BULLDOGS OVERPOWER SWANS WITH GAME’S LAST FOUR GOALS

SOUTH Fremantle continued its undefeated start to the 2020 Optus WAFL Premiership Season at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday but it took the Bulldogs kicking the last four goals to beat Swan Districts by 20 points.

Swan Districts might have been yet to win a game so far in the 2020 WAFL season while South Fremantle came into Saturday’s game undefeated, but it was a tight game all afternoon.

Swans even managed to lead by as much as 19 points late in the first quarter when they went on their own run of four consecutive goals.

But the Bulldogs eventually worked their way on top and kicked the last four goals of the game to come away with the 10.7 (67) to 7.5 (47) victory.

The win means that South Fremantle now holds a perfect 5-0 record to start this season and to be clear on top of the WAFL ladder with just the three games remaining before finals.

It also continued South Fremantle’s recent good run of form against Swan Districts with the Bulldogs claiming a ninth consecutive win against Swans.

Haiden Schloithe continued his stunning form for South Fremantle so far in 2020 with another 27 possessions, six tackles, five inside-50 entries and two goals.

Jake Florenca continued his big ball-winning ways too with another 26 disposals while Chad Pearson’s growth is keeping on going as he finished with 24 disposals, eight marks, four tackles and two inside 50s.

Zac Strom fought hard in the ruck in the absence of Brock Higgins for 21 possessions, eight tackles and 14 hit outs while Dylan Main was tremendous as captain with 21 disposals, seven marks and five tackles.

Nick Suban and Blayne Wilson both had 14 possessions with the veterans showing the way for the Bulldogs while second-gamer Kye Barker was impressive with his 13 disposals and three marks.

Mason Shaw was the best forward on the ground too kicking four goals for South Fremantle from 10 kicks and nine marks in an impressive display.

South Fremantle made the perfect start to the game back at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with the first goal through Haiden Schloithe when he marked and kicked with his usual dead-eye accuracy.

But Swan Districts had come out as a committed unit to try and cause the upset, and started an impressive run up to quarter-time with a goal from Josh Cipro.

VFL recruit Frank Anderson then added another and key target Leigh Kohlmann then added two in the space of three minutes to suddenly give the black-and-whites a 19-point advantage which remained 18 by quarter-time.

Things tightened up for both teams in the second quarter with scoring becoming hard to come by. The only two goals of the quarter went South Fremantle’s way with Mason Shaw the man to kick both and that closed up the gap by half-time cutting Swans’ lead to six points at the main break.

Things remained tight throughout the third quarter and it was just a goal apiece. South Fremantle took the lead briefly when Steve Verrier kicked truly, but Swans answered soon after through George Hampson and the visitors maintain a five-point edge by three quarter-time.

Swans still clung to a four-point lead at the 14-minute mark of the last term when Jacob Sideris snapped truly in the goal square, but from there the Bulldogs flexed their muscles and played their best football of the afternoon to ensure the victory.

It started with a goal to Brandon Donaldson to see South Fremantle back in front before Schloithe again showed his class by kicking a good set shot. Jimmy Miller took a big mark on the goal line and then snapped it through before Shaw’s fourth goal ensured a 20-point win for the Bulldogs.

South Fremantle’s reserves might have struggled in terms of accuracy, but were impressive in all other areas on the way to a 6.19 (55) to 7.4 (46) victory against Swan Districts.

Glenn Byron kicked two goals for the Bulldogs with Lachlan Feeney, Andrew Haydon, Zack Giuppa and Guy Barnes one apiece.

And to start the day in the colts at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, South Fremantle’s colts were impressive in recording a 9.8 (62) to 6.16 (52) victory against Peel Thunder.

Baxter Jones and Jacob Plunkett kicked two goals apiece for the Bulldogs in the colts.

Aiden Hall gathered 20 possessions, Jaxon Bellchambers 19 (10 tackles), Aaron Drage 19, Oscar Armstrong 17, Adam Correia 17, Angus Fraser 17 and Shannon Neale 15 (21 hit outs).

South Fremantle now has the bye in Round 6 of the 2020 WAFL season before taking on Peel Thunder at Mandurah’s David Grays Arena on Saturday August 29.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 5, JOHN TODD CUP

SOUTH FREMANTLE        1.1    3.3    4.6    10.7    (67)
SWAN DISTRICTS        4.1    4.3    5.5    7.5    (47)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Shaw 4; Schloithe 2; Verrier, Donaldson, Miller, Datson.
Best: Schloithe, Pearson, Florenca, Main, Shaw, Barker.
SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Kohlmann 3; Anderson, Hampson, Cipro, Sideris.
Best: Gault, Hampson, Turner, Kohlmann, Fisher, Riggio, Anderson.