WAFL 2026: South Fremantle star Matt Parker still sidelined as Bulldogs prepare for West Coast Eagles

Reigning premiers South Fremantle will be without star midfielder Matt Parker for a fourth consecutive game as he continues to deal with injury. Parker has not played since the round two clash against Perth, having been withdrawn at the last moment before their loss to Claremont the following week after he went down with a hamstring injury in the warm-up. Last year’s Sandover Medal runner-up was a chance to take on West Coast at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday, but he has pulled up sore from training and is now aiming to be back after the State game bye. Parker also missed the season opener with a quad injury and is one of several premiership stars sidelined at the Bulldogs, including forward Trey Ruscoe (hamstring) and Simpson medallist Hamish Free (ankle). Young forward Cooper Clarke-Dehring will play his first league game of the season after kicking 14 goals in five reserves matches this year. Now, they look to take down an improved Eagles reserves outfit—the same team that handed South Fremantle their only loss on the path to last year’s flag. Last year’s grand finalists, East Perth, have mixed news on the selection front as they host Peel Thunder at Sullivan Logistics Stadium. Stan Wright, Kye Willcocks and Riley Saunders have all come back from injury, while Aniello Pizzolante will make his debut. However, the Royals are awaiting the results of scans on recruit Luke Foley’s leg injury, with an X-ray ruling out fractures after he was injured in a marking contest in their win against West Coast last weekend. They are also weighing up whether to send key defender Harrison Macreadie in for surgery on a serious hamstring injury that could cost him up to three months. Former West Coast-listed speedster Coby Burgiel will miss at least two weeks with a hamstring setback, while Kade Screaigh (soreness) and Xavier Milner (elbow) are also sidelined. The Thunder have been forced to drop Leon Kickett and Jaren Carr due to the limit on the number of Fremantle players they can field, while Taj Wyburd and Luke Hutchinson have also made way. Dockers-listed stars Chris Scerri, Brandon Walker and Jeremy Sharp come in to strengthen the side alongside Toby Jenkins. Claremont have gone in unchanged for the second consecutive week as they host Perth at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday. The Demons have made only the one change, with last week’s late out Connor Sing returning for Jack Bodle, who was his replacement. Subiaco have welcomed back former AFL players Jacob Blight and Jack Petruccelle as they look to extend West Perth’s losing streak to nine games up in Joondalup. Jordan Snadden will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, while Richard Bartlett has been dropped. The Falcons have been forced to make three changes, with Nathan Alexandre (hand), Corey Rundle (concussion), and Jonah Brooks (illness) all unavailable. Matt Shannon, Menno Inverarity and Ben Fairbank have all been called up. Swan Districts will have vital midfielder Zane Trew back for their must-win game against East Fremantle at Steel Blue Oval. Trew was a late out for their loss to the Tigers last weekend with a shoulder complaint, but has been recalled alongside Ayden Cartwright, Will Collins and Luke Taylor. Max Chipper has been sidelined with a collarbone injury, while Luke Cotellessa, Brandon Erceg and Brad Lynch have all been dropped. The Sharks have sent ruckman Eric Benning to the reserves, while Zac Petersen (personal), Oliver McManus, and Toby Alker (both calf injuries) are unavailable. Sandover Medal fancy Tom Joyce is back from illness, while Elijah Burrows, Chadd Dunscombe and Harper Fox were also named. ROUND SIX TEAMS South Fremantle v West Coast Saturday, Fremantle Community Bank Oval, 1.40pm BULLDOGS B: J Sax N Strom L Rayson HB: E Hughes C Pearson R O’Hehir C: G Byron J Florenca T Dodds HF: A Ferreira A Harvey A Drage F: I Winder C Clarke-Dehring B Donaldson FOLL: W Love J Jones L Robinson I/C: T Blechynden J Boullineau C Bourne T Etherington M Geier EMG: R Colborne J Donald J Green S Otto IN: C Clarke-Dehring OUT: T Ruscoe (hamstring) EAGLES B: J Burke R Bazzo J Ewing HB: L Grego S Brock T Dewar C: F Rodriguez A Watt S Lucassen HF: T Williams H Schoenberg J Cripps F: H Barnett C Datson C Jamieson FOLL: M Flynn E Hewett T Gross I/C: S Cipriani S Kernutt D McCarthy J Prior J Walsh EMG: W Burnett A Mercer M Mumme IN: S Cipriani J Ewing E Hewett D McCarthy J Prior H Schoenberg J Walsh OUT: H Johnston J Williams B Allan J Hutchinson C Hall H Edwards (all AFL) T Edwards-Baldwin (hip) Perth v Claremont Saturday, Mineral Resources Park, 2.10pm TV: Channel 7 DEMONS B: C Sing E Scoble M Taylor HB: N Cachard C Dean A Davis C: B Philip C Constable A Gardiner HF: B Parfitt K Johnston J Kluske F: L Paton A Clarke J Glass-McCasker FOLL: J Edwards C Byrne R Wills I/C: S Clark O Hine-Baston C Moore W Tilbee J Watson EMG: J Bodle S Cameron L Hallett Z Harding IN: C Sing OUT: J Bodle (omitted) 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 D Mountford J Musika FOLL: O Eastland B Elliott T Headland I/C: T Delacey K Gowdie O Sheldrick M Spyvee A Waterman EMG: A Boules C Dennis R O’Connor J Western East Perth v Peel Thunder Saturday, Sullivan Logistics Stadium, 2.30pm ROYALS B: S Wright C Watts R Saunders HB: K Willcocks E Regan J Soutar C: A Scott C Ameduri J Sturrock HF: A Pizzolante B Middleton D Craven F: M Schofield S Kuek S van Diemen FOLL: S Jones H Brayshaw T North I/C: W Cassidy B Delaney T Lindberg T Medhat J Peak EMG: D Freitag A Gulluni J Harris J Spasevski IN: A Pizzolante R Saunders K Willcocks S Wright OUT: K Screaigh (soreness) C Burgiel (hamstring) L Foley (leg) H Macreadie (hamstring) THUNDER B: B Walker J Draper C Simpson HB: B Hancock H Davies J Sears C: N O’Driscoll L Tardrew J Sharp HF: T Murray C Tregenza C Scerri F: O McDonald C Nicholls T Bryce FOLL: A Riddle B Banfield S Tuia I/C: A Caldow S Hunter T Jenkins A Sweid T Whan EMG: J Carr O Murphy Z Trevena T Whyburd IN: T Jenkins C Scerri J Sharp B Walker OUT: L Kickett T Wyburd J Carr L Hutchinson (all omitted) Swan Districts v East Fremantle Saturday, Steel Blue Oval, 2.30pm SWANS B: B Watson A Stephens C Ernst HB: J Pina J Pasini J Turner C: L Kelly K Chalcraft C Hinchliffe HF: W Reidy Z Provest J McLachlan F: J Petric L Kohlmann L Steed FOLL: N Blakely J Cipro S Bright I/C: A Cartwright W Collins C Loftus L Taylor Z Trew EMG: L Cotellessa B Erceg B Kelly B Lynch IN: A Cartwright W Collins L Taylor Z Trew OUT: L Cotellessa B Erceg B Lynch (all omitted) M Chipper (collarbone) SHARKS B: J Budarick J Marsh K Austin HB: Z Rankin L Bailey C Eardley C: N Dean J Cleaver T Phillips HF: A Montauban L Robinson O Smartt F: T Joyce G Vladich H Fox FOLL: L Strnadica J Jansen K Baskerville I/C: A Ball E Burrow L Carrello C Dunscombe E Stockden EMG: E Benning J Boniwell J Sander K Wilson IN: E Burrows C Dunscombe H Fox T Joyce OUT: Z Petersen (personal) O McManus (calf) T Alker (calf) E Benning (omitted) West Perth v Subiaco Saturday, HIF Health Insurance Oval, 4.10pm FALCONS B: Z Guadagnin J Rotham Z Robis HB: D Keenan B Fairbank C Mulvogue C: J Hinder L Meadows C Lynch HF: M Shannon C Livingstone A Black F: S Page T Keitel J DeMArte FOL: R Sprigg K Bevan C West I/C: K Dehavilland M Inverarity B Johnson S Nelson J Wooden IN: B Fairbank M Inverarity M Shannon OUT: N Alexandre (hand) C Rundle (concussion) J Brooks (illness) LIONS B: N Girolami J Blight G Savigni HB: J McGowan M Corbett C Burke C: J Kelman R Mott W Hickmott HF: S Siano J Robbins K Douglas F: H Walker R Borchet J Mayo FOLL: F Rickson J Petruccelle S Giro I/C: D Gathercole L Hickmott P Mullane R Murison B Sokol EMG: R Bartlett L Henderson D Prance T Shearer IN: J Blight J Petruccelle OUT: J Snadden (knee) R Bartlett (omitted)