BULLDOGS HIT BACK WITH BIG WIN OVER EAGLES

COACH Todd Curley put the acid on his players to respond and they did a good job on Saturday with South Fremantle delivering a 66-point defeat to the West Coast Eagles at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The Bulldogs suffered their second loss of the season last Saturday at the hands of Perth having kicked just the one goal after a seven-goal haul in the first quarter.

They were challenged by coach Todd Curley to respond and they did a good job of that with a comfortable enough 20.7 (127) to 9.7 (61) victory against the winless Eagles at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Jimmy Miller already confirmed himself a career-best afternoon up forward for South Fremantle before half-time when he already had five goals to his name. he also ended the game with 16 possessions and eight marks.

The Bulldogs had plenty more avenues to goal too with Matthew Parker delivering just about a best on ground performance not only kicking four goals but racking up 26 possessions, nine marks, six inside-50 entries and three tackles.

Cody Ninyette and Mason Shaw also both had a welcome return to form as South Fremantle’s leading goalkickers so far this season by kicking three goals apiece.

Haiden Schloithe was right back to his top form as well for South Fremantle racking up 35 possessions to go with nine marks, four tackles and three entries inside the forward 50.

There were two more debutants for the Bulldogs with Toby McQuilkin outstanding with 23 possessions and seven marks.

Jarrod Salmeri had his moments too with nine disposals while last week’s debutant Manfred Kelly showed some good signs again with eight disposals and the first goal of his WAFL career.

Captain Dylan Main also had 21 touches for South Fremantle, Jacob Dragovich 20, Blake Schlensog 19, Brandon Donaldson 17 and ruckman Brock Higgins 16 to go with 24 hit outs.

Jimmy Miller was on fire to start the game and his first goal came just a minute into the contest. He added a second at the three-minute mark and he was then the beneficiary of a bit of a lucky holding the ball free-kick.

He got it straight in front and nailed his third goal and it was the most remarkable of starts from the big man who memorably kicked the sealing goal in last year’s Grand Final for the Bulldogs.

West Coast was able to steady, though after that blistering start from the Bulldogs and all of a sudden the Eagles drew back level after their own three goals in the space of six minutes courtesy of Hamish Brayshaw, Jarrod Garlett and Cooper Nitschke.

South Fremantle needed to respond and did so firstly with a goal before quarter-time to Matthew Parker and another to Cody Ninyette that saw the Bulldogs take an 11-point advantage into the first break.

Ninyette then managed his second goal of the game to start the second term before Mason Shaw kicked his first and Miller added a fourth as the lead grew to 30 points for the reigning premiers.

State player Zac Strom then kicked truly to stretch South Fremantle’s further before captain Dylan Main also kicked truly and then heading towards half-time Miller booted his fifth of the game.

Shaw added a second and the Bulldogs and broken the game open to lead by 54 points over the winless Eagles at the half.

It became a 60-point lead for South Fremantle when Jacob Dragovich kicked truly to open the second half and then a third for Ninyette saw the Bulldogs go up by 11 goals.

West Coast at least managed a couple of late goals in the third term but South Fremantle was still in control by 57 points at three quarter-time.

The game really opened up in the final term with South Fremantle kicking another five goals to four from West Coast with the Bulldogs cruising to the 66-point win just before the heavens opened with pouring rain seconds after the final siren.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 8

SOUTH FREMANTLE        5.2    12.4    15.4    20.7 (127)
WEST COAST EAGLES        3.3    3.4    5.7    9.7 (61)

SOUTH FREMANTLE: Goals – Miller 5; Parker 4; Ninyette, Shaw 3; Dragovich, Strom, Donaldson, Main, Kelly.
Best – Parker, Schloithe, McQuilkin, Schlensog, Miller, Main, Dragovich.
WEST COAST EAGLES: Goals – Brayshaw 2; Langdon, Garlett, Ainsworth, Marlin, Nitschke, Deegan, Robilliard.
Best – O’Neill, Trew, Hutchings, Ainsworth, Foley, Brayshaw.