against Subiaco came on Round 20, 2015 by a solitary point at Steel Blue Oval despite the Lions going on to finish on top of the ladder, and ultimately win the premiership. The Black Ducks won that game on the back of six goals to two in the second half.

Swan Districts' small forward Todd Banfield is hopeful his team can replicate their form from the opening quarter last time against Subiaco for longer this time around and for Swans to put on a good show for their loyal home fans.

"When we played them down there at Leederville, obviously in the first quarter in contested possessions and clearances we were on top, and we managed to kick five goals," Banfield said.

"But after that, they stepped up their pressure after quarter-time and we didn’t go with them. If we can do what we did for the first quarter for the whole day, then you never know what can happen.

"Everyone always comes down to support the boys at Steel Blue and we've got a great kids area this year where they have sectioned off an area for all the families can come and enjoy.

"They give out footies there and you can try to hit the bin at half-time to try and win some cash, which always gets the crowd going as well.

"We didn’t go too crash hot obviously against Claremont two weeks ago and the boys are ready to make amends and take it up to the best in the business, which is Subiaco at the moment."

From the Swan Districts team that lost to Claremont two weeks ago, ruckman Nathan Blakely goes out with an ankle injury with his place to be taken by Troy Yukich to play in the ruck to allow Corey Gault and Brayden Noble to stay forward.

Ethan Maguire, Levi Ridley, Jackson Slater, Brad Fullgrabe and Freddie Clutterbuck have all been added to the squad with 131-game veteran wingman Clutterbuck set to make his first league appearance of 2018 following an interrupted pre-season.

Along with Blakely going out of the Swan Districts team, Albert Dean and Taryce Stewart have also lost their places in the line-up.

At this stage, there are no outs from Subiaco's team that worked hard to overcome East Perth by 18 points in the battle of the Leederville Oval co-tenants last Saturday.

Highlighting the quality and depth at Subiaco is the fact that Adam Cockie hasn’t done enough to break into the team yet despite an impressive reserves performance last week with 23 possessions, nine tackles and a goal.

Daniel Leach, Tom Edwards-Baldwin and Kaidyn Fullgrabe are the three players added to the Lions squad to face Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday.

WAFL SEASON 2018 – ROUND 12

Swan Districts v Subiaco – Steel Blue Oval

League – 2.15pm

Reserves – 11.30am

Colts – 9.00am