Bulldogs dominate Tigers to all but lock in second spot

SOUTH Fremantle now looks just about certain of a second-place finish at the end of the WAFL season for a fourth consecutive year having led from start to finish to beat Claremont by 33 points on Saturday.

Second place was up for grabs when the Bulldogs hosted the Tigers at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday in what was a preview of the qualifying final.

The signs were all positive by the end of the afternoon for South Fremantle with the Bulldogs winning a fourth consecutive match to all but lock away second spot to end up beating the Tigers 14.7 (91) to 8.10 (58).

Haiden Schloithe continued his phenomenal form for South Fremantle with another best on ground display made up of 31 possessions, four tackles and three goals while Kade Stewart, Steve Verrier and Dylan Main all kicked two goals as well.

Main also picked up 23 disposals for the Bulldogs while Stewart had 22 touches, Jake Florenca 21 (11 tackles), Matthew Ward 19, Chad Pearson 18, Zac Dent 17 and Andrew Haydon 17.

In the absence of Brock Higgins in the ruck, Blair Della Franca battled hard for 29 hit outs with support from Zac Strom (14 touches, 10 hit outs).

Second spot was on the line when South Fremantle hosted Claremont on Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, and it was a game the Bulldogs controlled most of the way and as a result just about locked away that second position.

South Fremantle came into the game on a three-game winning run while Claremont had lost last week to West Perth by 44 points, and that form line continued on Saturday with the Bulldogs earning a measure of revenge for losing the Tigers at Claremont Oval back in NAIDOC Week.

South Fremantle captain Dylan Main ensured the Bulldogs kicked the first goal of the contest and they never would give up the lead the rest of the afternoon.

The Bulldogs added a second goal in the first quarter thanks to Steve Verrier and by holding the Tigers to just four behinds, they led by 10 points at quarter-time.

Claremont’s first goal came to start the second quarter thanks to Tom Lee but Jake Florenca soon responded for South Fremantle. Shaun Bewick kicked another to stretch South Fremantle’s advantage to 14 points.

However, the Tigers did kick three of the next four goals to close to within two points when Jack Beeck ran into the open goal at the northern end of the ground. But South Fremantle did go into half-time still leading by eight points thanks to a late goal from Verrier.

Haiden Schloithe kicked two goals in the space of three minutes to open the second half to stretch South Fremantle’s advantage to 19 points and that became 32 after Josh Collard and Kade Stewart also kicked truly.

Andrew Haydon and a second Stewart then saw the Bulldogs finish the third quarter having kicked six goals to nil to hold a match-winning 43-point edge at the last change.

The Tigers did show some fight in the last quarter kicking four goals to two from the Bulldogs, but South Fremantle still cruised to the 14.7 (91) to 8.10 (58) victory.

What the result means is that South Fremantle is now on a four-game winning streak and a game and significant percentage ahead in second position of the third placed Claremont now.

The Bulldogs can guarantee a second-place finish for a fourth consecutive year by beating West Perth at HBF Arena on Saturday but the reality is they should hold that position no matter the result given the percentage edge.

The day began at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with a thumping 78-point victory for Claremont’s colts over South Fremantle.

It was an action-packed opening quarter with eight goals between the teams but Claremont were in control with six goals to two to lead by 25 points at the first change.

The Tigers then added another five goals to one in the second term to be up by 49 points at the major break.

Claremont kicked another three goals to one in the third quarter and then four goals to two in the last term to run out 18.12 (120) to 6.6 (42) victors.

The big win looks set to be enough for Claremont to lock away second position come the end of the colts season with the Tigers now holding a 10-5 record and to be a game and massive percentage clear of third placed East Perth.

South Fremantle, meanwhile, is locked away in bottom spot on the colts ladder with two wins for the season.

Charlie Malone kicked four goals for Claremont to go with 17 possessions, five marks and four tackles.

Jack Cooley also kicked two goals to go with 28 disposals and seven tackles while Louis Passera and Logan Young kicked two goals apiece.

Joel Western also compiled 26 possessions for the Tigers, Kade Lines 21, Leno Thomas 19, Lachlan Davis 19 and Steven Miller 14 to go with 29 hit outs and five tackles.

Aiden Hall kicked two goals for South Fremantle with Jack Musika, Liam Bradford, Jacob Plunkett and Ben Cabassi adding one each.

Manfred Kelly finished with 19 possessions for the Bulldogs, Nathan Spooner 19 (nine marks, 18 hit outs), Eric Botha 18, Musika 16, George Wessels 16 and Jacob Sax 14.

And in the reserves, it was also a big win for Claremont against South Fremantle with the Tigers winning 12.17 (89) to 6.3 (39).

Travis Abbott kicked three goals for South Fremantle while Tom Blechynden picked up 28 possessions, Zac De San Miguel 27, Kyle Hamersley 25, Zane Sumich 19, Jye Depane 19, Jonathon Frampton 17 and Andre Coutinho 16.

WAFL ROUND 19
SOUTH FREMANTLE        2.2    6.3    12.4    14.7    (91)
CLAREMONT            0.4    4.7    4.9    8.10    (58)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Schloithe 3; Stewart, Verrier, Main 2; Florenca, Bewick, Shaw, Haydon, Collard.
Best: Schloithe, Main, Florenca, N Strom, Pearson, Ward, Stewart.
CLAREMONT – Goals: Treacy, Lee, Lim, Bradshaw, Beeck, Bolton, Palfrey.
Best: Mitchell, Hardisty, Rogers, Bolton, Busher, Waterman.