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Gazette sport preview: make or break weekend for Fremantle and Cockburn teams in SBL, WAFL, hockey and soccer

Jessica NicoFremantle Gazette

ONE day, five big games; Saturday is make-or-break for a number of local sporting teams.

SBL

Lakeside Lightning’s women will start their tilt towards the SBL grand final series with a big away game on Saturday.

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The match up against Mandurah Magic, who finished second to Lakeside’s third in the regular season, is the first of a three-game semi-final series.

The winner of the series will take on either Perry Lakes or Willetton in the grand final.

Lakeside and Mandurah met twice during the regular season, playing out close, hard-fought matches on both occasions.

Mandurah took the points both times, beating Lakeside 87-77 in round 2 and 94-83 in round 14, a run the Lightning will have to break to make the grand final.

Game one of the semi-final series is at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre on August 19.

Tip off is at 7pm.

WAFL

After a disappointing season in which they it has only won twice, East Fremantle will round out the last two games of 2017 with difficult matches against top five sides.

It starts this weekend when it hosts a Peel Thunder side packed with Fremantle Docker-listed players.

Having gone down to Peel 126-40 in round 2 and again 66-30 in round 14, the Sharks will be playing not just for pride but to avoid such a percentage hit that they end up finishing the season on the bottom of the ladder.

With 64.32 per cent and eight points, East Fremantle is just above current wooden-spooners Perth, who share eight points but are on 62.05 per cent.

East Fremantle takes on Peel Thunder at East Fremantle Oval on August 19.

Bounce down is at 2.15pm.

South Fremantle has a bye.

HOCKEY

Fremantle’s premier 1 women will have their best chance to secure their first win of the season when they take on the NC Raiders this weekend.

Winless at the bottom of the ladder, the women have just two games remaining to avoid going through the entire 2017 season without a win.

The NC Raiders, who sit just above them in eighth place, are the best opportunity the Magpies have left to secure that elusive win.

While the Raiders beat them 4-2 earlier this year, Fremantle’s form has improved since then and they will be confident of taking it to their opponents.

Fremantle’s Premier 1 men will also take on the NC Raiders as they continue their push towards finals.

Sitting comfortably in fifth with two winnable games to go, Fremantle has the chance to put some points on the board against the bottom of the ladder Raiders.

Having already beaten them 4-1 this season, history and confidence are on Fremantle’s side.

Fremantle’s women take on the NC Raiders from 3.30pm August 19 at the Perth Hockey Stadium, with the men to play straight after from 5pm.

SOCCER

Cockburn City will be looking to finish 2017 on a high note with two wins from its last two games.

The eighth-placed Cockburn start that quest with a match against third-placed Perth SC this weekend, a team they lost to 3-1 the last time they met.

Perth will be bolstered by the home advantage but will need to watch out for Cockburn, who have nothing left to lose and will throw everything on to the pitch.

Cockburn will also be looking to end this year better than its ninth-placed finish in 2016.

Cockburn City takes on Perth SC from 3pm August 19 at Dorrien Gardens.

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