WAFL RD 18 MATCH REPORT

WAFL | BULLDOGS GO DOWN TO ROYALS

South Fremantle found the going tough on Saturday at home to East Perth with just a goal a quarter with the Royals ending up scoring the 20-point Round 18 victory.

The conditions made it tough going at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday afternoon with South Fremantle hosting East Perth in a rematch of last year’s WAFL Grand Final.

In the end the Bulldogs managed just the one goal in each of the four quarters which saw the Royals end up winning 7.10 (52) to 4.8 (32).

The result leaves South Fremantle sitting in fifth position on the WAFL ladder with two rounds of the season remaining with a 9-7 record to be just percentage out of third place, but also just percentage in front of the sixth placed West Coast Eagles.

Chase Bourne kicked two goals for South Fremantle from his seven kicks to go with three marks and three tackles.

Jake Florenca racked up another 30 possessions with eight tackles and seven inside-50 entries for the Bulldogs with Lewis Rayson adding 20 disposals.

Tom Blechynden also racked up 19 touches for the Bulldogs, Isiah Winder 17, Jamaine Jones 16, Riley Colborne 16, Jacob Sax 16, Glenn Byron 16 and Tarkyn Etherington 16.

East Perth made a fast start with the first goal of the game inside the opening two minutes before adding another four minutes later for the early 11-point lead.

South Fremantle got on the board at the nine-minute mark thanks to Cam Maynard in his second League game but the Royals then responded with a third goal of the first term to go into the quarter-time break leading by 12 points.

East Perth also managed the first goal of the second term before Kyle Russell responded for South Fremantle only for the Royals to kick the last goal of the first half to go into the main break leading by 16 points.

South Fremantle did kick the only goal of the third quarter inside the first two minutes thanks to Chase Bourne as the weather got to be the worst that it was all afternoon and the Royals ended up still leading by 14 points at three quarter-time.

Bourne did manage a second goal in the last quarter for South Fremantle but they could never quite build momentum into the fightback and East Perth went on to secure the 20-point victory.

It was the Colts game that got proceedings underway at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday morning with South Fremantle dominating East Perth for the 13.21 (99) to 4.3 (27) victory.

The Bulldogs kicked four goals to one in the first quarter and then managed the only five goals of the second term to be leading by 51 points going into half-time.

It was then two goals apiece in the third quarter before South Fremantle kicked two to one in the last term on the way to the 72-point victory to improve to a 12-2 record to remain clear in top spot of the Colts with two rounds remaining.

Jye Hunt ended up kicking three goals for South Fremantle, Elijah Nathan two, Byron Foster two and Tom Stewart two.

Along with Foster’s two goals, he also finished with 25 possessions, 35 hit outs, nine marks and eight inside-50 entries.

Kobe Clucas also finished with 25 disposals, Hudson Graham 22, Riley Stannard 21, Chace Vanderhoek 20 and Zac Godwin 15.

That led into the Reserves contest and it was East Perth who ended up beating South Fremantle 10.13 (73) to 7.7 (49).

East Perth kicked three goals to one in the opening quarter before another three goals to one in the second term to go into half-time leading the Bulldogs by 26 points.

It was then two goals apiece in the third quarter and then despite South Fremantle kicking three goals to two in the last term, the Royals still went on to score the 24-point victory.

The result leaves South Fremantle sitting in seventh position with a 5-9 record with two rounds of the season remaining.

Brandon Donaldson and Cooper Clarke-Dehring kicked two goals apiece for the Bulldogs with Lucas Robinson picking up 23 possessions, Jacob Donald 23, Cohen Frith 23, Josh Young 22, Jack Green 21, Nick Stuhldreier 19 and Max Thomas 19.

SULLIVAN LOGISTICS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 18

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        1.3          2.5          3.5          4.8          (32)

EAST PERTH                                       3.3          5.3          5.7          7.10        (52)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Bourne 2; Maynard, Russell

Best: Florenca, Winder, Rayson, Blechynden, Jones, Byron, Sax, Colborne.

EAST PERTH – Goals: Gulluni, Middleton 2; Craven, Schofield, Cassidy

Best: Burgiel, Cassidy, Tedesco, Lindberg, Wright, Soutar, Jones.