SWFL: Five fixtures to watch for 2025 season, including grand final rematches and derbies

With the 2025 South West Football League season starting this weekend, Josh Kempton takes a look at five fixtures to watch.

WA Day long weekend derby/grand final Rematch

Recent seasons have started with rematches of the league grand final but the traditional slots for the two games between South Bunbury and Bunbury have been retained.

The Bulldogs will have to wait until the WA Day long weekend derby in round nine for their shot at some sort of redemption against the reigning premiers.

Last year’s long weekend game between the pair was one of the best of the season, with the Tigers mounting a late comeback in wet conditions to win by four points — which held them in an unbeatable position for the entirety of the competition.

The Tigers had been slated to hold 2025’s edition of the game but Hands Oval will be out of action as it undergoes preparations to stage a historic AFL game between North Melbourne and West Coast the following week.

Women’s Foundation Cup

On the same day, South Bunbury and Bunbury’s women’s sides will clash for the Foundation Cup.

The cup was awarded for the first time last season to celebrate the legacies of the two clubs as driving forces behind the establishment of the women’s competition.

The Bulldogs and the Tigers will come into the 2025 season tied on three women’s premierships apiece and both will be desperate to ensure they claim their fourth before their local rivals.

Women’s Grand Final rematch

A rematch of 2024’s women’s season decider between Bunbury and Busselton will come around much sooner, being scheduled in round four.

The Magpies were on the wrong end of two defeats to the Bulldogs in last year’s finals series — a 27-point grand final defeat after a 70-point qualifying final smashing — and will be desperate to atone.

The two sides have plenty of history, having also played the 2023 grand final against each other, where Bunbury ensured a dominant Busselton campaign would not end with the ultimate prize.

Sam Strano Cup

Round one’s clash between Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault and Harvey Bulls will be critical for both sides, with the Lions looking to demonstrate they are still a contender and the Bulls looking to show they have entered a new era.

HBL finished last season in third but were bounced out of the finals in straight sets, while the Bulls finished ninth after losing several key players mid-season but have recruited strongly ahead of 2025.

A 6.10pm start means Brunswick Oval’s new lights will be in full effect for the game.

Southern Derby

The Southern Derby between Busselton and Augusta-Margaret River is always an intense contest but round two’s game between the pair will take on particular importance in 2025.

The two sides had combined to win the last three league premierships coming into the 2024 season but both had disappointing campaigns, with the reigning premier Magpies missing the finals altogether and the Hawks being smashed by 72 points in the elimination final.

Further intrigue was added to the rivalry by two-time AMR premiership-winning coach Matt Jamieson crossing to the Magpies in 2024, a role he will continue this season.