MIXED WAFLW DERBY DAY FOR SOUTH FREMANTLE

IT was a mixed round of WAFLW derby action for East Fremantle on the weekend with the Reserves scoring an impressive win on Saturday but the Sharks proved too strong in the League and Youth Girls match ups.

Round 5 in the 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership Season marked the occasion of the first derby of the season and just the second at league level in the new WAFLW competition.

East Fremantle did prove too strong at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Friday night for South Fremantle, though, winning 10.12 (72) to 4.2 (26).

The action then resumed on Saturday morning staring with the Rogers Cup fixture and that saw East Fremantle’s Youth Girls team also come away with the 9.7 (61) to 4.8 (32) victory.

But South Fremantle got the better of the Reserves contest ending up beating East Fremantle 6.5 (41) to 4.8 (32).

The opening game of Round 5 of the 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership Season took place on Friday night at Fremantle Community Bank Oval in the second ever derby to take place in the competition.

The Bulldogs and Sharks are beginning their own rivalry in the WAFLW competition and the second instalment of it took place on Friday night with the Bulldogs looking to deliver a much more competitive effort than in Round 1 last year.

On that occasion that was South Fremantle’s first ever WAFLW appearance, East Fremantle proved too good at the same venue winning by 88 points on the back of holding the Bulldogs scoreless.

South Fremantle has become much more competitive since that occasion, though, and with a host of their key players in the AFLW right now, East Fremantle might not quite be as strong setting up an interesting battle on Friday night down at the port.

South Fremantle might not have won a game still yet in the competition but they have put in some good showings while East Fremantle also just had the one win on the board from their four matches in 2021 heading into Friday night.

It was a tight opening to the game too with a goal apiece in the first quarter with East Fremantle taking a one-point advantage into quarter-time.

The Sharks, however, were able to kick away further in the second term by holding the Bulldogs scoreless and kicking four goals themselves to head into half-time leading by 29 points.

South Fremantle showed some fight again in the third quarter by kicking a couple of goals themselves but East Fremantle was able to extend its lead with three more goals of its own to open up a 41-point edge by the last change.

Then in the final quarter, East Fremantle kicked another two goals to one from South Fremantle to end up winning 10.12 (72) to 4.2 (26).

Zoe Huggett kicked two goals for South Fremantle with Makaela Tuhakaraina and Makayla Cocking adding one each.

Pia Durk, Casey Byrne, Lauren Wafker and Lauren Vecchio were among the best performers for the Bulldogs.

Saturday morning saw the derby action resume at Fremantle Community Bank Oval starting with the Youth Girls Rogers Cup battle.

East Fremantle got on top early kicking three goals to one in the first quarter, but South Fremantle actually had more scoring shots and just was unable to convert.

The Bulldogs then did convert better in the second quarter kicking three goals and holding the Sharks to one behind to see the home team head into the half-time break leading by 10 points.

East Fremantle, though, took back over in the third term holding South Fremantle to one behind while kicking four goals, and then the Sharks kicked the only two goals of the last quarter to win 9.7 (61) to 4.8 (32).

Rosie Anderson kicked another two goals for South Fremantle with singles to Zoe Keley and Jess Howley.

South Fremantle’s best performers included Hannah Young, Pip Sideris, Tayla Hughes, Jess Howley and Zoe Keley.

The round’s action for the Bulldogs then concluded with the Reserves clash with the Sharks at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

It was a goal apiece in the first quarter before South Fremantle managed two goals to one in the second stanza to head into half-time leading by three points.

South Fremantle extended that lead with two more goals to one in the third quarter, and then it was a goal apiece in the fourth quarter with the Bulldogs ending up beating the Sharks 6.5 (41) to 4.8 (32).

Ella Ward and Jenelle Heard kicked two goals each for South Fremantle while Kara Turley and Hannah Barkell added one apiece.

The best performers for the Bulldogs included Ella Ward, Mel Silcock, Lara Rodin-Zimdahl, Chae Salbie and Emma Allison.

South Fremantle now prepares for Round 6 in the WAFLW competition and it’s a league battle with Subiaco at Leederville Oval that takes place on Saturday at 5pm.

The Reserves take on West Perth from 11am at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Sunday which follows on from the Youth Girls facing the Falcons from 9.15am.

OPTUS WAFL WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 5

SOUTH FREMANTLE        1.1    1.1    3.1    4.2    (26)
EAST FREMANTLE        1.2    5.6    8.12    10.12    (72)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Huggett 2; Tuhakaraina, Cocking.
Best: Durk, Byrne, Wafker, Vecchio.
EAST FREMANTLE – Goals: Radojkovich, Prentice 2; Reilly, Wong, Ross, McMahon, Raison, Gomes.
Best: Williams, Wong, Sanders, McMahon, Sprylan.