Expectations, limitations and destined for greatness - the SWFL season so far

With the SWFL season taking a short break over the Easter weekend, Justin Fris takes a glance at the movers, shakers and issues across all competitions during the opening month of the season. 1. South Bunbury’s dominance across the league, reserves and women’s competitions looks formidable Tipped to be a powerhouse in 2022 following a few challenging seasons, the Tigers have set the bar high for others to follow throughout April. Many club diehards and football fans no doubt have June 6 circled in their calendar, as it is the day South will put their dominance on the line in all grades against bitter foe Bunbury. 2. Bunbury have unearthed a number of quality players in their women’s team Not since the beginning of South Bunbury’s premiership era have we witnessed such an exciting emergence of fresh faces at a club. Bunbury, the benefactors of these arrivals, have looked brilliant with the presence of Kimberley Nimmo in the forward line, while Riley Fisher, Shana Beardman and Keira O’Connor have also played brilliantly. 3. Augusta-Margaret River mean business once again under Matt Jamieson With so much talent at his disposal, Jamieson was tipped to have his side up and about early during their premiership defence. A disappointing effort in round one could have upset the green and gold applecart, however the Hawks have responded swiftly with two uncompromising wins. 4. Byes in the women’s competition are resulting in teams spending considerable time on the sidelines The Harvey Bulls women’s team will have gone 32 days without playing a game when they host Bunbury next weekend, while South Bunbury have a 29-day break between rounds two and five. While expanding the competition is good for female football, surely having certain women’s teams spending up to a month not playing is harmful for motivation and match fitness? 5. Busselton are a genuine finals contender with Daniel Delaney at the helm Don’t let their 1-2 record fool you — this Magpies team is extremely capable of doing damage at the business end of the season. Aside from Daniel Delaney having a solid understanding of what it takes to succeed at this level. The Pies also have Liam Creighton and Mitchell Howlett at the peak of their powers. 6. Players are gradually getting used to enforced rule interpretations Prior to the start of the campaign, SWFLUA president Vance Burton facilitated a briefing at league headquarters for senior coaches and captains of each club. Burton clearly and succinctly explained how certain interpretations around umpire abuse (zero tolerance) and time wasting would be enforced, with players/coaches conceding 50m penalties, receiving cards or being reported for indiscretions. Six of the 11 clubs attended the event, so it was unsurprising to see so many teams concede a stack of 50m penalties across the opening fortnight. The umpires have been consistent with their enforcement of these interpretations, so it is expected players will adapt to what is required. 7. Jordan Strahan is having a fantastic time in the South Bunbury forward line Benefitting from silver service, Strahan is quickly becoming the best spearhead across all grades. A strong mark and an excellent kick for goal, Strahan is the kind of player who probably gives defenders sleepless nights leading up to a game. 8. The colts competition should go down to the wire this season Throughout the opening three rounds of the season, Bunbury, Carey Park and the Dunsborough Sharks have played exciting brands of football. Do yourself a favour and get to the ground early on game day, as the standard in this competition is worth the price of admission alone. 9. Dunsborough’s entry into the SWFL should bear fruit in coming years With a solid crowd of 893 across their inaugural home clashes against Bunbury, it appears as though the Dunsborough community have rallied around the Sharks’ admittance into the competition. In both matches to date, the Sharks have been competitive in the reserves and colts, with a victory in each competition. Although their women’s side is very much starting from scratch on-field, there is no shortage of enthusiasm. There is every chance supporters from opposing clubs will yearn for their away trip to the Dunsborough Playing Fields in coming years, due to the quality of football on offer — however the limited parking around the ground appears to be a major issue, particularly for spectators who are elderly or disabled. 10. The next month will be a real test for the Harvey Bulls women’s team Due to the uneven number of teams in the women’s competition, the Bulls have not played since their impressive round-one win over the Eaton Boomers on March 26. With their stint on the sidelines over, Peter Jones’ side have a challenging block of games upcoming — Bunbury, South Bunbury and Donnybrook — although two of these clashes are at the Harvey Recreation Ground. Tipped to have East Fremantle duo Larissa Versaci and Laura McClelland available during the final stretch of the season, the Bulls will be keen to secure as many early wins as possible against fellow finals aspirants, particularly in light of Busselton’s winless start.