Round 19 Match Preview

Swan Districts returns to Steel Blue Oval for the last home game of the 2022 WAFL season on Saturday celebrating their 80's triple Premiership reunion, and it's a must-win affair against the league-leading West Perth.

It's the second last round of the 2022 WAFL season and Swan Districts will play its final home match at Steel Blue Oval this Saturday afternoon up against West Perth.

There's plenty on the line too for Swan Districts with a win needed to be a chance to finish the round back inside the top five depending on what happens at the same time in Mandurah between Peel Thunder and the West Coast Eagles.

What happens on Saturday for both Swan Districts and Peel will set up the final round match up next Sunday in Mandurah between the two teams as they battle over the fifth and final position in the top five.

It looms as a fascinating contest at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday afternoon with plenty at stake for not only Swan Districts, but also West Perth.

Throw in the brilliant rivalry that has built up over a long time this century now too and there's plenty to look out for in Saturday's contest at Bassendean in their second meeting of this season.

Back in Round 9 at Arena Joondalup, it was West Perth winning a tight battle over Swan Districts by 18 points in what was their first clash since last year's remarkable elimination final also at Joondalup.

Swans were on top most of the afternoon as they attempted to keep their season alive upon their return to finals, but it wasn’t quite to be with the Falcons overrunning them to win by four points before then bowing out at the hands of Claremont the following week.

Now coming into Saturday's clash at Steel Blue Oval, West Perth is on a six-game winning streak against Swan Districts winning those six matches by an average of 24.2 points.

The last win for the Swans against the Falcons was back on Round 4, 2019. That was at Joondalup so the last win for the black-and-whites at home against West Perth was the elimination final of 2017 – also still the last final of any time that Swan Districts has won.

Swan Districts now comes into Saturday's clash with West Perth on the back of a tough second half last week against East Fremantle at the WACA Ground before ending up losing by 78 points.

That left Swans in sixth position on the WAFL ladder with two rounds of the season remaining with a 9-7 record.

They are still just percentage behind Peel Thunder so two wins in the last two rounds will mean that Swan Districts plays finals for a second straight season given the two teams play one another next Sunday in Mandurah.

Getting a win for Swan Districts on Saturday isn't going to be easy, though, given West Perth comes into the clash on top of the ladder and fresh off a 70-point hammering of East Perth in a Perth Derby at East Fremantle Oval last Saturday.

The Falcons remain clear on top of the ladder with 12 wins, three losses and a draw so far this season but they are only half a game ahead of the second placed Claremont so in order to still claim the minor premiership, they do need to keep on winning.

That all sets the stage for a tantalising Saturday match up at Steel Blue Oval with Swans needing the win to stay in the finals battle while the Falcons also need to get the victory to maintain top spot on the WAFL ladder.