WAFLW: Subiaco gear up for do or die fortnight in last-minute bid to make finals

Eliza ReillyThe West Australian
Camera IconSubiaco face a mad scramble to make finals. Credit: Supplied

The prospect of back-to-back pseudo elimination finals isn’t daunting Subiaco despite the Lions requiring at least a win and potentially a stroke of luck to qualify for WAFLW finals.

With two rounds to play, the 2021 preliminary finalists sit one win and percentage outside the top four.

But instead of focusing the results around them, Subiaco have been forced to adopt a do-or-die mentality ahead of Sunday’s clash with Claremont.

The Lions are set to make eight changes, headlined by the inclusion of West Coast midfielder Aisling McCarthy who is set to play her first game of footy since fracturing her wrist in February, in a bid to regain match fitness.

Tarnica Golisano, Amy Mulholland, Ellie Blackmore, Jess Ritchie and Tiah Toth also loom as inclusions but Subiaco will be without star midfielder Abbey Dowrick for the rest of the season after she was signed by Port Adelaide.

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Despite a constant struggle with injury and COVID this season, head coach Michael Farmer said Subiaco were ready to make one final lunge at finals.

“It’s do-or-die. We can’t afford to drop more than one game,” he said.

“Earlier in the year against Claremont, we knew what we did well to compete with a top-two team but they got away from us later.

“We’ve identified what we did well in that game and we’re hopeful we can replicate it again and again.

“We’re not really treating each week like a final because that can be emotionally draining. Instead we’re focusing on our hunger in the contest and remaining in games for longer.”

The Lions are also confident they can make an impact in finals if they get there in the next two weeks.

“If we do sneak in, there’s serious belief we’re not making up numbers,” Farmer said.

“East Fremantle are clearly the standout so every other team is chasing them at the moment but we’ve played some strong footy against Claremont and have beaten Swan Districts as well.”

Also in round 15, Swan Districts host Peel on Saturday and West Perth face East Fremantle at Pentanet Stadium on Sunday.

Round 16

Saturday June 4

Swan Districts v Peel Thunder: 12:15pm at Steel Blue Oval

Sunday June 5

West Perth v East Fremantle: 12:30pm at Pentanet Stadium

Subiaco v Claremont: 2pm at Leederville Oval

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