Semi Finals Optus WAFLW Preview

THE race for the 2021 WAFLW premiership heats up this Sunday with Swan Districts and Peel Thunder fighting over the first spot in the Grand Final with Claremont and Subiaco fighting to stay alive.

Following 15 rounds of the 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership Season, it was Swan Districts, Peel Thunder, Claremont and Subiaco emerged as the four teams to take part in the finals beginning this Sunday afternoon.

Swan Districts finished up the dominant team of the home and away season winning their opening 13 matches before ending up on top with a 14-1 record.

They will now host the reigning premiers Peel Thunder in the second semi-final at Bassendean’s Steel Blue Oval with the winner to move straight into the Grand Final in two weeks’ time at David Grays Arena in Mandurah.

The first semi-final then features two teams still chasing a first premiership in the WAFLW competition with Claremont hosting Subiaco at Revo Fitness Stadium with the season over for the loser while the winner advance to the preliminary final.

Swan Districts and Peel Thunder have been the two standout teams this entire 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership Season and now it’s only fitting they meet with a Grand Final spot at stake on Sunday at Steel Blue Oval.

Swan Districts has taken part in the finals the first two years of the WAFLW competition firstly reaching the Grand Final in 2019 before losing to East Fremantle. They again played finals in 2020 but lost the first semi-final again against the Sharks.

Peel, meanwhile, finished dead last back in the inaugural season of 2019 but were the fairytale story of 2020 to end up winning the premiership by defeating Subiaco in the Grand Final.

Now for the 15 rounds of the 2021 season, it has been Swans and the Thunder who emerged as the two standout teams and they finished in the top two positions setting up Sunday’s second semi-final.

The winner of Sunday’s game advances straight to the Grand Final in Mandurah in two weeks’ time while the loser has earned a second chance and will host the preliminary final next week against the winner of the first semi-final between Claremont and Subiaco.

Swan Districts was the dominant team right throughout the WAFLW season. Swans won their opening 13 matches impressively before a slip up against Peel in Round 14, but that was only after top spot and the minor premiership was already secured.

Swans ended up finishing the season in top spot with a 14-1 record while Peel was second four games back at 10-5, but still two games clear of the third and fourth placed Lions and Tigers.

The two teams first met this season back in Round 3 in Mandurah with Swan Districts winning on that occasion against Peel 10.6 (66) to 5.8 (38).

Then in Round 11, it was again Swans prevailing over the Thunder 6.6 (42) to 6.5 (41). That win ended up securing the minor premiership for the black-and-whites but Peel then handed Swan Districts a loss in Round 14, winning 6.3 (39) to 2.6 (18).

Claremont and Subiaco then meet in the first semi-final looking to keep their seasons alive in the WAFLW competition and advance to the preliminary final.

Claremont has had its best ever WAFLW season in its third attempt to finish the home and away season in third position.

Subiaco ended up minor premiers in the first two years but the Lions had to overcome a slow start to 2021 to end up in fourth spot and only missing out on snatching third from the Tigers and home ground advantage for the first semi-final through percentage.

Claremont had a better start to the season than finish while Subiaco finished off as the form team in the competition after losing four of their first five matches, and six of their last eight.

But either way the stage is set for a fascinating match up on Sunday with the winner to advance to play off for a Grand Final spot while the season will be over for the loser.

Meanwhile in the WAFLW Reserves, East Fremantle will be playing Peel Thunder in the second semi-final after only percentage separated them in the race for top spot. Swan Districts and Claremont will also be facing off to keep their season alive in the first semi-final.

And in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup, West Perth will be playing reigning premiers South Fremantle in the second semi-final to start the day at Steel Blue Oval for a spot in the Grand Final. At Revo Fitness Stadium, Peel Thunder will be playing East Fremantle in the first semi-final.

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – FINALS SERIES

FIRST SEMI-FINAL
CLAREMONT v SUBIACO – REVO FITNESS STADIUM, SUNDAY 1.30PM

SECOND SEMI-FINAL
SWAN DISTRICTS v PEEL THUNDER – STEEL BLUE OVAL, SUNDAY 2.30PM