Men’s B-E Finals preview: Favourites, Challengers and Wildcards

If finals fever isn’t coursing through your veins yet, it will be soon.

Men’s finals across the B-E grades commence this Saturday, following the start of the Women’s and Integrated postseasons over the past fortnight.

With promotion on the line across the next four weeks, here is everything you need to know. 

Budget Car and Truck Rental B Grade Men

The Road Ahead

In a replay of last weekend’s clash, 2nd-placed North Fremantle will host Brentwood Booragoon at Gil Fraser Reserve in the qualifying final, with the winner to face Whitford in next week’s second semi-final.

Cockburn Lakes will be hoping to turn the tables on West Coast in this week’s elimination final after the Tigers defeated them by 31 points at Anning Park a fortnight ago.

The Favourite: Whitford

Stacked with ex-WAFL talent, the Warriors finished the regular season as the B minor premier with 16 wins, one loss and a draw.

Former Subiaco forward Max Walters and former West Perth midfielders Mitch Peirce and Trent Manzone have returned to the club to combine with some strong homegrown talent, making Whitford one of the teams to beat in this season’s finals.

The Challenger: North Fremantle

The Magpies loom as the obvious contender outside of first-placed Whitford.

Finishing only a game behind the Warriors, North Fremantle have been one of the two standout clubs in this season’s B Grade field, having a nearly identical for and against as the minor premiers.

State forward John Sgherza has been kicking goals all season, while tall Josh Branchi has been devastating in the ruck for the Magpies as they hope to make a quick return to A Grade following last season’s relegation.

The Wildcard: Brentwood Booragon

Captain Jack Redman’s side has a chance of pulling some upsets if they can find their footing in the next four weeks, having lost two of their past three matches.

But make no mistake, the Bulldogs’ best is good enough to beat anyone in this year’s B Grade finals. They already knocked off the minor premiers earlier this season and got within nine points of North Fremantle last week.

Can they answer the question of consistency?

Budget Car and Truck Rental C1 Men

The Road Ahead

Wembley will host Hamersley Carine in a qualifying final at Pat Goodridge Reserve. The winner of the clash between the Magpies and Hawks will face the undefeated minor premiers Wanneroo in the second semi-final.

In the other match, south of the river rivals Kwinana and Thornlie will play off in a crucial elimination final, the former entering finals on shaky ground having lost three of their past four games. 

The Favourite: Wanneroo

Relegated from B Grade last season, the Roos are yet to put a foot wrong in their quest to move back up the grades, finishing the home-and-away season without a loss.

On the rare occasion they have been challenged this season, Wanneroo have been able to steamroll opponents by making them pay for their turnovers on the scoreboard.

If they can carry their form into the finals, the flag is theirs to lose.

The Challenger: Wembley

The other side to go down from B Grade last season, the Magpies have been the clear second-best team in C1 this year.

Forward Josh Richards has topped the grade’s goalkicking with 78 majors and has been well supported up the ground by Lachlan Martinis and Campbell Rogers.

The Magpies have been close to pipping the Roos twice this season, and will back themselves to beat them when it matters.

The Wildcard: Hamersley Carine

Although the C1 finals appear to be a clear two-horse race, the third-placed Hawks could push the Magpies and Roos in September, leading at half-time against both sides at stages this season.

Led by co-captains Nic Mayo and Tate Robertson, Hamersley Carine look good when they get the ball moving quickly, but struggle in the air against teams with size.

The Hawks will also need their focal point in attack, playing coach Christian Martin, fit and firing if they are to contend. Martin leads the side’s goalkicking despite having only played ten games this season. He has not featured since round 11.

Budget Car and Truck Rental C2 Men

The Road Ahead

4th-placed Belmont Districts host Swan Valley in the elimination final at Forster Park.

In the qualifying final, Kingsley hosts Canning Vale in what will likely be a thriller between two evenly matched sides.

The last time the two teams met, the Cats held on to win by two points, overturning a 14-point three-quarter time deficit in front of a home crowd.

The winner of the qualifying final will face minor premier Piara Waters next week.

The Favourite: Piara Waters

Entering the finals off the back of two thumping wins by over 100 points, the minor premiers would be confident heading into this year’s finals series.

C2 finalists for the past four seasons since winning the C3 premiership back in 2021, the stars seem to have finally aligned for Piara Waters to earn promotion up to C1.

The Challenger: Kingsley

Enduring a slip down the grades in recent seasons, the Cats seem poised to begin making the climb back up, finishing in second with just two losses for the season.

Both defeats came against the peerless Falcons, but Kingsley will hope a little bit of September magic is on their side should their paths cross again in the next few weeks.

The Wildcard: Canning Vale

In a potent pairing up forward, Cody Nelson has bagged 70 goals for the season for the Cougars alongside veteran forward Warwick Saupold’s 45 majors.

Off the back of a combined six goals from the duo back in round 7, Canning Vale handed Piara Waters their only loss of the season so far.

If those two can fire in the finals, the Cougars could go deep into September.

Budget Car and Truck Rental C3 Men

The Favourite: East Fremantle

The Challengers: Willetton and Warnbro

The Wildcard: Carlisle

Form and momentum will play a big part in deciding the winner of one of the more closely contested top ends in this year’s PFL.

Any of the five sides in this year’s C3 finals could make a genuine argument for their possible premiership credentials.

First-placed East Fremantle finished a game ahead of Willetton and Warnbro despite having inferior percentages to both.

The Blues and Swans will face in this week’s qualifying final knowing that the winner will have a good chance of knocking off the Eagles in next weekend’s second semi-final.

5th-placed Kenwick will go into their elimination final against Carlisle confident, having just beaten East Fremantle in last week’s final round of the season, ending the Eagles’ 11-game win streak.

The Cougars will be no pushovers though, having already beaten both top two sides this season.

2nd-placed Willetton have enjoyed a resurgent 2026 following a tough last few years.

The Blues played C1 football as recently as 2022, but have slipped down the grades since, and appear on track to earn promotion heading into September action.

Budget Car and Truck Rental C4 Men

The Favourite: High Wycombe

The Challenger: Lynwood Ferndale

The Wildcard: Coolbellup

High Wycombe and Lynwood Ferndale have been the pace setters in C4 this year, both winning 15 games and dropping only three.

The Bulldogs have been ruthless this season, winning seven matches by over 100 points on their way to the minor premiership.

Breathing down their necks is a Lynwood Ferndale side hoping for a rematch with High Wycombe after the Bulldogs beat them by 56 points in Round 17, squaring the ledger between the sides after the Panthers beat them back in Round 8.

Standing in the way of a potential replay is third-placed Coolbellup, who will be looking to emulate their Round 12 victory against Lynwood Ferndale on the road in this weekend’s qualifying final.

In the elimination final, the in-form Manning Rippers host SNESA, the home side having won their past seven games.

Budget Car and Truck Rental C5 Men

The Favourite: Rossmoyne

The Challenger: Baldivis

The Wildcard: Whitford

Headed by 100-goal viral sensation Matt Koutsoukis, Rossmoyne have been a shoulder above their competition in C5 this season, topping the grade without dropping a game.

Baldivis are the other form side in the league, winning their last six games to power home and claim second spot.

The Brumbies will host third-placed Whitford in this week’s qualifying final, with the winner to face the Rhinos next Saturday. Both part of big clubs, Baldivis and the Warriors could benefit from a trickle-down of returning players from their higher grade sides in what would be a significant boost to their respective finals campaigns.

Finishing just behind Whitford on percentage, Safety Bay and their elimination final opponents, Swan Athletic, each ended the home-and-away season with 12 wins.

Budget Car and Truck Rental D Men

The PFL’s only grade featuring a final four is essentially a thirds competition for some of the league’s biggest clubs.

North Beach topped the six-team comp, finishing four points clear of University, who they will face in this week’s qualifying final.

The elimination final is a Fremantle Derby between Fremantle C.B.C and North Fremantle.

Both clubs finished the home-and-away season on eight wins.

Budget Car and Truck Rental E1 North Men

More of the PFL’s biggest clubs have led the way in this year’s E1 North finals race.

Wanneroo were this season’s minor premier. The Roos have earned this weekend off and will host the second semi-final next Saturday against the winner of North Beach and West Coast.

The Roos only blemish this season came against the Tigers in Round 15, going down by a goal.

Scarborough and Kingsway will play to keep their seasons alive in the elimination final. The Sea Eagles finished a win ahead of the Roos but have a significantly smaller percentage than their opponents this week.

Budget Car and Truck Rental E1 South Men

Finishing the season with a mammoth percentage of 656.51, the undefeated Maddington have dominated E1 South.

4th-placed Armadale are the only team that has come close to cracking the Bulls this season, getting within 18 points of the minor premiers in round 16.

The Demons will host Willetton in this week’s elimination final.

Bullcreek Leeming will travel to Brentwood Booragon to take part in the qualifying final, the latter finishing the season with 13 wins in second spot.

Budget Car and Truck Rental E2 North Men

Coolbinia finished eight points clear in first to claim this season’s minor premiership.

In their first taste of finals since joining the PFL, Warwick Greenwood will host North Beach in the elimination final.

The Tigers just defeated first-placed Coolbinia last round, ending the Falcons’ eight-game winning streak, and the Bulls the week prior by 62 points.

Nollamara will host Kalamunda in the qualifying final, the former winning convincingly by 34 points the last time they met.

Budget Car and Truck Rental E2 South Men

The race for the E2 South flag appears to be an open field, with only two wins separating 1st from 5th.

Curtin Uni Wesley finished on top ahead of Piara Waters despite going down to the Falcons by a goal last week. 

Piara Waters will face Manning Rippers in this weekend’s qualifying final.

The Rippers enter the finals in immense form, having not lost since round 11.

Manning also defeated their Qualifying Final opponents by 32 points back in round 16.

Belmont Districts and Secret Harbour will clash in the elimination final after the two sides met last weekend, with the Dockers winning by two points at Forster Park.

By Spencer Robertson