MIXED WEEKEND FOR BULLDOGS FEMALE TEAMS

IT was a mixed weekend for South Fremantle’s female football teams with losses for the league and reserves WAFLW teams but the reigning premier Youth Girls played out a Rogers Cup draw with West Perth.

South Fremantle was back in action in Round 12 of the 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership Season and it was always going to be a significant challenge for the Bulldogs up against the reigning premiers Peel Thunder at Mandurah’s David Grays Arena on Saturday evening.

South Fremantle remains winless nearing the end of its second season in the WAFLW competition as well heightening the challenge the Bulldogs faced up against a Peel team sitting solid in second spot on the ladder once again entering the final month of the 2021 home and away season.

The Bulldogs did actually have two scoring shots to just one from the Thunder in the opening quarter, but it was Peel who kicked the only goal of the first term to lead by four points at quarter-time.

It was a similar story in the second quarter but again the Bulldogs couldn’t take their chances in front of goal and the Thunder only managed to add two behinds as well to see their lead sit at five points at the main break.

Peel did kick away further with their second goal of the game in the third quarter with South Fremantle managing the one behind, and then it was two goals to a behind in the final term in favour of the Thunder as they secured the 4.5 (29) to 0.5 (5) victory.

The win for the Thunder all but locks away second position on the WAFLW ladder with three rounds of the home and away season remaining as they can begin preparations to more than likely take on Swan Districts in the second semi-final in a months’ time.

Best players on the evening for South Fremantle included Tahlia Holtze, Zoe Huggett, Lauren Wafker, Ella Ward and Ashleigh Little.

Meanwhile, South Fremantle’s WAFLW Reserves team were in action at Joondalup’s Provident Financial Oval on Sunday with West Perth coming out victorious 3.4 (22) to 0.3 (3) against the Bulldogs.

Best players for South Fremantle’s Reserves were Shakira Pickett, Melissa Silcock, Nikita Hart, Tahlia McRoberts and Kara Turley.

Then in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup match up also at Provident Financial Oval on Sunday afternoon, South Fremantle and West Perth couldn’t be separated ending up playing out a draw, with South Fremantle 4.1 (25) to West Perth’s 3.7 (25).

Emily Boothman kicked two goals for South Fremantle’s Youth Girls team with a goal apiece to Noa McNaughton and Poppy Stockwell.

Best performers on the afternoon for the Bulldogs’ Rogers Cup team included McNaughton, Abby Reich, Chloe Boothman, Tayla Hughes and Aliyah Tanonef.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 12

SOUTH FREMANTLE        0.2    0.3    0.4    0.5 (5)
PEEL THUNDER            1.0    1.2    2.3    4.5 (29)

SOUTH FREMANTLE: Goals – Nil.
Best – Holtze, Huggett, Wafker, Ward, Little.
PEEL THUNDER: Goals – Phillips 3; Church.
Best – Duffy, Davidson, Phillips, Benson, Wright.