AFTER a forgettable 118-point West Australian Football League (WAFL) Women’s loss to Peel Thunder three weeks earlier, West Perth will get a second chance to take it up to the reigning premiers, this time with more available players. That game is one of two on Sunday, with second placed Claremont looking to make life even harder for sixth placed Subiaco. In the first game of the round, Swan Districts hosts ladder leaders East Fremantle in a top three clash.

On Saturday morning, top three sides East Fremantle and Swan Districts do battle in what is anticipated to be a huge battle. The undefeated Sharks have produced an outstanding season, whilst the Swans have been thereabouts but have not quite been able to consistently put it together just yet. With both having a week off last round, it will be fascinating to see how they bounce back this week. A couple of key contests to watch include rising forward Julia Teakle up against super boot Emily McGuire, and a couple of the All Stars midfielders in Jessica Cox and Ashleigh Gomes going head-to-head. Both sides have relatively experienced lineups, with Ashley Sharp and Alex Williams potential opponents who know each other very well.

Just three rounds ago these sides faced off in Round 7, with Peel Thunder coming away with an 118-point win in front of a home crowd. Now West Perth is at home and coming off its best performance of the season, with a competitive loss to South Fremantle last round. The Thunder simply have to win the match, and should do so very comfortably, but expect the Falcons to be more competitive in the clash. Last time these sides faced off, winger Megan Norbury caught the eye, whilst Jessica Roper and Casey Byrne also impressed. For the Thunder, Kate Bartlett slotted eight goals, and is coming off a four-goal performance for the All Stars, whilst Chloe Wrigley, Jaide Britton, Jade Briggs and Aisha Wright also gained touch last round in that game.

Completing Round 10 of action, second placed Claremont takes on sixth placed Subiaco in a crunch game for both sides. If Claremont wins, it will keep touch with top of the table East Fremantle, but it means Subiaco will drift further from the top four. If Subiaco wins, the Lions will leapfrog South Fremantle again, whilst Claremont would slip back in the pecking order. The midfield battle is fascinating, with Abbey Dowrick returning to Subiaco after her SANFLW stint, rejoining a strong Subiaco midfield of Tarnica Golisano, Jayme Harken, Madizen Wilkins and Ellie Blackmore. The Claremont onball brigade is also impressive, with Ella Smith, Mikayla Western, Katherine Orme and Sasha Goranova all key, whilst Tessa Doumanis is enjoying a strong season for the Tigers.