COLTS – BULLDOGS FALL TO TIGERS

It didn’t prove to be the Colts Grand Final that South Fremantle was hoping for on Sunday at Optus Stadium with Claremont securing a third straight premiership but there was a lot to like from what the Bulldogs did in 2025.

South Fremantle finished the home and away season in the colts in top spot and then beat East Fremantle in a derby second semi-final to win their way straight into the grand final while Claremont had to beat the Sharks in a preliminary final.

South Fremantle were attempting to win a first colts premiership since back-to-back flags in 2011-12 while Claremont were shooting for a third straight flag when the two teams met on Sunday afternoon at Optus Stadium.

It was four goals apiece in an exciting first quarter but then Claremont kicked the only three goals of the second term, and then eight in the last to secure the eventual 18.6 (114) to 9.5 (59) victory to make it three straight colts premierships.

Cameron Maynard ended up kicking three goals for South Fremantle from his six kicks along with six entries inside the forward 50.

Fred Rodriguez finished with 25 possessions to go with six tackles, five marks and a goal with Lucas Robinson also finishing with 21 touches, seven tackles, six marks and a goal.

Jacob Donald also had 16 possessions, Max Thomas 15, Lucas Cattalini 14, Taj Longmuir 11, Noah Roberts 10 and ruckman Byron Foster 10 to go with 18 hit outs and a goal.

South Fremantle’s cause wasn’t helped with an early shoulder injury to prolific ball winner Toby Whan.

Charlie Banfield won the Mel Whinnen Medal thanks to 28 possessions and two goals for Claremont while Cody Curtin kicked six goals.

It took less than a minute for Claremont to kick the first goal of the grand final but South Fremantle quickly responded thanks to Lucas Robinson in an enterprising opening from both sides.

Corey Maynard, Fred Rodriguez and Taj Longmuir also kicked goals in the opening quarter for the Bulldogs and by quarter-time it was a narrow one-point lead for the Tigers.

Claremont then managed to kick three goals in the first 10 minutes of the second quarter and those would be the only goals scored from either team the rest of the first half with the Tigers leading by half-time by 20 points as a result.

Claremont also kicked the first goal of the second half but South Fremantle responded thanks to Maynard with his second and then ruckman Byron Foster added another to bring the Bulldogs back within 14 points with some momentum.

Goals also Jay Elliott-Tideman and Ryda Luke ensured South Fremantle were still in touch with just the 13-point deficit by three quarter-time.

Claremont were then able to blow the game open with seven goals in the first 20 minutes of the final quarter with only Maynard’s third goal of the afternoon breaking up the Tigers kicking eight goals in the last term for the 55-point win.

EGT WAFL COLTS GRAND FINAL 2025

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        4.1          4.4          8.5          9.5          (59)

CLAREMONT                                      4.2          7.6          10.6        18.6        (114)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Maynard 3; Rodriguez, Robinson, Elliott-Tideman, Longmuir, Foster, Luke.

Best: Rodriguez, Robinson, Maynard, Foster, Donald, Thomas.

CLAREMONT – Goals: Curtin 6; Jennings-Hopkins, Cossom, C Banfield, Davies, Germain 2; Mellody, H Banfield.

Best: C Banfield, Curtin, Germain, Jennings-Hopkins, Grahame, Germain, H Banfield.

MEL WHINNEN MEDAL – Charlie Banfield (Claremont)