WAFLW Round 16 WrapTuesday, June 7, 2022 - 12:23 PM - by Chris Pike

EVERYTHING needed to set up a tantalising final weekend of the 2022 WAFLW home and away season happened in Round 16 with the last position in the finals to now come down to the very last game of the campaign this coming Saturday.

It was the penultimate round of the 2022 WAFLW season across the WA Day long weekend and now by the end of it, precious little separates Swan Districts and Subiaco in the race for fourth position and that last spot heading into the finals.

With Subiaco winning on Sunday and Swan Districts losing on Saturday, it leaves Swans clinging to fourth position with a 6-8 record. That's how they will finish the season too as they have the bye in the last round.

The Lions are only percentage behind Swan Districts in fifth position meaning that should Subiaco win on Saturday afternoon against Peel Thunder at Leederville Oval, they will replace Swans in fourth spot and qualify for the finals in 2022.

The Round 16 WAFLW action got underway on Saturday at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval and it was a Grand Final rematch victory for Peel Thunder against Swan Districts 7.7 (49) to 4.8 (32).

That result guaranteed the Thunder would play finals in 2022 as they attempt to win a third straight premiership while Swans now have to sit and wait to see if they play finals or not with the bye in Round 17.

The other two Round 16 matches took place on Sunday afternoon starting at Joondalup's Pentanet Stadium with East Fremantle beating West Perth 8.14 (62) to 0.0 (0).

The Sharks remain guaranteed of finishing in top spot to claim the minor premiership and to host Claremont in the second semi-final while the Falcons remain winless in last position in their maiden WAFLW season.

The last game of the round also took place on Sunday afternoon with Subiaco defeating Claremont 3.5 (23) to 1.3 (9) at Leederville Oval.

Subiaco became the first team other than East Fremantle to beat Claremont this season but the Tigers remain locked into second spot. The win keeps the Lions alive in the finals battle, though, ahead of their clash with Peel on Saturday.

There were also two Round 16 WAFLW Reserves matches starting on Saturday at Steel Blue Oval with Swan Districts beating Peel Thunder 5.7 (37) to 0.4 (4).

Then on Sunday at Leederville Oval, Claremont defeated Subiaco 5.9 (39) to 1.0 (6).

Those results leave Claremont on top of the WAFLW Reserves ladder with nine wins, a loss and a draw from their 11 matches. East Fremantle is second with eight wins, two losses and a draw.

Swan Districts (7-5) sits in third position, Subiaco (2-9) fourth and Peel Thunder (1-10) fifth.

There were no matches in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup competition on the weekend but with one round remaining, East Fremantle is clear on top of the ladder with a 12-1 record.

Peel Thunder (9-4) is in second position ahead of South Fremantle (9-4) and Claremont (8-5).

Just outside the top four are West Perth (6-1-6), Swan Districts (3-10), Subiaco (3-10) and East Perth (1-1-11).

WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 16

SWAN DISTRICTS 4.8 (32) lost to PEEL THUNDER 7.7 (49)

Peel Thunder locked away their spot in the finals but gave Swan Districts a nervous wait with a 17-point win away from home on Saturday.

It was the third Grand Final rematch between the two teams of the season with them having split their first two meetings of 2022, and the winner of Saturday's clash at Steel Blue Oval would know they were guaranteed of playing finals again this season.

In the end it was the reigning premiers who proved too strong with Peel locking away a finals spot and likely third position with the 7.7 (49) to 4.8 (32) victory.

The result means that the Thunder are guaranteed of playing finals to keep their hopes alive of a premiership hat-trick with them likely to host the first semi-final.

However, the home and way season is now done for Swan Districts with the bye to come in the final round and they need Peel to beat Subiaco on Saturday in order to stay in fourth position and take part in the finals action.

Ironically, while Swans will be cheering on Peel this Saturday, should the Thunder win the two teams will then play in a first semi-final the following week.

While Swan Districts had the first couple of scoring attempts for the game, it was Peel who kicked the first goal of the third Grand Final rematch of 2022 thanks to Jade Briggs. 

However, Courtney Zappara responded shortly before quarter-time and that saw Swans head into quarter-time leading by three points.

Jordain Thompson put the Thunder back in front with an early goal in the second term before Holly Britton also kicked truly to extend the lead to seven points, and the Thunder were still on top by five points at the half-time break.

Peel's lead was back out to 11 points with a goal to Briggs to open the second half but Hope Ugle-Hayward soon responded for Swan Districts to bring the home team back within five points.

Peel was then back up 11 points with a goal to Kira Phillips before Swans got one back courtesy of Shannan Rene. The Thunder maintained an 11-point lead at three quarter-time, though, following a late goal to Ella Roberts.

Peel's lead grew to as much as 20 points early in the fourth quarter with a goal to Thompson, and from there the Thunder went on to claim the 7.7 (49) to 4.8 (32) to guarantee themselves a finals appearance.

Jordain Thompson and Jade Briggs both kicked two goals apiece for Peel in the victory that all but locked them in to third spot to host a first semi-final.

Ebony Dowson continued her outstanding season for the Thunder to finish the game with 23 possessions. Ella Roberts also racked up 21 touches for Peel, Jaide Britton 19, Chloe Wrigley 19 and Sabreena Duffy 15.

Swan Districts' goals for the day came courtesy of Courtney Zappara, Shannan Rene, Hope Ugle-Hayward and Sarah Wielstra.

Ruby Mahoney finished the afternoon with 17 possessions and 11 tackles for Swan Districts with Abbygail Bushby gathering 17 touches, Ugle-Hayward 14, Isabella Edgley 14, Lauren Osborne 14 and Wielstra 14 in the ruck to go with 18 hit outs, five marks, four inside 50s and three tackles.
 

WEST PERTH 0.0 (0) lost to EAST FREMANTLE 8.14 (62)

East Fremantle remain on track for an undefeated season and West Perth for a winless one with the Sharks winning by 62 points on Sunday.

East Fremantle had already locked away top spot and the minor premiership coming into Sunday's match at Joondalup's Pentanet Stadium, but they weren’t about to take their foot off the gas against West Perth.

The Sharks kicked the only scores of the contest to end up winning 8.14 (62) to 0.0 (0) as they gear up to host Claremont in the second semi-final after they close the home and away season this Saturday against South Fremantle.

East Fremantle now holds a perfect 13-0 record on the season coming into the final round while West Perth is the total opposite at 0-13 in their inaugural WAFLW season.

East Fremantle's first couple of scores were behinds before Julia Teakle kicked the first goal of the game at the 10-minute mark of the opening quarter.

Zipporah Fish and Mylee Leitch also added goals before quarter-time to open up a 22-point advantage by the end of the first quarter.

The Sharks added three behinds in the second term before their fourth goal of the game came courtesy of Teakle. Torrens Revell then added two more leading into half-time to give East Fremantle the commanding 47-point lead at the main break.

Neither team managed a goal in the third quarter with the only score being a point to East Fremantle, but the Sharks then closed out the game with final quarter goals to Melissa Caulfield and Ashlee Atkins to win 8.14 (62) to 0.0 (0).

Torrens Revell and Julia Teakle kicked two goals each for East Fremantle in the win with Teakle also finishing with 17 possessions, four marks and two tackles.

Ashlee Atkins, Mylee Leitch, Zipporah Fish and Melissa Caulfield all kicked a goal each as well for the Sharks.

Amber Kinnane finished the game with 32 possessions for East Fremantle while Ashleigh Gomes picked up 32 disposals, Atkins 28, Larissa Versaci 26, Beth Beckett 21, Caulfield 21, Ells Sanders 16, Sharon Wong 16 and Fish 15 to go with five marks, five inside 50s and three tackles.

West Perth might not have managed to score in the game but Karla Stagg gathered 18 possessions, Kaitlyn Roper 17, Jess Roper 13 and Elissa Price 12 to go with 10 marks. Cameron Dawson also had 23 hit outs in the ruck.

SUBIACO 3.5 (23) defeated CLAREMONT 1.3 (9)

Subiaco kept its finals hopes alive by beating Claremont by 14 points at Leederville Oval on Sunday.

The Lions needed to beat the Tigers to remain any hope of sneaking into the top four, but it was always going to be a significant challenge with Claremont guaranteed of finishing in second spot and with East Fremantle the only team they have lost to so far in 2022.

However, in a low scoring affair, Subiaco managed to kick three of the four goals in the game to win 3.5 (23) to 1.3 (9) to keep their season alive.

Subiaco now must beat Peel Thunder at home this Saturday to reach the finals while Claremont is locked into second spot and a second semi-final encounter with East Fremantle no matter how they go in the last round against West Perth at Revo Fitness Stadium.

Neither team managed to score a goal in the first quarter with two behinds apiece to leave scores tied at quarter-time and finally the first major of the contest came 14 minutes into the second term.

That went the way of Subiaco through Cheney Armstrong and that helped the Lions to a six-point advantage going into the half-time break.

Claremont then opened the second half with its first goal of the contest thanks to Jasmine Stewart, but the Lions were able to respond through Kelsey Patterson.

That helped Subiaco to a seven-point lead at three quarter-time and the Lions managed the only goal of the final term as well through Aisling McCarthy to secure the 3.5 (23) to 1.3 (9) win to keep their finals aspirations alive with a round to go.

Subiaco's goals in the win came courtesy of Aisling McCarthy, Cheney Armstrong and Kelsey Patterson.

Tarnica Golisano continued her standout form for the Lions with another 28 touches and seven tackles with Jayme Harken finishing with 23 disposals and eight marks, and Madizen Wilkins 21 possessions and five marks.

McCarthy also had 19 touches, Tiah Toth 19, Ellie Blackmore 14 and Armstrong 13 to go with 22 hit outs, four marks, three tackles and her goal.

Claremont's lone goal was kicked by Jasmin Stewart in the game to go with her 17 possessions, four tackles and four inside-50 entries.

Madeleine Scanlon collected 23 possessions for Claremont, Claire Ortlepp 16, Tess Blackburn 15 and Brooke Hongell 14 with Matilda Dyke adding 10 disposals and 34 hit outs in the ruck.