Bulldogs overrun after strong showing against Falcons

SOUTH Fremantle couldn’t quite finish the job against the second-placed West Perth at Fremantle Oval on Saturday in Craig White’s final game at home and with a host of youngsters showing exciting signs for the future.

South Fremantle might have been out of the finals race no matter the result and West Perth needed to win to guarantee second spot on the ladder, but the Bulldogs stuck pace with the Falcons all afternoon and even hit the front early in the last quarter.

However, West Perth managed to kick the last four goals of the game to win 12.13 (85) to 9.8 (62) with South Fremantle to now finish the 2015 WAFL season on Saturday against Peel Thunder at Bendigo Bank Stadium looking to avoid ending with a four-game losing streak.

While one South Fremantle dual premiership great White was playing his last game at Fremantle Oval and worked hard for 15 possessions, seven marks and a goal, it was again a youthful Bulldogs team in the absence of Blayne Wilson, Brock Higgins, Jacob Martinez and Steven Verrier.

Kade Stewart made a tremendous debut looking at home at league level with 19 possessions and five inside-50 entries while Callum Ah Chee again impressed with 18 disposals, seven marks and a goal.

Jacob Dragovich spent the majority of the game in the midfield and delivered likely the best game of his career with 27 touches, six marks and six tackles.

Ashton and Kyle Hams again worked tirelessly and did all they could to try and get South Fremantle over the line with Ashton amassing 39 possessions, eight marks, six tackles, six inside 50s and a goal, and Kyle 32 disposals, eight marks and five tackles.

With Wilson out injured and fellow key defenders Dylan Ross and Chris Luff in the reserves, South Fremantle’s back-line was undersized against West Perth’s forward-line, but that didn’t stop Adam McIntosh working enormously hard and having 20 possessions, eight marks and a goal.

Captain Ryan Cook also tried hard all day for the Bulldogs with 25 disposals, 10 marks and two goals while Jarrod Parry gathered 23 touches while taking 10 marks largely across half-back.

It took just three minutes for Cook to give South Fremantle the perfect start with the first goal of the game. West Perth answered back with its first through Michael Lourey and then the Falcons added another one entering time-on thanks to good roving and a clever snap from Steve Potente.

Almost immediately Josh Pullman marked and goaled for the Bulldogs to continue his impressive finish to the season, but the Falcons then added another soon after through Andrew Strijk to regain an eight-point lead.

That was cut to three points by quarter-time when the retiring White took a mark and kicked truly after the siren in his last ever game at Fremantle Oval.

It took just a minute into the second quarter for West Perth to again lead by nine points with a goal to Matt Fowler, and then just a few minutes later he added a second as the Falcons opened up the biggest lead of the game at that point at 17 points.

Cook kept South Fremantle in touch with his second goal but it was again Fowler doing the damage at the other end as he booted his third to put the Falcons 18 points to the good. Cory Dell’Olio did keep South Fremantle in touch before half-time, though, bringing the margin back to eight points.

James Sellar took a mark and kicked truly to give the Bulldogs a good start to the second half and then it took until the 21-minute mark for the next goal, and that came to West Perth courtesy of Rohan Kerr.

McIntosh again brought South Fremantle within two points with a goal following a 50m penalty, but the Falcons were still eight points on top at three quarter-time following Fowler’s fourth major.

Ah Chee kicked truly early in the last term as South Fremantle again got within a goal and then the home team hit the front for the first time since early in the last quarter when Ashton Hams kicked truly.

However, West Perth has made a habit of finishing games strongly this year and again the Falcons kicked the last four goals through Ray Bartholomew, Fowler, Lourey and Fowler again to win by 23 points and sew up second position and a home final.

South Fremantle’s reserves remained three games clear on top of the ladder beating a West Perth team guaranteed of playing finals as well, with the Bulldogs winning 17.8 (110) to 9.6 (60) at Fremantle Oval.

John Sgherza kicked three goals for the Bulldogs with Paul Mugambwa, Ben Sokol, Traye Bennell and Kaiden Matera all booting two apiece.

Anthony Collica racked up 45 possessions and 11 marks for South Fremantle, Shaun Bewick 36 and 10 marks, and Tim Stewart 32 disposals, 10 marks, seven inside 50s and six tackles.

Brendan Verrier also gathered 26 possessions for the Bulldogs, Dylan Ross 25, Mitch Banks 25, Sokol 24, Simon Panizza 22 and Traye Bennell 22.

West Perth’s colts secured their place in the finals and knocked out South Fremantle with a come from behind 11.12 (78) to 11.8 (74) victory at Fremantle Oval on Saturday morning.

South Fremantle needed to win to stay in the finals hunt and started well leading by 19 points at half-time, but West Perth dominated the second half to win by four points and lock in fifth position leaving the Bulldogs two games behind in sixth spot.

Mitch Dzelebdzic continued his good goal kicking form for the Bulldogs in the colts with four goals from 14 possessions and seven marks with Tyson Pickett also booting two majors.

Jake Florenca gathered 20 possessions and laid 10 tackles for the Bulldogs with Jesse Mirco finishing with 20 disposals, nine marks, five inside-50 entries and a goal.

SOUTH FREMANTLE        3.2    5.6    7.8    9.8    (62)
WEST PERTH            3.5    6.8    8.10    12.13    (85)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Cook 2; Ah Chee, A Hams, Pullman, Sellar, White, Dell’Olio, McIntosh
Best: A Hams, K Hams, McIntosh, Dragovich, K Stewart, Parry, Cook.
WEST PERTH – Goals: Fowler 6; Lourey 2; Strijk, Kerr, Bartholomew, Potente.
Best: Black, Fowler, Rodda, Adams, Strijk, Manzone, Nelson.