BULLDOGS SCARE SHARKS IN WAFLW DERBY

SOUTH Fremantle threw everything into trying to make its first ever WAFLW win happen against East Fremantle on Sunday, but ultimately the Sharks were too strong and kept themselves in the top four race in the process.

It was always going to be a fascinating WAFLW derby on Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with South Fremantle hunting its first ever win in the competition while East Fremantle needed to win to stay in the finals hunt.

It was just their third meeting ever in the WAFLW competition and the Sharks started the better with the only goal, and three scoring shots of the opening quarter.

But South Fremantle came out firing in the second quarter and all of a sudden that elusive first ever win was within touching distance.

The Bulldogs kicked two goals for the second term with the Sharks managing just three behinds, and that meant South Fremantle went into the half-time break leading by two points.

The tensions grew during the third quarter with neither team able to kick a goal. South Fremantle added two behinds and East Fremantle three to leave the Bulldogs still leading by a point heading into three quarter-time.

So South Fremantle could sniff victory heading into the fourth quarter, but East Fremantle would have none of it going on to kick the only four goals of the last term to end up winning 5.9 (39) to 2.3 (15).

Holly Denholm and Zoe Huggett were the goal scorers for South Fremantle.

Best players for the Bulldogs included Mim Strom, Tahlia Holtze, Breanne Spencer, Ella Ward and Tash Vaughan-Taylor.

Meanwhile in the WAFLW Reserves, Peel Thunder proved too strong for South Fremantle winning 7.9 (51) to 0.2 (2).

Best for South Fremantle included Makayla Cocking, Tahlia Dawson-Gibbs, Tahlia McRoberts, Sarah Wright and Milla Bickmore.

And then in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup contest, South Fremantle defeated Peel Thunder 5.4 (34) to 4.4 (28) in a rematch of last year’s Grand Final.

Poppy Stockwell kicked three goals for the Bulldogs, Jess Howley one and Leah Garbellini one.

Noah McNaughton, Mia Whitelaw, Poppy Stockwell, Holly Denholm and Chloe Boothman were among the best for South Fremantle’s Youth Girls.

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 11

SOUTH FREMANTLE        0.0    2.1    2.3    2.3 (15)
EAST FREMANTLE        1.2    1.5    1.8    5.9 (39)

SOUTH FREMANTLE: Goals – Huggett, Denholm.
Best – Strom, Holtze, Spencer, Ward, Vaughan-Taylor.
EAST FREMANTLE: Goals – Walsh 2; Roux, Sprylan, Sparke.
Best – Sprylan, O’Sullivan, Seth, Alston, Prentice.