Bulldogs win Garlic Munchers Cup to get off bottom

SOUTH Fremantle put in an outstanding four-quarter performance at Arena Joondalup on Saturday to beat West Perth by 39 points to win the inaugural Garlic Munchers Cup and getting off the bottom of the WAFL ladder in the process.

The Bulldogs were coming off two strong performances before the bye last week where they were in winning positions against top-four sides Claremont and Perth at Fremantle Oval, but just came up short.

Rather than lose confidence from that, though, South Fremantle came out not only to continue that encouraging form but build on it and put in a strong, four-quarter performance against the second-placed West Perth at Arena Joondalup with the Falcons coming in having won four straight games.

However, the Bulldogs were switched on from the start and ended up running out 15.16 (106) to 9.13 (67) winners to climb off the bottom of the ladder at the expense of Peel Thunder for the first time since Round 6 and just the third week this season.

It also continued South Fremantle’s good run at Arena Joondalup with the Bulldogs now having won their last three trips north and 14 of 22 over the past 20 years.

Mitch Banner has been South Fremantle’s leading goal scorer and ball winner all season so far since making the move west after his time in the AFL with Port Adelaide, and continued that form on Saturday with a season-best five goals to go with 28 possessions and seven marks.

Meanwhile, Kris Miller kicked three goals to go with 25 possessions in his 293rd WAFL game with Ben Saunders also kicking three goals in his first game back from his second fractured collarbone of the season.

The South Fremantle midfield also worked its way on top of West Perth’s with Ashton Hams racking up 35 possessions to go with seven tackles, seven clearances and six inside-50 entries.

Captain Ryan Cook also picked up 30 disposals to go with his seven marks, four tackles, seven clearances, eight inside-50 entries and a goal.

Fremantle-rookie Haiden Schloithe picked up 28 disposals and kicked a goal with Tim Kelly terrific on the ball as well finishing with 24 touches, five tackles, nine clearances and four inside 50s.

Toby Bairstow collected 23 possessions on the wing and Jarrad Winter returned to the side and finished with 22 touches and he worked hard to lay six tackles.

The Bulldogs’ back-line was outstanding as well even with key defender Justin Monaco struck down with a hamstring injury.

Nick Borovac did a good job keeping West Perth veteran forward Anthony Tsalikis to just the one goal while Dylan Ross continued his terrific form at centre half-back with 16 possessions and eight marks.

Adam Guglielmana moved back with Adam Carter up with the West Coast Eagles and did well in a good battle with West Perth’s Marc Crisp while picking up 24 possessions himself. Adam McIntosh also had 23 disposals, Craig White 19 and Mitch Carter 16 from defence.

Even though West Perth got the game’s opening goal through Tsalikis, South Fremantle was in front by quarter-time thanks to a goal on the siren to Schloithe and maintained an eight-point lead by half-time even though some inaccurate kicking robbed them of a bigger advantage.

The Bulldogs turned on an inspired third term, though, with Banner booting three goals in the space of five minutes. Miller added another before three quarter-time to stretch the lead to 35 points by the last change.

West Perth tried hard to get back into the contest in the last term but couldn’t get closer than 27 points before Banner’s fifth goal and Miller’s third sealed South Fremantle’s 39-point win.

South Fremantle’s reserves came up 34 points short of West Perth at Arena Joondalup despite two goals each from John Sgherza, Kingsley Smith and Simon Panizza.

Alex Grima racked up 31 possessions for the Bulldogs, Jarrod Parry 25, Jason Maskos 22, Reece Adams 21, Warrick Andreoli 20 and James Laurino 20.

The Bulldogs’ colts had a massive 85-point win over the Falcons as part of the Colts Super Round in their match at Lathlain’s Brownes Stadium.

Jermaine Lewis kicked four goals for South Fremantle with Blaine Johnson booting three, Jarrod Garlett two, Jacob Dragovich two and Bailey Matera two.

Matthew Gundry racked up 27 possessions, Ben Sokol 24, Dragovich 23, Matera 23 and Garlett 22.

SOUTH FREMANTLE 3.5 6.8 11.13 15.16 (106)

WEST PERTH 2.5 5.6 6.8 9.13 (67)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Banner 5; Miller, Saunders 3; Mugambwa, Gillespie, Schloithe, Cook.

Best: Banner, Cook, Hams, Borovac, Kelly, Miller, Guglielmana, Schloithe.

WEST PERTH – Goals: Crisp, Mellington 2; Kerr, van Berlo, Tsalikis, Marusic, Fowler.

Best: Kerr, Hunt, Jones, Pettigrew, Nelson, Manzone.

By Chris Pike