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Round 4 WAFLW Preview v East Fremantle

Friday, March 22, 2024 - 4:49 PM

Swan Districts has now built some strong WAFLW form the past two weeks and will look to keep that going against the reigning premiers East Fremantle in Fremantle on Saturday afternoon.

There has been a lot to like with what Swan Districts has produced the past two weeks of the WAFLW season at home at Steel Blue Oval now leading into this Saturday's clash with East Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Both teams come into the game that begins at 2.10pm having won two of their first three matches of the 2024 season.

Swan Districts opened the season with a narrow loss to Claremont away from home but the last two weeks has been at home at Steel Blue Oval for two strong victories for the black-and-whites.

First up was beating Peel Thunder by 63 points in Round 2 with Courtney Zappara kicking five goals and Swans managing to kick 10 goals to one on the occasion for the dominant victory.

Then last Saturday it was at Bassendean again and while East Perth made Swan Districts earn it and even hit the front in the third quarter, the home team kicked the last three goals of the contest on the way to the 19-point victory.

Swan Districts will now look to make it three straight victories up against an East Fremantle team who won the WAFLW premiership in 2023 and lost the grand final in heartbreaking fashion in 2022.

Last time the teams played in the WAFLW was in the first semi-final last season and in a well fought out contest, it was East Fremantle who beat Swan Districts by 29 points on the way to the premiership triumph.

That game was also held at Fremantle Community Bank Oval and prior to that, it was Swans who beat the Sharks under lights at the WACA Ground in horrible conditions in Round 15.

Swan Districts has added Luka Davis, Brianna Hyde, Emily McGuire, Tierrah Miller and Ava Stewart to its squad with Hannah Plummer the only out at this stage.

East Fremantle has added Serena Gibbs, Jasmine Johansen, Maya Louvel-Finn, Brooke Repacholi, Tiani Teakle and Reini Tutuki to its squad while Samara Pluschke and Larissa Versaci go out.

One new player with Swan Districts this season is former Gold Coast Suns and Adelaide Crows AFLW player Tayla Thorn.

She has a natural connection to Swans with her father, uncle and brother all former players of the club and now she's looking forward to her fourth WAFLW game with the black-and-whites, and looking for what would be a statement win against East Fremantle.

"The girls have been going really well and we're hoping to keep that momentum going into this next round," Thorn said.

"I'm still especially trying to find my feet with the new team and within the club as well so hopefully we have made progress over the first three weeks and we can show that in this next round."

Meanwhile, the Rogers Cup match up between Swan Districts and East Fremantle also takes place at Fremantle Community Bank Oval beginning at 12.05pm on Saturday afternoon.

It's a battle of the undefeated teams too after the opening three rounds of the season with both the Swans and Sharks having won their first three games in the Rogers Cup competition setting up a fascinating Round 4 match up at the port.