McDonald's WAFL Grand Finals PreviewSaturday, September 22, 2018 - 4:00 PM - by Chris Pike

It is set to be a full day of action at Optus Stadium to celebrate the 2018 WAFL season starting with the reserves Grand Final between East Perth and Subiaco from 8.40am.

The attention then turns to the Simply Energy Colts with Subiaco also in action, taking on Swan Districts from 11.40am with the game to also be shown live on Channel 7 from 11.30am.

Then following an exciting pre-match entertainment package highlighted by The Rubens, it will be time for the league Grand Final with Subiaco taking on West Perth from 2.40pm. That will also be live on Channel 7 from 2.30pm.

Subiaco is playing in a fifth successive WAFL Grand Final and attempting to make up for losing the past two years to Peel Thunder by winning a third premiership from those appearances.

West Perth is attempting to win its first premiership since 2013 in what is a first Grand Final appearance for the Falcons since also losing to Subiaco in 2015.

There is plenty of history available for Subiaco to create on Sunday as well with the chance to win the premiership in all three grades along with attempting to become the first league team since 1946 to through undefeated and win the premiership.

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Grand Final day at Optus Stadium on Sunday gets underway with the reserves decider between East Perth and Subiaco.

The Leederville Oval co-tenants met in the second semi-final and played out a remarkable contest with Subiaco, as minor premiers, kicking the first eight goals of the game.

But the Royals stormed home kicking 13 of the game's last 16 goals, including six to nil in the last quarter to win by seven points and advance straight to the Grand Final.

Subiaco still had a second chance and took on Claremont in last Sunday's preliminary final with a host of members of their team trying to make a case to get called into the league side the following Sunday.

The Lions ended up being too good beating the Tigers at Fremantle Community Bank Oval by 42 points to set up what should be a terrific reserves Grand Final on Sunday morning between East Perth and Subiaco at Optus Stadium.

That leads into the colts Grand Final between Subiaco and Swan Districts in what shapes as another tantalising match up with both teams featuring a host of future AFL and WAFL stars.

Subiaco also finished as minor premiers in the colts and proved too good for Swan Districts in the second semi-final winning by 46 points at Leederville Oval to win straight through to the Grand Final.

Swan Districts had beaten Peel Thunder in the qualifying final and took on the same opponent again last Sunday in the preliminary final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with a spot in the Grand Final on the line.

Swans proved too strong winning by 22 points to set up a clash with the Lions with the 2018 premiership at stake.

It is a star-studded Subiaco colts line-up led by Jack Clarke Medal winner Liam Hickmott but also including the likes of Tristan Hobley, Nathan French, Jack Mayo, Taj Schofield, Luke Foley and Mitchell Georgiades.

But the Swan Districts team coached by Greg Harding also features plenty of talent destined for an AFL and WAFL future including Atem Deng, Mitchell Bain, Riley Garcia, Braydon Wilson, Jarrod Cameron, Denzel More, Seb Bright and Kade Wallrodt.

That all sets the stage for the league Grand Final for 2018 with Subiaco playing in a fifth straight decider up against a West Perth team that has overcome plenty on and off the field this year just to be there on the big day.

Subiaco has already played in the past four WAFL Grand Finals for back-to-back triumphs in 2014 and 2015, and then losses in each of the past two seasons to Peel Thunder.

The Lions have also been minor premiers in each of the last three years and so far in 2018, they have gone to another level. They went through the home and away season winning all 18 games and then beat South Fremantle in the second semi-final.

That means that Subiaco has won all 19 matches so far 2018 giving them the chance to become the first WAFL team since 1946 to go through a season undefeated and winning the premiership.

West Perth, meanwhile, finished the home and away season in third position with an 11-7 record before a shock 98-point loss in the qualifying final to South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The Falcons hit back hard the following week beating Claremont in the first semi-final by 53 points at Joondalup Arena to earn a rematch with the Bulldogs at the same venue as that horror show two weeks earlier.

And this time it was a far more desperate, intense and well-drilled West Perth outfit that started on fire and never looked back ending up winning by 26 points to win their way through to the Grand Final and setting up a rematch from the decider of 2015 against Subiaco.

Subiaco has won its past seven matches against West Perth by an average of 36.9 points including three wins this year by 47, 33 and 22 points.

West Perth's last win against Subiaco was at Leederville Oval in Round 10, 2016 by 26 points.

Going back further, the Lions have won 10 of the last 11 and 12 of the past 14 against the Falcons.

Their last meeting in a Grand Final was in 2015 when Subiaco won by 66 points at Subiaco Oval.

Subiaco coach Jarrad Schofield is guiding the Lions into a fifth straight Grand Final and while the venue at Optus Stadium is new, they have tried to keep the rest as similar as possible.

"Well obviously it's not just another game, it's a big game for us. We've been in this position before in the previous years and we've got some experienced boys who know how to handle the week, and they've definitely looked after our younger fellas," Schofield said.

"But in terms of training, it's as normal and you have to keep it normal just to keep the guys' heads in it so they don’t play the game too early. I'm really looking forward to what should be an exciting game."

West Perth coach Bill Monaghan doesn’t expect the new venue to play a part in the result but the Falcons' longest-serving coach in history is excited about the occasion Sunday presents.

"It's a great unknown and it's not something that is going to enter our thought process. Am I happier that it's on a neutral venue that nobody's played at? Probably. But it's new and exciting, and it's a wonderful stadium," Monaghan said.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to showcase WAFL football on a big stage. That's more important than where we play and we just hope that it's a cracking game, and that we can play at our very best and take the challenge right up to Subiaco."

Both teams had some tough selection decisions to make heading into the Grand Final too, with Subiaco's players at least having some solace in the fact that if they miss out on league selection, they will get to play in a reserves Grand Final to start the day at Optus Stadium.

From the Subiaco reserves team that beat Claremont last week, Ryan Borchet and Jacob Miller did play in the league second semi-final win the week before while Rhys Waters, Adam Cockie, Brad Stevenson, Craig Hoskins, Michael Braut, Mckenzie Lawrence, Nick Menegola and Daniel Leach had strong cases to make.

But breaking into that second semi-final team without any injuries suffered was going to be a tough ask and in the end, Subiaco has only decided to make the one change.

That changes is in the forward-line with Rhys Waters named to return having played one game back from injury in the reserves last week where he had 12 possessions, seven tackles and two behinds.

That was his first game since getting hurt in Round 15 but he had an outstanding season up to that point having kicked 25 goals.

His inclusion meant it was going to be heartbreak for someone and that is 21-year-old Ryan Borchet. He has kicked 10 goals in his 10 appearances this year but couldn’t quite hold his spot.

He has been named an emergency alongside experienced duo Adam Cockie and Brad Stevenson.

Of the final 22 named for Subiaco, captain Kyal Horsley is attempting to become a four-time premiership player in what is the eighth Grand Final of his remarkable career.

Josh Deluca can also become a four-time premiership player having won a flag with Subiaco in 2014 and then at Peel the past two seasons.

Chris Phelan has a chance to become a triple premiership player as does Waters, Lachlan Delahunty, Clancy Wheeler.

Leigh Kitchin, Jordan Lockyer, Hayden Kennedy, Kyle Halligan and Aaron Heal are attempting to play in their second premierships.

Selection was far from easy for the West Perth coaching staff either coming off last week's stunning preliminary final victory against South Fremantle.

Ben King and Steve Potente were both late outs for the game for West Perth with Rudy Riddoch and Tyson Moulton taking their spots. Riddoch was tremendous up forward for the Falcons replacing Potente while Moulton did a strong job filling King's defensive role.

With Potente and King both putting their hands up for selection this week, that made for plenty of interesting discussions among match committee this week.

In the end the Falcons have gone with the one change and that sees King return to take his place in the defence to take on one of Subiaco's star forwards with Moulton the man to miss out.

That means that Potente has been unable to force his way back in with Riddoch holding his place.

West Perth's most recent premiership was 2013 but Aaron Black, Andrew Strijk, Shane Nelson, Jay van Berlo and the retiring Chris Keunen are the only players remaining from that flag winning team.

SUBIACO (18-0, 1st) v WEST PERTH (11-7, 3rd) – OPTUS STADIUM, SUNDAY 2.40PM
Selected teams, live stats 
Broadcast – Channel 7, ABC Radio, 91.3 SportFM, 882 6PR, KIX Digital, Footy Radio, Noongar Radio