TOP four sides Subiaco and East Fremantle will go head-to-head tomorrow in a vital WAFL Women’s clash at the WACA with the winner to go outright third on the table after 10 rounds.

The teams have won four games and drawn another from eight matches, and with fifth placed Swan Districts taking on West Perth on Sunday, there is a likelihood the loser will drop out of the finals spots.

In the other two Saturday games, top two sides Claremont and South Fremantle travel to the bottom two sides’ home grounds in Peel Thunder and East Perth respectively, in what is anticipated to be a tough day for both hosts.

FORM

Claremont finally dropped its first points of the season last week but still remained undefeated as the Tigers drew with East Fremantle in the second grand final rematch. The ladder leaders have accumulated 30 points so far in 2023, and boast a massive 324.8 per cent, though are still only four points clear of a much-improved South Fremantle. That gap should remain coming up against a Peel Thunder outfit who have dropped five on the trot.

CHANGES

Peel Thunder is taking the season as one to blood the younger players, with plenty of fresh faces in the side. Minus any forced changes at the Round 10 selection table, the Thunder have brought in four players to an extended bench including Tessa Kongras and Anna Watts.

Claremont has been able to recall a couple of key talents in co-skipper Rachel Ortlepp – with other co-skipper Andie Payne going out – and Kate Orme to beef up the Tigers’ running game. Claremont also welcomes in double bottom-ager Juliet Kelly, Jayde Musika and Charlotte Tompkin, with Emily Elkington (West Coast AFLW), Tess Blackburn, Hayley Colvin and Matilda Husband out of the side.

KEY PLAYERS

The Claremont midfield is forever dangerous and should have too much experience for the Thunder, with Matilda Sergeant, Sarah Viney, Jayme Harken and Orme all able to get the ball in their hands, while Mackenzie Webb is in ripping form at full-back. For the Thunder, Evie Cowcher and skipper Ebony Dowson continue to battle on in what is a tough season, while Kaitlyn Srhoj and Dakota Sexton continue to develop in the midfield.

PREDICTION

Claremont will be too strong here. These two sides faced off earlier in the year in Round 2 and inaccuracy kept the Thunder closer to the Tigers than the three-goal margin might have suggested. It is unlikely Claremont kicks 2.13 (25) to 1.1 (7) again, and will want to take the full points after last weekend’s draw.

FORM

South Fremantle and East Perth also played off in Round 2 which saw the Bulldogs storm to an 11-goal win at Fremantle Oval. They now head to Leederville where the Royals have the home ground advantage, but will still be up against it to provide a challenge to the in-form Bulldogs. South Fremantle has only dropped one game all season and is four points off top spot, while East Perth is 0-8 with a percentage of 9.4 from its inaugural year.

CHANGES

South Fremantle will be minus young gun forward Noa McNaughton who was injured last week. The bottom-age talent is the only confirmed out of the side, as the Bulldogs regain key forward Zoe Huggett and important utility Kiara Templeman among an extended bench.

East Perth has thrown around the magnets as the Royals have every week, welcoming in Holly Gill, Mel Hardy, Leah Keating, Kelsey Lang and Kasey Bindon. Out of the side are the likes of Tahlia Dawson-Gibbs and Jaymi Karapetkov.

KEY PLAYERS

The Royals have had their fair share of consistent players all year, with defenders Sarah Madden, Lillian Ninyett and Julia Uhe among the best most weeks. Midfielder Madeleine Goodman and ruck/forward Matilda Bennett have also impressed in a struggling side. For the Bulldogs, young midfielder Charli Wicksteed is doing her draft chances no harm as a mature-age talent, while Kloe Bassett and bottom-ager Molly O’Hehir have been getting their hands on the ball. Ruck Ariana Hetherington is primed for a big day.

PREDICTION

South Fremantle to take home the four points. The Bulldogs have too much experience and are flying as they search to reach their first finals series in club history. East Perth’s goal is to keep it competitive as possible for as long as possible.

FORM

In the match of the day, East Fremantle hosts Subiaco at the WACA in a battle for outright third spot, while fifth is the likely destination for the loser. The Sharks are buoyed off the back of a draw with the benchmark side Claremont in last weekend’s grand final rematch, while Subiaco is back up and running following a big win over East Perth. Both sides have collected four wins, a draw and three losses from eight matches.

CHANGES

East Fremantle will regain skipper Ashleigh Gomes for the match, with the experienced midfielder also playing her 100th match. The AFLW-experienced player will slot straight back into the side, with an extended bench including Samara Pluschke named, while Katelyn Catalano is the sole out.

Subiaco also gains its captain back with Tarnica Golisano returning to the midfield mix along with Liana Burchell, and forwards Kelsey Patterson and Kate Pocsidio named on an extended bench.

KEY PLAYERS

The respective skippers of Gomes and Golisano are prime movers in their midfielders, while the likes of Tiah Toth and Eva Popovsky worked well together last round, coming up against Beth Beckett and Sharon Wong this week. The East Fremantle forwardline that includes Roxanne Roux, Anjelique Raison and Georgie Cleaver is hard to contain, though Olivia Wolmarans and Jessica Ritchie provided a formidable marking duo up the other end.

PREDICTION

East Fremantle at full strength can challenge Claremont for the flag, so should be the favourite in the clash. Subiaco is a much improved outfit this year, and looks strong on paper, so will make it a fight for the Sharks on the large WACA deck.