Round 11 WAFL Preview v South Fremantle

One of the most significant days in the history of West Australian football and the Swan Districts Football Club will take place on Saturday afternoon with Swans playing South Fremantle in honour of the legendary John Todd.

Todd passed away last week aged 86 and leaves with him a remarkable legacy illustrated by the fact that he is a Legend in the West Australian Football Hall of Fame, is in the Australian Football Hall of Fame, is an Immortal in the Swan Districts Hall of Fame, and a legend in South Fremantle's Hall of Fame.

That's just the tip of the iceberg of his remarkable life's achievements and honours bestowed upon him as a result, but what it does mean is that the timing couldn’t work out better for Swan Dstiricts to be playing South Fremantle on Saturday at Steel Blue Oval.

It's amazing how timing can work out sometimes and now the first game that both Swan Districts and South Fremantle will play since the passing of Todd just happens to be against each other.

Todd has a remarkable legacy at both clubs which includes coaching Swan Districts in 417 games in three separate stints between 1977 and 2002 which saw him take Swans to premierships in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1990.

On the back of that, Todd has since been named the Team of the Century coach for Swan Districts, was inducted into the inaugural class of the club's Hall of Fame and has since been elevated to Immortal status.

It's now only fitting that as part of the celebration of his life at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday that the club's only two other Immortals, John Cooper and Bill Walker, will be on hand as part of the commemorations.

It works out perfectly that Saturday's opponent will be South Fremantle given that's where Todd played all of his 132 games in the WAFL which included winning a Sandover Medal in 1955 as a 17-year-old.

He also coached the Bulldogs in 172 games in total in three separate stints which included the 1997 premiership – the last of the six he coached across three clubs in his career.

A special day is planned to honour the life of Todd with a big crowd expected at Steel Blue Oval, but it's also a significant game in the context of the season for both Swan Districts and South Fremantle.

Swans come into the game currently sitting in fifth position with a 4-4 record on the back of winning the past two games prior to last week's bye.

They will take on a South Fremantle team sitting in third position with a 6-2 record so the game presents a chance to set up the second half of the season for the winner of Saturday's match up.

The game is the first time the two teams have played this season with the last two meetings being wins for Swans in 2023. They beat the Bulldogs by 37 points in Round 17 at Steel Blue Oval and by 18 points in Round 4 last year at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Swan Districts beat Subiaco by 11 points two weeks ago prior to the bye and from that team, Nathan Blakely and Anthony Stephens have been added to the squad from which the team will be picked to play South Fremantle on Saturday.

South Fremantle last played in a memorable WA Day derby win against East Fremantle and from that team, the Bulldogs have added Caleb Datson, Ed Graham, Jarrod Salmeri and Haiden Schloithe to their extended squad for Saturday's match up.

Photo credit: Jack Foley