ROUND 12 PREVIEW V PERTH

WEST Perth might have dominated Perth for a long time including winning 14 straight, but the Falcons can expect a much sterner challenge from the Demons this Saturday at Joondalup Arena.

It will be a full day of action as West Perth returns to Joondalup Arena in Round 12 of the WAFL as well with the colts clash beginning proceedings at 9am before the reserves contest at 11.30am and then the league match begins at 2.15pm.

That will be followed a league contest in the Mundella WA Women's Football League, with West Perth hosting Subiaco from 5pm at Joondalup Arena.

The Falcons have dominated the Demons for some time now not only having won the last 14 meetings, but 18 of the last 19.

Going back further ever since Perth won four straight against West Perth in 1991 and 1992, the Falcons have won 50 of the 62 meetings between the two teams. Perth has won just 11 of those 62 games with a 2008 draw at Lathlain Park thrown in.

Only once in the past 26 years have Perth won consecutive matches against West Perth and that came during 2003 when the Falcons went on to win the premiership.

So with West Perth having won 14 straight against Perth and the Demons' last win against the Falcons coming way back in Round 18, 2011 at Joondalup Arena, it's quite the hoodoo for them to overcome.

But Perth does head to Joondalup Arena on Saturday with confidence and in some impressive form.

The Demons beat East Fremantle emphatically by 64 points last Saturday at Lathlain Park on the back of a come from behind six-point win over South Fremantle.

They broke a hoodoo that day ending a nine-game losing streak against the Bulldogs on the back of performances against Subiaco and Swan Districts where they gave themselves a shot at winning before being overrun.

Perth also had come from behind to beat Claremont by a point back in Round 7 so they have won three of their past five matches heading into Saturday's clash with West Perth at Joondalup Arena.

Perth's past five weeks, aside from fadeouts to the Lions and Swans, have been impressive as they have improved to a 4-6 record and if they can avoid a 15th straight loss to West Perth, the Demons could even find themselves in the top five by Saturday night.

But beating West Perth is going to be easier said than done with the Falcons in good form themselves and coming into Round 12 in third position on the WAFL ladder with a 6-4 record.

West Perth won a nail-biter over Claremont by a point last Saturday at Claremont Oval following a three-point loss to Peel after a 24-point WA Day victory against East Perth in their last home game at Joondalup Arena.

West Perth can maintain touch with the second placed South Fremantle as well with a 15th straight win over Perth on Saturday if they are able to come away with the four points.

Not only have West Perth won 14 straight matches against Perth but not many of the encounters have been that close. The closest meeting was a 12-point win for West Perth back in Round 5, 2012 while the averaging margin is 44.6 points.

Back in Round 5 in their only meeting of 2018 previously, it was a dominant display by West Perth ending beating Perth by 62 points at Lathlain Park with the Falcons kicking the game's eight of the opening 10 goals.

With West Perth needing to win to maintain its hold on third spot and remain in touch for second, and Perth trying to break into the top five and it shapes as a fascinating contest at Joondalup Arena on Saturday.

From the West Perth team that beat Claremont by a point last Saturday, Conal Lynch, Tyson Moulton, Kael Coleman and Dean Munns have been added to the squad.

Mitch Antonio is the only out from that line-up so far.

Perth's impressive form over the previous five weeks has coincided with a healthier playing squad including the returns of key senior players Devin McFarlane, Michael Sinclair and Mitch Lague.

Another one returns this Saturday with Christian Eyres returning after spending the past two weeks in the reserves on the comeback from injury. 

That will see the ruckman go up against West Perth veteran Chris Keunen even though Clayton Giblett has battled hard the previous two weeks on the back for the Demons.

Zac Hill, Shaun Smith and Marshall Jones have also been added to the Perth squad to take on West Perth while Blake Johnson goes out.

ROUND 12
WEST PERTH v PERTH – JOONDALUP ARENA, SATURDAY 2.15PM
Broadcast – Noongar Radio, ABC Radio, Footy Radio

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