Round 15 Preview v East Perth

SWAN Districts might have lost four straight WAFL matches but remain in fourth position and can consolidate that spot with a win on Saturday against East Perth at Steel Blue Oval.

Swans made a strong start to the 2018 WAFL season winning five of the opening eight matches and that's why they have been able to still be in a solid position despite suffering a four-game losing streak.

Despite losses to Claremont, Subiaco, Peel Thunder and Perth to send Swans to a 5-7 record on the season, they do remain in fourth position heading into this Saturday's clash with East Perth at Steel Blue Oval.

And while Swans are on a four-game losing streak, East Perth has lost six in-a-row since sitting pretty with a 4-1 record heading into the State game break.

The Royals have since twice lost to South Fremantle while also going down to Swan Districts, West Perth, Subiaco and Claremont before a bye last weekend.

That sets the stage for a crucial match for both teams with Swan Districts entering in fourth position at 5-7 and East Perth eighth at 4-7.

A win for Swans and they are in a strong position to play finals while a loss leaves them precariously placed.

A win for the Royals and they could be back in the top five at the end of the round while a loss and finals are starting to get out of reach.

This Saturday marks the Count Me In clash where the club will host a number of activities, giveaways and competitions for people with disability and their careers.

These include a half-time wheelchair obstacle race, free sausage sizzle and soft drink thanks to atWork Australia and much more. The High Wycombe and Coolbinia Integrated teams will battle it out for points at 1.20pm before the league game at 2.25pm.

Swan Districts coach Adam Pickering is fully aware of how much is riding on the result, but knows his team has to focus on how they play rather than the ramifications.

"It's a big game for our season and the challenge will be not getting carried away thinking about the result and actually going through the process of the way we want to play in all facets in the game," Pickering said.

"If we do that, then hopefully the result takes care of itself. Yes it is a big game but if we get carried away with what the result means we'll take our eye off the ball and won't do what we need to do."

Swan Districts will be boosted by the return of ruckman Nathan Blakely and he's looking forward to trying to help his team back on the winner's list.

"It's a massive game and it doesn't help when you hear that 'Leaping' Liam Ryan is going to potentially be jumping on your shoulders on Saturday as well. That’s just another thing to go against us, but that's alright," Blakely said.

"It's one of the biggest games of our season and if we lose there is still next week, but it will make things even harder for us. It's potentially an eight-point game because we'd go up further ahead by four points but then East Perth's season would almost be over if they lose.

"We definitely go in with motivation knowing that East Perth is a bit of a fractured group at the moment with all the anti-alignment news. They are still a club, though, and will still run out as a 22 on Saturday. It's not going to be easy at all."

A combination of not knowing which AFL-listed players will be available and that East Perth are coming off a bye makes preparation for Pickering and his coaching staff somewhat of a challenge too coming into Saturday's game.

"It's very difficult to prepare for the two alignment teams because you don't know the personal they're going to roll out," Pickering said.

"The way they play and structurally they don’t change too much because they are development programs in essence so you sort of know the way they are going to play.

"The funny thing is talking about them not having a win for a while like us, the last two teams we've played and the next two we play are coming off a bye.

"So there's no vision from the previous week and there's actually a fortnight between their last game so that can be a challenge while not an excuse by any stretch. It is difficult but it is what it is, it's league footy."

From the Swan Districts team that lost to Perth by 24 points last Saturday also at Steel Blue Oval, the black-and-whites lose co-captain David Ellard to a calf injury with Troy Yukich and Taryce Stewart also going out of the team.

Ruckman Nathan Blakely will return after missing the past three games with a hamstring injury with Brandon Erceg, Graydon Wilson, Albert Dean, Steven Wityk and Jackson Slater also in the mix to come into the Swan Districts team.

Slater will provide some much-needed pace and run to the Swans line-up and is another former East Perth player as is Wityk, who could add some further six and flexibility to the team.

If Wilson plays it will be a league debut for the 18-year-old from Newman with Erceg and Dean could be rewarded for solid form in the reserves with Swan Districts.

East Perth is coming off the bye and its own six-game losing streak. Last up the Royals put in a solid showing losing to South Fremantle by 21 points at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

From that side, the Royals will regain the services of West Coast AFL-listed players Liam Ryan, Matthew Allen, Tom Barrass, Josh Rotham and potentially both big men Nathan Vardy and Fraser McInnes.

East Perth could lose Oscar Allen and Dom Sheed if they are selected to play for West Coast against Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.

But out of that Royals side from two weeks ago are Tarir Bayok, Tony Olango and Daniel Venables.

The other players vying for selection at East Perth are Ajang Ajang, Mitch Fraser, Tom Gorter and Asher Samelko.

WAFL SEASON 2018 – ROUND 15

Swan Districts v East Perth – Steel Blue Oval

League – 2.25pm

Reserves – 10.50am

Colts – 8.20am