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WAFL 2022: East Fremantle set to find new home for finals with WACA Ground not available

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Mitchell WoodcockThe West Australian
East Fremantle are calling the WACA Ground their home this season.
Camera IconEast Fremantle are calling the WACA Ground their home this season. Credit: Adam Crane

East Fremantle are on the hunt for a new home ground for this year’s finals series, with the WACA Ground unlikely to be available in September.

The top-of-the-table Sharks are calling the WACA Ground home for the next two seasons while East Fremantle Oval is being redeveloped, but they are set to be on the move again should they return to finals for the first time since 2014.

The domestic cricket season normally starts in September, meaning curators will need the ground a few weeks before to prepare pitches ahead of a bumper summer of sport.

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It is understood East Fremantle are looking at Perth and West Coast’s home ground of Mineral Resources Park as a potential venue to host finals should they qualify.

The Sharks are yet to lose at the WACA Ground this season and will play three of their next five games at home.

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East Fremantle president Mark Stewart said it was “unlikely” they would play finals at the WACA Ground.

“It’s a week-by-week proposition and we’re at round nine,” Stewart said.

“The pitches is a challenge with their season starting, there’s a bit of complexity around that. But the team will work through what needs to be done there.

“We can’t get too ahead of ourselves ... we’ll deal with it at the appropriate time.”

Stewart said they would look at a new venue “in due course”.

East Fremantle celebrate a win over West Perth at the WACA Ground.
Camera IconEast Fremantle celebrate a win over West Perth at the WACA Ground. Credit: Adam Crane

“There’s a season we’re only half-way through, I think we’re getting in front of ourselves if we start talking about finals in round nine,” he said.

The WAFL finals will be later than previous years because of the decision to play the grand final after their AFL counterparts, with it set to be held at Optus Stadium on Saturday, October 1.

It comes after nearly 30,000 watched on as Subiaco defeated South Fremantle last season, the biggest crowd in two decades.

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