Round 17 Match Preview

The race for the WAFL finals in 2022 heats up for Swan Districts on Saturday at Steel Blue Oval against the West Coast Eagles.

Swan Districts is fresh off the bye last weekend to gear up for this last month of the 2022 home and away season where they are locked in a battle over reaching the finals for a second straight season.

Swan Districts is back to Steel Blue Oval on Saturday as part of the WAFL Count Me In Round to host the bottom placed West Coast Eagles with the black-and-whites looking to return to the winner's list and regain a spot inside the top five.

As part of the Count Me In Round and with the colts and reserves having the bye due to the clash with the Eagles, the curtain-raiser will see Swan Districts' Integrated team take on Kelmscott in a first semi-final from 12.10pm.

Swan Districts had the bye in the WAFL last weekend along with six other teams which came on the back of a nine-point loss against the third placed Claremont at Revo Fitness Stadium.

That meant that Swans slipped outside of the WAFL's top five with Peel Thunder leapfrogging them on the back of winning three consecutive matches, but the black-and-whites remain only percentage outside of fifth spot.

Both Swan Districts and Peel sit on 8-6 records with four games of the season now remaining and with both teams in action on Saturday afternoon, however both games turn out will determine who ends Round 17 in fifth position.

Peel will be taking on South Fremantle in Mandurah while Swans are hosting the Eagles at Steel Blue Oval from 2.10pm.

Saturday will be the sixth time that Swan Districts has played West Coast in the WAFL with all those continuing to be held at the Bassendean venue.

Swans have won all five matches against the Eagles so far as well by an average of only 15.8 points with all of the contests relatively tight affairs.

That included in Round 7 this year when Swans had to come from behind to end up winning 11.11 (77) to 8.9 (57).

The black-and-whites were able to turn things around impressively after the main break to kick seven goals to two in the second half to end up beating West Coast by 20 points.

Jesse Palmer played his best game of the season for Swan Districts kicking four goals from 11 kicks and nine marks. Tom Edwards and Chris Jones also kicked two goals apiece.

Jesse Turner continued his superb form for Swans this season racking up another 33 possessions and nine marks while the emerging Aidan Clarke added 26 disposals and seven tackles.

Sandover Medallist Sam Fisher also finished with 23 possessions, Josh Cipro 22, Tobe Watson 21, Jarvis Pina 20 and Mitch Bain 19 to go with six marks, six tackles and a goal.

Most recently prior to the bye last week, Swan Districts lost to Claremont by nine points but they were without Brandon Erceg, Will Collins, Greg Ottaviano, Nathan Ireland, Jesse Palmer and Matthew Germs, with at least the majority to return to face West Coast on Saturday.

West Coast had their bye back in Round 15 and last Saturday lost to Subiaco by 23 points at East Fremantle Oval to remain in last spot on the WAFL ladder with one win for the season.

Coming into Round 17 of the WAFL season, Swan Districts are ranked as the fifth best attacking team scoring 71.7 points a game and fourth best defensively giving up 65.8 points. West Coast is ranked last in both categories scoring just 49.1 points a game and giving up 93.8.

Swan Districts has been a strong starting team throughout the season having outscored their opposition by 53 points across the season to be ranked third in the competition.

Swans have struggled, though, in second quarters to be outscored by 136 points to be ranked second last only ahead of West Coast who have lost their second terms by an average of 14 points across the season.

The black-and-whites are then the best third quarter team in the league averaging a score more than 11 points than their opponents before being ranked sixth across the season in fourth terms.

West Coast is ranked last in every quarter bar the third where they are ranked ninth.