Peel have Harding on high alert
Peel have lost 19 of their past 20 matches and will be last on the WAFL ladder for the 200th time after this weekend, but no opposition coach is taking them lightly.
Swan Districts mentor Greg Harding is no exception.
Swans travel to Bendigo Bank Stadium today with the chance to return to top spot if results go their way, but Harding knows Peel are threatening to start a run of wins that could shape this year's finals series.
"Have a look at Peel's list and tell me they aren't going to do some damage at some point," Harding said.
The Thunder, with 13 Fremantle players, made a blistering start against East Fremantle last weekend and led late in the match before succumbing by 25 points.
It was the fifth time in six games they were ahead in the second half, only to lose.
Yet their average losing margin this season is just 21 points and they are the first team in WAFL history to get this far into a season with one win, but a percentage as high as 81.8.
"It won't be long before they build a lead they can defend," Harding said. "They have got some outstanding players and you can see them winning far more games than they lose in the back half of the year."
But Peel have lost two of their prominent performers from last weekend, with Colin Sylvia set to make his Dockers debut and Clancee Pearce, who had 18 disposals in the first quarter before a hard tag restricted him to just seven more, also travelling to Melbourne.
The pair provided 231 of the 552 games of AFL experience in the Peel team last week.
Swans have recalled captain Tallan Ames after he missed the past two games with broken ribs. Teenager Aidan Anderson is available after playing in the first three WA under-18 games.
Meanwhile, a hamstring injury will force West Perth power forward Marcus Adams to miss the important clash with East Fremantle at Arena Joondalup.
Fifth-placed West Perth are just one win behind the Sharks.
Shaun Marusic is available for the Falcons after significant confusion over the bump he laid on Claremont's Hugo Breakey last weekend. Marusic was offered a reprimand by the WAFL's report review panel after a notice of investigation was lodged by the umpires.
West Perth argued informally that no offence had taken place because the review panel found there had been no head-high contact. WAFL officials accepted West Perth's argument and withdrew the charge.
