What’s happening in WA sport this week
What’s happening in sport in WA this weekend? We’ve got the rundown on sports at home and afar
including the West Aussie exports dominating overseas.
WAFL derbies highlight WA Day holiday
Local WAFL derbies are a traditional highlight of the WA Day long weekend, with East Fremantle chasing their 200th-ever derby win over South Fremantle when they meet at the WACA Ground from 1.40pm WST on Monday. East Perth and West Perth also do battle at Leederville Oval from 2:10pm on Monday, with these clubs’ derby record remarkably even at 174 Royals’ wins to the Falcons’ 173 dating back to 1906.
Perth play Claremont from 2.10pm on Saturday, while Swan Districts host West Coast from 1.40pm on Sunday and Peel entertain Subiaco from 2.10pm on Sunday – more info here.
Eagles host top-of-the-table Pies, bye for Freo
Struggling West Coast host ladder-leading Collingwood on Saturday afternoon (2.35pm WST bouncedown) in what appears a glaring mismatch on paper. Eagles’ fans will likely go into this one expecting a heavy loss after a club record nine straight losses, although they have started getting a few key players back, like Elliot Yeo and Shannon Hurn.
It’s worth noting the Eagles shocked the Pies in one of last year’s biggest upsets, though Collingwood have come a long way since, led by emerging superstar Nick Daicos. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
Force’s finals hopes to be decided
The Western Force sits one point outside the Super Rugby finals spots with one game to play in the regular season, so anything less than victory on Saturday night won’t be enough. That victory will not
come easy, despite the Force returning to Perth where they have a perfect winning record this season, with the visit of the ladder-leading Chiefs from Waikato in New Zealand. It is worth noting, the Chiefs are guaranteed to finish top, so may field a second-string side.
The situation for the Force is simple, they must win and hope one of the Reds or Highlanders don’t, to make the top-eight finals. They both play earlier in the weekend, so the Force will know the scenario upon the start of their game from 8pm AWST at HBF Park. Tickets via Ticketmaster.
Goldfields Cyclassic & Community Challenge
This handicap event takes place on Saturday and Sunday, starting in Kalgoorlie and concluding in Leonora on Sunday with four grades for honours. Saturday’s race is 131km from Kalgoorlie to Menzies, followed by 104km on Sunday from Menzies to Leonora, plus a Criterium race on the streets of Leonora. There’s also a non-competitive Community Challenge in a four-person relay on Saturday, opening up the event to everyone. It all happens across the iconic Goldfields. More details here.
Fever looks to shake off one-goal losses
The West Coast Fever suffered their fourth one-goal loss of the season last week against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, scuppering their top-two hopes. But the Fever can get back on the winners’ list from 5pm WST on Saturday when they host the fifth-placed Sunshine Coast Lightning at RAC Arena.
The game marks goal attack Alice Teague-Neeld’s 100th , while anything less than a win will mean the third-placed Fever likely fall out of contention for the top two. The Lightning are currently fifth but have Diamonds talent including Cara Koenen and Steph Wood. Tickets via Ticketek.
ICC World Test Championship Final
For cricket fans, the Ashes in England aren’t far away (starting June 16), but prior to that Australia takes on India in the ICC World Test Championship final at The Oval in London starting on Wednesday 7 June. Among the Australia squad is WA all-rounder Cameron Green and wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis,
while Mitch Marsh is with the group on standby. Green is only one likely to play. Watch it on Foxtel.
Storm’s singles storm ends at French Open
West Aussie Storm Hunter’s fantastic four-match winning run in the French Open women’s singles (including three qualifier victories) was ended in the second round on Wednesday after a three-set loss to former world number three Elina Svitolina. But Hunter will team up with Elise Mertens in the women’s doubles along with John Peers in the mixed doubles, so there’s still hope yet.
WA’s Matthew Ebden alongside Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok are the mixed doubles fifth seed, although he had a rough start to his fortnight at Roland Garros, losing in the men’s doubles first round with India’s Rohan Bopanna.
From a broader Aussie perspective, Thanasi Kokkinakis is into the men’s singles third round after an epic five-set win over former champion Stan Wawrinka, while 18th seed Alex de Minaur will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round. Watch the French Open on Foxtel.
Header Image Credit: WAFC