Teams Locked! R18 WAFL Preview

East Perth visit the WACA for the first time since East Fremantle relocated there at the start of the 2022 season in a crunch game that will have a significant bearing on who finishes on top of the ladder. Both teams come into the game with an 11-4 record, with East Fremantle sitting on top on percentage. The Sharks are currently on a 6 game winning streak, having last lost to East Perth when the 2 teams clashed at Leederville earlier in the year. East Perth had the bye last week and will be looking to respond after a disappointing loss to Subiaco previously. 

East Perth has a much vaunted midfield lead by captain Hamish Brayshaw, Angus Schumacher, Angus Scott and the diminutive Mitch Crowden. The East Fremantle midfield will need to be on top of their game with Tom Joyce, Fraser Turner, Jarrad Jansen and Harry Marsh all in excellent recent form. 

East Perth come into the game as the competitions highest scoring team and ,with no dominant key forward, will again be looking to share the goal kicking duties. Liam Tedesco, an excellent pick up from West Perth, leads the goal kicking with 25 followed by developing forward Mitch Schofield on 22. The Sharks welcomed back leading goal kicker, Dillon O’Reilly, last week and will be looking for Cody Leggett and Hugh Dixon to rediscover their goal kicking boots. 

Down back, the tight Shark defence, equal first in points conceded, will once again be lead by veterans Matthew Jupp and Cam Eardley. Eardley was inducted into the WAFL 200 club during the week. 

The Reserves and Colts have both held onto their top 3 chances with strong wins over Claremont last week. The Reserves still sit outside the 5 but if they win their last 3 games they will likely finish in 3rd position. A crucial game looms against the Royals- who also have finals ambitions of their own to play for. In the Colts, a fantastic victory over Claremont last weekend sees the young Sharks 4 points outside the top 3 with a game in hand. East Perth currently sit in 6th place and will be keen to stay in touch with fifth placed West Perth.