BULLDOGS WOMEN BATTLE HARD AGAINST FOES

SOUTH Fremantle’s hopes of that elusive first ever WAFLW victory were crushed by Subiaco on Sunday with the Lions not only claiming a 25-point victory, but moving into the top four in the process.

South Fremantle’s two closest attempts at a first WAFLW victory both came against Subiaco so the Bulldogs had good reason to head to Leederville Oval thinking that Sunday might be their day to make history.

However, the presence on the team list for Subiaco of Hayley Miller and Ange Stannett playing their first games of the 2021 WAFLW season on the back of their AFLW campaigns meant that South Fremantle would have their work cut out.

That’s how it panned out even though things were tight for three quarters and the game was still well and truly up for grabs by three quarter-time.

Both teams kicked a goal apiece in the opening stanza for scores to be tied by quarter-time, and while Subiaco had the only four scoring shots of the second term, none of them turned out to be goals and the Lions were only four points up by the main break.

It was then a goal apiece from either side in the third quarter with Subiaco only leading South Fremantle by three points at three quarter-time with the game on the line.

Subiaco responded when it mattered most, though, and kicked three goals for the final quarter while holding South Fremantle scoreless to end up winning 5.10 (40) to 2.3 (15).

The win improves the Lions to fourth position on the ladder and for the first time in 2021, they look genuine finals hopes while the Bulldogs continue to chase that elusive first victory in the WAFLW competition.

Liusaidh Gilchrist and Zoe Huggett kicked a goal apiece for South Fremantle.

Liusaidh Gilchrist, Pia Durk, Casey Byrne, Kiara Templeman and Holly Denholm were among the best performing Bulldogs players on the afternoon at Leederville Oval against Subiaco.

It was tough going for South Fremantle’s Reserves team in WAFLW action as well going down to Swan Districts 10.11 (71) to nothing at Bassendean’s Steel Blue Oval on Sunday morning.

Paige Silcock, Charlotte Johnson, Emma Allison, Tahlia Dawson-Gibbs and Tahlia McRoberts were among the players to battle hard for South Fremantle.

The reigning premier South Fremantle Youth Girls team had the bye in Round 10 of the Rogers Cup.

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 10

SOUTH FREMANTLE        1.1    1.1    2.3    2.3 (15)
SUBIACO            1.1    1.5    2.6    5.10 (40)

SOUTH FREMANTLE: Goals – Gilchrist, Huggett.
Best – Gilchrist, Durk, Byrne, Templeman, Denholm.
SUBIACO: Goals – Wilkins, Hunt, Golisano, Dowrick, Rust.
Best – Harken, Walker, Miller, Dowrick, Rust.