COLTS SEMI-FINAL MATCH REPORT

COLTS | BULLDOGS STAY ALIVE

South Fremantle’s Colts have stayed alive in the 2026 season bouncing back from their first up loss to open the finals by beating West Perth by 35 points in the first semi-final on Saturday morning.

The Bulldogs took on the Falcons with the seasons going on the line for both at Mandurah’s Lane Group Stadium.

South Fremantle had finished the Colts season in second position before losing the qualifying final last weekend to Claremont as they took on a West Perth team coming off a win in the elimination final against Subiaco.

Even though South Fremantle kicked away with six goals in the second quarter, it wasn’t until the fourth when they made sure of the win kicking the only four goals for the eventual 11.18 (84) to 7.7 (49) victory.

Cooper Matera was the only player in the game kicking more than two goals having finished with three from his eight kicks to go with laying five tackles.

Riley Stannard also kicked two goals to go with 27 possessions and five tackles with Elijah Nathan finishing with two goals, 21 disposals and six marks.

Chace Vanderhoek then continued his standout form for the Bulldogs with 29 possessions to go with nine inside-50 entries for the game.

Jack McAuliffe also had 22 disposals, Kobe Clucas 22, Hudson Graham 18 and Heath Wilson 16 while Byron Foster produced a strong performance made up of 19 touches, 28 hit outs and eight tackles.

West Perth managed to kick the opening goal of the Colts first semi-final before South Fremantle responded after 10 minutes thanks to Cooper Matera.

The Falcons kicked the only other goal of the first quarter just before the siren and that saw them go into the quarter-time break leading by six points as a result.

South Fremantle then took control in the second period starting with a goal inside five minutes to Riley Stannard.

Matera then kicked his second of the game with Coby Douglas, Elijah Nathan and Jack McAuliffe getting in on the act before Matera added a third of the first half to give the Bulldogs the 27-point lead heading into the half-time break.

It took more than 12 minutes of the second half before the first goal was kicked and that went the way of West Perth with the Falcons then adding three more before three quarter-time which cut the Bulldogs lead to just seven points at the last break.

South Fremantle took back control in the final quarter with goals to Cam Maynard, Kobe Clucas, a second to Nathan and a second to Stannard on the way to securing the 35-point victory.

The win sees South Fremantle advance to a Colts preliminary final against Claremont this Sunday morning at Revo Fitness Stadium.

EGT COLTS SEASON – FIRST SEMI-FINAL

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        1.4          7.9          7.14        11.18     (84)

WEST PERTH                                      2.4          3.6          7.7          7.7          (49)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Matera 3; Stannard, Nathan 2; Clucas, McAuliffe, Douglas, Maynard.

Best: Stannard, Vanderhoek, Nathan, Foster, McAuliffe, Matera, Clucas, Wilson.

WEST PERTH – Goals: Wain 2; Collins, Williamson, De Fraine, Fitch, Spawton-Guy.

Best: Creyk, Boczar, Williamson, Jones, Barrowclough, McGuane.