Round 3 WAFLW Preview v Claremont

Swan Districts will be hunting its first win of the WAFLW season on Sunday afternoon up against the undefeated reigning premiers Claremont with the Dhara Kerr Cup on the line at Steel Blue Oval.

It's a second straight home game at Steel Blue Oval for Swan Districts on Sunday afternoon with the black-and-whites hunting their first win of the 2023 WAFLW season but it won't be easy against the undefeated reigning premier Tigers.

It has been a tough start to the new season for Swan Districts with first up losses to Peel Thunder and Subiaco while Claremont's premiership defence couldn’t have got off to a better start with wins against East Fremantle and Peel.

That sets the stage for a tantalising match up on Sunday afternoon with Swan Districts and Claremont also battling over the Dhara Kerr Memorial Cup.

Dhara Kerr is honoured in the first meeting of each season between Swans and Claremont in recognition and memory of her life that was tragically cut short at just 24 years of age in 1995.

She packed a lot into those years, though, and was a true trailblazer on the football field especially after moving to Perth in 1992.

Playing with Innaloo, she won the fairest and best award four straight seasons between 1992-95 and captained her club to their first premiership in 1995.

In the Grand Finals she played in, Kerr shared best on ground honours with Sharon Woods in 1993 and won this award outright in 1994 and 1995. Kerr was also the WAWFL fairest and best winner in 1992, 93 and 94.

The last meeting between the two teams was in the preliminary final of last year where Claremont was able to beat Swan Districts by 18 points at Revo Fitness Stadium on the way to winning the premiership a week later.

Before that last year, Claremont also scored a 31-point win in Round 12 at Steel Blue Oval and in Round 8, it was a 42-point victory as well for the Tigers over Swans at Revo Fitness Stadium.

The two teams also clashed in Round 1 last year over the Dhara Kerr Cup with Claremont winning on that occasion over Swan Districts 8.12 (60) to 1.2 (8).

It has been a tough start to the new season for Swan Districts starting with the narrow five-point loss in Round 1 in Mandurah against Peel Thunder.

On that Saturday evening, the goalkickers for Swans were Kayley King and Courtney Zappara.

Captain Jess Cox also picked up 28 possessions, Carys D'Addario 17, King 15, Tyla Fitzgerald 14 and Lily Paterson 14.

Last Sunday was then far from the ideal home opener for Swans at Steel Blue Oval with the eventual 47-point defeat the hands of Subiaco.
Tamzyn Beros was the lone goal scorer for the black-and-whites while Jaime Henry came into the team from the Rogers Cup to pick up 19 possessions. Captain Cox also had 15 disposals, Hope Ugle-Hayward 13 and Jasmine Ware 13.

Claremont, meanwhile, has made a perfect start to its premiership defence beginning with a first up six-point win in the Grand Final rematch against East Fremantle.

Jacinta Valentini kicked two goals in that win for the Tigers with Claire Ortlepp collecting 19 possessions, Jayme Harken 17 and Kate Orme 16.

Claremont backed that up by beating the premiers of the previous two seasons as well with an 18-point win over Peel at Revo Fitness Stadium where the Tigers had 15 scoring shots to two, and 44 inside-50 entries to 16.

Both Claremont's goals came courtesy of Adele Arnup while Jasmin Stewart was outstanding with 31 possessions while Harken finished with 26 disposals, Jacinta Valentini 26, Orme 18 and Eva Campo 18.

Meanwhile, Swan Districts has the bye in the Rogers Cup competition for Round 3 before returning to action in Round 4 against South Fremantle on Saturday April 1 under lights at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.