WAFL 2022 Preview – SubiacoTuesday, March 1, 2022 - 3:56 PM - by Chris Pike

SUBIACO capped off a dominant 2021 WAFL season by winning the premiership to continue their remarkable run of success, but they have got some mixed news on the personnel front coming into 2022.

By winning the premiership in 2021, the Lions have now won five flags in the last eight WAFL seasons, and nine since 2003 and their performance throughout last season was outstanding.

They did have their challenges along the way and in the end only narrowly claimed the minor premiership, but they then proved too strong for South Fremantle in both the preliminary and Grand Finals to take out the premiership.

The majority of that group will be back again to try and continue the incredible recent success that Subiaco has had, but some of the losses will create a void that will need to be filled.

The most obvious is reigning Grand Final Simpson Medallist Greg Clark. Having had a season where he finished third in Sandover Medal voting before a dominant display on Grand Final day, he was drafted to the West Coast Eagles.

He's going to miss significant time with a shoulder injury, but even when he's playing in the WAFL upon his return it won't be with Subiaco.

Nick Martin is a lively half-forward who has developed nicely with the Lions, but he has now been signed to Essendon so he is another player now needing to be replaced.

However, never to rest on their laurels, Subiaco has recruited smartly and impressively with Stefan Giro to step straight into their midfield on the back of his time in the AFL at the Fremantle Dockers.

There is plenty of natural improvement from within the squad and even the premiership team for the Lions as well.

Jack Mayo is threatening to become a genuine star now in attack and Kyle Stainsby, Liam and Wil Hickmott, Jakob Atkinson, and Ben Golding are all premiership players with further growth left in them.

Add in the fact that captain and reigning fairest and best winner Leigh Kitchin, Lachlan Delahunty, Jordan Lockyer, Brandon Matera, Aaron Heal, Drew Rohde, Ben Sokol, Max Walters, Hayden Kennedy and Harry Marsh have plenty left in the tank, and Subiaco will again take some stopping in 2022.

COACH – Beau Wardman (Fourth season, 39-9 record)
CAPTAIN – Leigh Kitchin
FAIREST AND BEST 2021 – Leigh Kitchin

LOOKBACK ON 2021
Subiaco flexed its muscles again in 2021 to win the premiership after a down year in 2020 and the Lions deserve all the credit in the world for what they were able to accomplish.

Subiaco made a quick return to the top of the WAFL in 2021 to end up as minor premiers, and go on to win a third premiership in the past four years.

FULL SUBIACO 2021 SEASON REVIEW

INS AND OUTS
Incoming – Stefan Giro, Rylie Morgan, Jordan Snadden

Outgoing – Greg Clark, Nick Martin, Rowen Powell

FEATURE FIXTURE
It's quite the exciting opening month of the 2022 season for Subiaco with games against South Fremantle, Claremont, West Perth and then Leederville Oval co-tenants East Perth to kick off their premiership defence.

We could easily single out any of those as their featured fixture here and the Round 1 Grand Final rematch with the Bulldogs is certainly tantalising, but it's the Round 2 clash with the Tigers at Revo Fitness Stadium that could be telling for both clubs.

Claremont is coming off heartbreak at the hands of South Fremantle in each of the last three years and have had some turnover now of their experienced players so they will come into the clash with Subiaco looking to make an early statement.

However, it's a chance also for the Lions to show that this group of 2022 is as hungry and motivated as ever in that quest for a premiership, and it's a chance to put that on display on the road in Round 2 against a team with definite flag aspirations as well.

PREDICTION
You would be pretty crazy to not expect Subiaco to be genuine premiership threats again in 2022. Beau Wardman has extended his stay as coach, their stars led by Leigh Kitchin and Lachlan Delahunty are back, Harry Marsh could very well step up further as could Jack Mayo, and they've done well to bolster their midfield stocks despite losing a Simpson Medallist.

It's hard to predict anything but the premiership for Subiaco again in 2022.