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Where your team is at - Round 9

With all clubs having met each other once it is the perfect time to check on the progress of each club in 2008.

SUBIACO (1st, 8 wins - 0 losses)
Plain sailing so far for the regining champions and this is likely to continue for the forseeable future. Clashes against South Fremantle and Claremont before the break for the state game should emphasise the gap that the Lions have put between themselves and the rest of the competition.

SOUTH FREMANTLE (2nd, 5-3)
South Fremantle demonstrated how much they need their AFL-listed players last week with a comprehensive victory over Swan Districts. It appears that they are Subiaco’s only possible threats, but only if they have a handful of their Eagles and Dockers in the line-up. A reality check against the Lions coming up this week.

SWAN DISTRICTS (3rd, 5-3)
The spotlight is now on Steel Blue Oval as Swans have begun to falter without their young stars Nicholas Naitanui and Chris Yarran. Consecutive losses to the two Fremantle teams has raised some questions abut the Black and Whites and they must respond against Peel and Claremont before the break to re-establish themselves as one of the power teams for 2008.

PERTH (4th, 4-1-3)
The first nine weeks has been as good as any Perth fan could have hoped for coming off a nightmare year in 2007. We will learn a lot about the Demons over the next fortnight as they face away matches against East Fremantle and Peel. A couple of wins and Perth will look the good for a finals berth, a couple of losses and the old doubts about the Demons will resurface.

PEEL THUNDER (5th, 4-4)
As with the Demons, a 50% record is a pass mark for the Thunder at this stage of the year and the win against East Perth last week settled the nerves amongst Peel fans who thought the bad old days had returned with three-figure defeats to West Perth and Subiaco. The next two weeks are important now for the Thunder, tackling Swans and the Demons, two teams challenging for spots in the top four with Peel.

WEST PERTH (6th, 3-1-4)
After a slow start, the Falcons have worked their way into some form over the past few weeks and now find themselves in the log jam for the lower end of the top four. Like the other contenders, a crucial fortnight looms with ‘winable’ matches against Claremont and East Perth which could set up West Perth’s season.

CLAREMONT (7th, 2-6)
After winning a number of close ones last year the Tigers have been on the wrong end of the tight finishes in 2008 and now are in danger of losing touch with the top four before the half way mark of the season. Claremont must defeat West Perth at Joondalup, a venue where they have struggled even when they have been a powerhouse, because Subiaco are next in the following round and it would leave them needing to win at least eight of their last ten to make the top four, which would be very unlikely.

EAST FREMANTLE (8th, 2-6)
How quickly things can change! A fortnight ago the Sharks’ season appeared dead and buried but after consecutive wins over Swan Districts and Claremont, East Fremantle is back in the hunt for a top four berth. They would fancy their chances at home against Perth this week due to their strong record at East Fremantle Oval against the Demons and another win would leave them just a win and a half outside the top four.

EAST PERTH (9th, 2-6)
Things hit rock bottom for the Royals on Saturday when they struggled to fire a shot against Peel at Rushton Park. This week’s bye has come at a good time for East Perth and they will use it to set themselves for a massive clash with arch-rivals West Perth the following week, a game that they must win if they are to be any chance to make the finals.

WEST PERTH