WAFL 2026: South Fremantle welcome back premiership stars Matt Parker, Tom Blechynden for Perth clash

South Fremantle have welcomed back a pair of premiership heroes as they unveil the 2025 flag in front of fans before they host Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday. Reigning fairest and best Matt Parker and fellow star midfielder Tom Blechynden have been named to take on the Demons after they missed the Bulldogs’ season opener. Parker – who finished second in the Sandover Medal – has overcome a quad issue, while Blechynden was unavailable for the round one win against Swan Districts because of personal reasons. Last week’s debutantes, Mitch Geier and Sam Otto, make way, with premiership forward Brandon Donaldson named in the reserves as he returns from a calf injury. Perth will unveil speedy midfielder Archer Gardiner, who has crossed from Werribee, alongside fellow debutante Samuel Cameron and forward Cooper Moore. Jake Watson, Jack Bodle, and Nate Tomasini have all been dropped, while key defender Jesse Glass-McCasker remains on the outer. Swan Districts have handed draft hopeful Leo Steed a league debut as they look to upset last year’s grand finalists, East Perth, at Sullivan Logistics Stadium. Steed – who played two pre-season games for the league team – has been rewarded after he racked up 31 touches, eight tackles and kicked a goal in the colts last weekend. Recruit Lucas Impey has been included after he was a late out last week, while backman Sebastian Bright also comes into the team. Nathan Ireland will miss with an ankle injury, while Brad Lynch and Brodyn Fitzgerald have been dropped. Former West Coast rookie Jordyn Baker is a big out for the Royals because of a meniscus tear, with the extent of the injury to be determined when he sees a surgeon early next week. Recruit Damon Freitag has been dropped alongside Jayden Peak and James Sturrock, with forward Mitch Schofield the big inclusion. Will Cassidy, Jake Soutar, and debutant Kade Screaigh also come into the team for East Perth. East Fremantle’s injury woes have deepened with forward Griffin Vladich joining defender-turned-midfielder Jack Avery on the sidelines. Vladich will miss the Sharks’ clash against a fired-up Subiaco at The Good Grocer Park with a knee complaint, while Avery’s season is over because of an ankle injury. Former Fremantle and West Coast ruckman Luke Strnadica has been named for his first game of the season, while Elijah Stockden – the son of premiership Shark Marshall – will play his first league game. Subiaco have named an unchanged side from the one that beat Leederville co-tenants East Perth by seven points on Good Friday. Max Minear is the big inclusion for Claremont as they prepare for a heavyweight clash against Peel Thunder at Revo Fitness Stadium. Minear returns from a back injury at the expense of recruit Adam Boules, who has been dropped. Former Brisbane rookie Kalin Lane was unable to push for senior selection because of a groin injury. Fremantle-listed defender Oscar McDonald and rookie Toby Whan have been named alongside Boulder product Dustin Walters for Peel, while premiership forward Corey Tregenza is suspended. South Fremantle v Perth Saturday, Fremantle Community Bank Oval, 1.40pm BULLDOGS B: G Byron N Strom L Rayson HB: E Hughes C Pearson J Sax C: T Dodds J Florenca C Bourne HF: J Jones E Graham A Drage F: I Winder T Ruscoe L Robinson FOLL: H Free M Parker R O’Hehir I/C: T Blechynden J Boullineau T Etherington J Ferreira A Harvey EMG: J Donald M Geier S Otto J Young IN: T Blechynden M Parker OUT: S Geier S Otto (both omitted) DEMONS B: A Luers C Dean E Scoble HB: A Gardiner M Taylor N Cachard C: A Davis C Sing B Philip HF: C Byrne I Kirk R Wills F: C Constable A Clarke K Johnstone FOLL: J Edwards B Parfitt J Kluske I/C: S Cameron B Gray Z Harding O Hine-Baston C Moore EMG: J Bodle J Evans J Glass-McCasker J Watson IN: S Cameron A Gardiner C Moore OUT: N Tomasini J Watson J Bodle (all omitted) East Perth v Swan Districts Saturday, Sullivan Logistics Stadium, 2.10pm ROYALS B: K Willcocks C Watts X Milner HB: L Foley H Macreadie S Wright C: A Scott T North K Screaigh HF: C Ameduri S Kuek C Burgiel F: S van Diemen T Graham D Craven FOLL: S Jones C Stephens T Lindberg I/C: W Cassidy B Middleton R Saunders M Schofield J Soutar EMG: T Medhat J Peak J Spasevski J Sturrock IN: W Cassidy M Schofield K Screaigh J Soutar OUT: J Baker (knee) D Freitag J Sturrock J Peak (all omitted) SWANS B: A Stephens L Taylor B Watson HB: B Erceg C Ernst J Pina C: C Hinchliffe J Turner M Chipper HF: K Chalcraft Z Provest J McLachlan F: J Petric J O’Donohue J Cipro FOLL: N Blakely W Reidy Z Trew I/C: S Bright L Impey L Kelly J Rigoni L Steed EMG: L Cotellessa E Kane C Loftus B Lynch IN: S Bright L Impey L Steed OUT: N Ireland (ankle) B Fitzgerald B Lynch (both omitted) East Fremantle v Subiaco Saturday, The Good Grocer Park, 2.30pm SHARKS B: T Alker L Bailey L Marlin HB: C Eardley J Marsh O McManus C: E Stockden T Joyce Z Rankin HF: A Montauban K Baskerville A Ball F: O Smartt K Austin L Robinson FOLL: E Benning J Jansen H Marsh I/C: L Carrello J Cleaver T Phillips H Pickett L Strnadica EMG: P Campbell N Dean N Dowsett D Pauline IN: E Stockden L Strnadica OUT: G Vladich (knee) J Avery (ankle) LIONS B: G Savigni J Blight N Girolami HB: W Hickmott M Corbett C Burke C: J Kelman J Petruccelle J Snadden HF: S Siano S Giro J Robbins F: R Borchet R Murison J Mayo FOLL: F Rickson G Clark L Hickmott I/C: K Douglas N Hibbins-Hargreaves R Mott P Mullane B Sokol EMG: D Gathercole C Henderson T Shearer W Walley Claremont v Peel Thunder Saturday, Revo Fitness Stadium, 2.30pm TIGERS B: A Davis D Hardisty S Jennings-Hopkins HB: A Pearce J Peace M Minear C: B Banfield C England S Alvarez HF: Z Mainwaring J Hunter B Rogers F: S van Rooyen K Gowdie J Musika FOLL: O Eastland B Elliott T Headland I/C: T Delacey D Mountford O Sheldrick M Spyvee A Waterman EMG: A Boules C Dennis J Howard R O’Connor IN: M Minear OUT: A Boules (omitted) THUNDER B: B Walker H Davies J Draper HB: T Wyburd O McDonald C Simpson C: J Sharp B Hancock N O’Driscoll HF: S Tuia C Nicholls T Murray F: J Sears M Cox D Walters FOLL: F Burmeister L Tardrew A Sweid I/C: J Carr J Hewitt O Murphy K Sanders T Whan EMG: T Bryce A Caldow T Cossor S Hunter IN: O McDonald D Walters T Whan OUT: A Caldow S Hunter (both omitted) C Tregenza (suspended)