DOGS BEAT EAGLES IN FIRST HOME GAME OF 2022

SOUTH Fremantle dominated the longer the game went against the West Coast Eagles at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday on the way to a 76-point victory.

The Bulldogs opened the 2022 WAFL season with come from behind victory against Subiaco at Leederville Oval and then backed it up on Saturday in their first home game of the campaign.

South Fremantle extended its lead at every break leading by six points at quarter-time, 35 points at the half, 39 points at three quarter-time and then to end up winning 17.14 (116) to 6.4 (40).

Zac Strom, Brandon Donaldson and Caleb Datson all kicked three goals apiece for South Fremantle with Manfred Kelly and Mason Shaw adding two majors each.

Haiden Schloithe gathered 25 possessions for the Bulldogs to go with seven tackles, six marks and three inside-50 entries.

Jake Florenca continued his good form with 24 disposals while Dylan Main had 19, Steely Green 16 and Jarrad Doney 15.

Down back, Toby McQuilkin was tremendous with 23 possessions and 11 marks while Chad Pearson had 21 touches and nine marks, and Trent Newton 19 disposals and 12 marks.

It was the Eagles who started well chasing their first win of the season with the game’s first goal to Josh Burke but only a couple of minutes later and Mason Shaw responded for South Fremantle.

Dylan Main then put the Bulldogs in front before Cooper Nitschke responded for West Coast. South Fremantle went into quarter-time leading by six points, though, after a late goal to Manfred Kelly.

The Eagles were back within a point early in the second term with a goal to Jack Petruccelle but then South Fremantle got rolling for the rest of the first half.

Jimmy Miller kicked truly to put the home team back up by seven points before a couple of goals to Zac Strom, another to Caleb Datson and then right on the half-time siren, Shaw kicked his second and the Bulldogs were up by 35 points at the major break.

The Eagles opened up with a brief flurry to start the second half with goals to Jack Williams and Darby McCarthy. That brought them back within 24 points but it would be as close as they got the rest of the game.

Brandon Donaldson, Datson and Jarrad Doney all kicked goals in response for the Bulldogs and the home side was on top by 39 points at three quarter-time.

South Fremantle then got some real momentum and attacking flair flowing in the fourth quarter piling on six goals to nil including a second and third to Donaldson, second to Kelly, and third each to Datson and Strom.

That saw South Fremantle come away with the 17.14 (116) to 6.4 (40) victory to remain unbeaten so far in 2022 and consigning West Coast to remaining winless.

South Fremantle will be back at home this Saturday to host Claremont at Fremantle Community Bank Oval in a rematch of last year’s preliminary final.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 2

SOUTH FREMANTLE        3.1    8.7    11.11    17.14 (116)
WEST COAST EAGLES        2.1    3.2    6.2    6.4 (40)

SOUTH FREMANTLE: Goals – Z Strom, Donaldson, Datson 3; Kelly, Shaw 2; Doney, Main, Miller, Salmeri.
Best – McQuilkin, Schloithe, Pearson, Donaldson, Florenca, Newton, Z Strom, Main.
WEST COAST EAGLES: Goals – Petrevski-Seton, Petruccelle, Williams, Burke, Nitschke, McCarthy.
Best – Clark, Rotham, Edwards, Petrevski-Seton, Deegan, Jones.