SWFL 2023: Bunbury to return after two-week absence from field as competition returns from Easter general bye

After having two weeks off, Bunbury are set to return to the football field with their eyes on the prize as they chase their first win of the season. The Bulldogs are set to host the Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault Lions during the third round of the 2023 South West Football League season at Payne Park on Saturday. While most teams will be returning from having a week off for the Easter long weekend, Bunbury had an extended stay away from the field after having a bye during round two. The Bulldogs are currently seventh on the ladder after falling just short of notching a win to start the season in round one when Carey Park edged them out 11.6 (72) to 10.9 (69). On the other hand, the Lions are continuing to find form and chase their first win of the season. HBL are eighth on the ladder with a 0-2 record after falling short against Harvey Bulls and Carey Park during the opening two rounds. The last time the Bulldogs and the Lions met was in round 17 of the 2022 season, when a four-goal haul from Jesse Gribble helped Bunbury record a convincing 11.10 (76) to 5.3 (33) win over HBL. Eaton and South Bunbury will be looking to bounce back from their respective round two losses when they go head to head at Glen Huon Reserve on Saturday. Currently languishing at the bottom of the ladder, Eaton will be facing an uphill battle in their campaign to stray from the wooden spoon position. On the other hand, South Bunbury will be looking to bounce back from falling just short to Augusta-Margaret River by 11 points in the grand final rematch during round two. The last time Eaton and South Bunbury faced off was in round 17 of the 2022 season, when South Bunbury held on to win 9.8 (62) to 8.10 (58) in an exciting contest. Elsewhere, Carey Park will be looking to continue building their undefeated streak when they host Collie Eagles at Kelly Park on Sunday. The Panthers are one of four teams yet to drop a game and are in fourth place on the ladder. However, after winning their first two games by less than a goal, Carey Park will be keen to record a more decisive win to continue climbing the ladder and building momentum. Collie are chasing their first win after falling short against South Bunbury and Harvey Bulls. While the Eagles showed plenty of promise in defence, they will need to focus on driving the ball forward and converting to prevent another blowout. The last time Carey Park and Collie met was in round 15, when Collie recorded an upset 8.5 (53) to 6.9 (45) win during the IPS Indigenous Recognition match.