CHLOE TAYLOR KICKS FIRST EVER SOUTH FREMANTLE GOAL

It might have taken three weeks but South Fremantle made history at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Sunday with Chloe Taylor kicking the Bulldogs’ first goal in the WAFL Women’s competition.

South Fremantle created another slice of history scoring their first ever WAFL Women’s goal on Sunday but in the end it was Claremont who continued their impressive start to the 2020 season.

It had been tough going for South Fremantle in the opening two weeks of the 2020 Optus WAFL Women’s Premiership Season with the Bulldogs having just been granted entry to the competition as the sixth club in the second year of its existence.

South Fremantle came up against reigning premiers East Fremantle in Round 1 and then a vastly improved Peel Thunder last week.

While both games were held at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, the Bulldogs were still just trying to find their feet and couldn’t manage a score in defeats to the tune of 88 and 64 points.

Claremont, meanwhile, has made a good start to the new WAFLW season with a narrow two-point loss to Subiaco before bouncing back with a strong win against Swan Districts leading into Sunday’s clash at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

It might not have been a goal just yet, but South Fremantle did create a slice of history in the opening quarter of Sunday’s game against Claremont by scoring a behind. After two scoreless games, it was their ninth quarter in the league that saw them score for a first time.

But up the other end, Claremont managed nine shots on goal and kicked three goals from those opportunities which was the only thing stopping their lead from only being 23 points.

South Fremantle was finding themselves more competitive, though, and the Bulldogs did manage another two behinds in the second quarter.

Claremont, though, was also finding plenty of ways to attack and they had another four opportunities on goal for two goals in the second quarter to head into half-time with the 35-point advantage.

South Fremantle went scoreless in the third quarter. But after not managing to score in their first four quarters in the WAFLW competition, this would be their only term on Sunday where they wouldn’t trouble the scorers.

Claremont did kick another goal in the third quarter and by three quarter-time that saw the Tigers’ lead grow to 44 points.

And then the last quarter saw the momentum that we’ve been waiting for. South Fremantle first ever goal in the WAFLW was scored thanks to Chloe Taylor. Her name will now forever be etched in history.

The Tigers weren’t interested in being sentimental though. They added another three goals themselves in the final term and ended up beating South Fremantle 9.12 (66) to 1.3 (9).

On top of Chloe Taylor making history by kicking a goal for South Fremantle in the last quarter, Tash Vaughan-Taylor, Kiara Templeman, Tahlia Holtze, Melissa Silcock, Cali Hunt and Taylah Cruttenden all played well for the Bulldogs.

Mhicca Carter came into the Claremont team this week to face South Fremantle and made the most of her opportunities in attack by kicking three goals.

Brooke Whyte also kicked three goals for the Tigers while Bella Zadnik, Krstel Petrevski and Amy Franklin were the others to manage a goal on the afternoon for Claremont.

Whyte, Sarah Garstone, Carter, Sasha Goranova and Ella Smith were just a handful of Claremont’s star performers in the game.

South Fremantle’s reserves went down to Claremont by 44 points also on Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Mikaila Kowald, Rachel Shepherd and Sarah Wright were the goal scorers for South Fremantle with Ebony Humble, Kowald and Wright among the best players.

And in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup contest to begin proceedings on Sunday, Claremont also defeated South Fremantle 5.13 (43) to 1.10 (16). The Bulldogs’ lone goal came from Caitlin Arnoldi.

South Fremantle will now play its first ever away game in the WAFL Women’s competition this Saturday against Subiaco at Leederville Oval from 10.30am.

Meanwhile, the Youth Girls and Reserves will be playing against Subiaco on Friday night at Leederville Oval. The Rogers Cup game bounces down at 5.30pm and the Reserves at 7.20pm.

OPTUS WAFL WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 3

SOUTH FREMANTLE        0.1    0.3    0.3    1.3    (9)
CLAREMONT            3.6    5.8    6.11    9.12    (66)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Taylor.
Best: Vaughan-Taylor, Templeman, Holtze, Silcock, Hunt, Cruttenden.
CLAREMONT – Goals: Whyte, Carter 3; Franklin, Petrevski, Zadnik.
Best: Whyte, Garstone, Carter, Goranova, Smith.