Round 19 WAFL PreviewFriday, August 9, 2024 - 9:41 AM - by Chris Pike

ROUND 19 in the WAFL sees Swan Districts and East Fremantle meet in a crucial match up on neutral turf while Claremont and South Fremantle look to bounce back, and East Perth and Peel Thunder keep jostling over top spot.

There are just three rounds remaining in the 2024 WAFL season with six teams locked into the battle for finals positions meaning there are ramifications for every match.

All five games take place on Saturday this week starting at Mineral Resources Park with the West Coast Eagles hosting East Perth with the Royals needing to win to maintain a top two spot, and to be a chance of going into first place.

The other four matches all take place at 2.30pm with Subiaco at home to Perth at Sullivan Logistics Stadium with the Lions looking for a sixth win of the season and the Demons attempting to make it consecutive wins for the first time in 2024 after beating West Coast.

Claremont will then play West Perth at Revo Fitness Stadium with the Tigers needing to hit back from a loss to Peel to remain a chance of breaking into the top five. The Falcons will be just trying to avoid a 10th consecutive defeat and to get off bottom spot.

Then there is South Fremantle at home to Peel Thunder at Fremantle Community Bank Oval. The Bulldogs lost a derby last week by 66 points and must bounce back to guarantee they stay inside the top five but the Thunder remain in top spot and need to keep winning to stay there as well.

Two in-form teams then lock horns on neutral turf at Joondalup's Pentanet Stadium as well with East Fremantle playing Swan Districts.

The Sharks have now won four straight including a 66-point derby win last Saturday to be in fourth spot while Swans are on a nine-game undefeated streak in third place.

Swan Districts captain Jesse Turner is looking forward to another big test against the reigning premiers and is happy to face them on neutral territory.

"It's a massive game obviously with how close ourselves and East Freo are on the ladder, and with how tight all the top six teams are," Turner said.

"So games are like this usually are worth around eight points and then it's a bit different playing them at Joondalup.

"East Freo is kinda getting used to playing at neutral grounds and playing all over the place so for us it's definitely a little different, but in saying that we played at Joondalup not that long ago and won there so we don't mind that ground at all. We're happy to play footy there that's for sure."

WEST COAST EAGLES v EAST PERTH – MINERAL RESOURCES PARK, SATURDAY 11.10AM

SUBIACO v PERTH – SULLIVAN LOGISTICS STADIUM, SATURDAY 2.30PM

CLAREMONT v WEST PERTH – REVO FITNESS STADIUM, SATURDAY 2.30PM

SOUTH FREMANTLE v PEEL THUNDER – FREMANTLE COMMUNITY BANK OVAL, SATURDAY 2.30PM

EAST FREMANTLE v SWAN DISTRICTS – PENTANET STADIUM, SATURDAY 2.30PM