Round 18 WAFL Preview v Subiaco

Swan Districts is attempting to make it three consecutive wins against Subiaco for the first time in over 30 years when hosting the Lions at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday.

Swans have still not lost this WAFL season since back in Round 7 having won seven matches in-a-row and then having a heart stopping draw with South Fremantle last Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval. 

That has Swan Districts still sitting in third position on the WAFL ladder coming into the Round 18 match up this Saturday at home to the Lions with a 9-4 record with that draw.

That sees Swans just two points off the top two teams, Peel Thunder and East Perth, so depending on other results and a win on Saturday and losses to those two teams would see the black-and-whites end the round in top spot.

Meanwhile a loss for one of the Thunder or Royals, and a win for Swans and they will be sitting in a top two spot with three rounds of the 2024 home and away season remaining.

The two teams played already earlier this season in Round 9 at Sullivan Logistics Stadium where Swan Districts defeated Subiaco by 11 points in a tightly contested affair.

In that win for Swans, Jiah Reidy kicked three goals with Jesse Glass-McCasker adding two while Josh Cipro collected 27 possessions, Jye Chalcraft 27, Nik Rokahr 23, Jesse Turner 22 and Jackson McLachlan 21 on the day where Tony Notte celebrated his 300th WAFL game.

That made it consecutive wins for Swans against the Lions on the back of a two-point win in Round 14 last year as well.

Remarkably, Swan Districts is now attempting to make it three straight victories against Subiaco for the first time since wins back in Round 12, 1990, Round 19, 1990 and Round 6, 1991.

Swan Districts coach Andrew Pruyn is fully aware that even if Subiaco isn't quite in finals contention still in 2024, they are a tough opposition highlighted by two wins against the league-leading Peel.

"They've beaten Peel twice this year so that's says a lot about how dangerous they still are," Pruyn said.

"Then when you look at the players they’ve actually got in their team, it's something where you definitely don’t want to take them lightly.

"You look at the Hickmott boys, Taj, Kitchin, Sokol, Angus and they have plenty of really good, quality players that go through their team. While their win-loss count might not be a true indication of how they are going, we won't be taking them lightly that's for sure."

Coming off the dramatic draw with South Fremantle last Saturday, Swan Districts has added Ayden Cartwright, Brodyn Fitzgerald, Matthew Germs, Luke Kelly and Luke Taylor to the extended squad for Saturday's match up with Subiaco.

The only out at this stage for Swans is 82-game defender Tony Stephens.

Subiaco is looking to back up last week's win over West Coast with Corey Bellouard, Rory Murison and Ben Sokol into the line-up.

Going out for the Lions are Greg Clark, Luke Foley and Patrick Mullane.

The day's action at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday gets underway with the colts match up starting at 9.15am with Swans fresh off the 42-point win against South Fremantle last Saturday.

That has the Swan Districts colts sitting in fourth position on the ladder with a 7-5 record but it's a significant test up against the second placed Subiaco who come into the weekend at 9-3.

The reserves contest will then get underway at Steel Blue Oval at 11.45am with Swan Districts hunting a third win of the season as reigning premiers up against a Subiaco team also sitting in second position like the Lions' colts with a 9-3 record coming into Round 18.