South Fremantle hosts East Fremantle in a big Anzac Day derby.
Camera IconSouth Fremantle hosts East Fremantle in a big Anzac Day derby. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Gazette sport preview: WAFL derby showdown on Anzac Day, Cockburn City faces must-win NPL WA match up, plus SBL and hockey

Bryce LuffFremantle Gazette

SBL

LAKESIDE will open round 6 of SBL competition with a clash against top four aspirants Joondalup tonight.

Play between the Lightning, currently in eighth place on the table, and the Wolves is 8.30pm.

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The local side will follow that up with a blockbuster clash with Cockburn at 8pm Saturday night at the Lakeside Recreation Centre.

Seventh-placed Cockburn will then have two days off before it hosts Rockingham at Wally Hagan Stadium on Anzac Day.

Tip-off is 3pm.

In the women’s division, sixth-placed Lightning travels to Joondalup to tackle the Wolves at 6.30pm tonight.

They then host the struggling Cougars on Saturday from 6pm.

The winless Cougars close out round 6 with an Anzac Day clash with Rockingham.

Tip-off is 1pm.

WAFL

IT will be top versus bottom, South versus East as Fremantle’s two WAFL teams go to battle on Anzac Day.

Table-topping South Fremantle is on a hot streak having won its last three matches by an average of 70 points.

The Bulldogs will head into the Fremantle Oval clash against the Sharks clear favourites, with the visitors winless after four matches.

The Sharks have been leaky in defence, conceding an average of 112 points per game, while at their attacking end scoring just 64 points per game.

The first bounce is at 4.10pm at Fremantle Oval.

Hockey

The newly promoted Fremantle Hockey Club premier 1 women will be looking for its first win of the season when it takes on Old Aquinians this weekend.

With round 1’s 8-0 smashing at the hands of Vic Park still hurting, Fremantle will be fighting for respect, as well as a win, when it takes the field against another tough opponent.

After a hard fought 2-1 win over OGMHC last week, Fremantle’s premier 1 men will try to make it two in a row against the Old Aquinians.

Fremantle sit seventh with two wins and a draw, just two spots behind its opponents, making this game a must win if the Magpies want to stay competitive early.

Fremantle’s women play Old Aquinians from 3pm April 25 at Aquinas Turf while the men will play right after at 4.30pm.

Soccer

In 2016’s 22 rounds, Cockburn City only managed to secure five wins.

Getting its 2017 off to a rampaging start, Cockburn can equal that effort in this weekend’s round 10 matchup against Stirling Lions.

Sitting comfortably in third after a 1-1 draw with ladder leaders Sorrento last weekend, Cockburn will be quietly confident going into the game.

The game will be closer than many think, with both teams having scored 13 goals this season to date, while Stirling has been more miserly in defence, letting conceding just 10 goals compared to Cockburn’s 12.

With just one win separating the two teams, it is a must win for Cockburn if it wants to continue its red-hot form and stay in touch with the top two.

Cockburn City plays Stirling Lions from 3pm April 22 at Macedonia Park in Balcatta.