RD 3 PREVIEW | v SWAN DISTRICTS

The new era of South Fremantle has started in exciting fashion this WAFL season and the Bulldogs will look to keep the momentum going hosting Swan Districts on Saturday afternoon.

There was great anticipation over South Fremantle coming into the 2025 WAFL season with the return of two-time premiership winner Craig White as coach and some impressive signings.

It has all come together impressively over the opening two rounds with a 13-point road win against Perth and then beating reigning premiers Peel Thunder by 49 points last Saturday in the home opener at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The Bulldogs now put that perfect record on the line back at the port also this Saturday over the Easter weekend to take on a Swans team yet to taste a victory so far in 2025.

There has been a lot to like with what South Fremantle has done over the opening two rounds, but Swans can’t be taken lightly having played in the preliminary final last year and now trying to get on the board for that first win of 2025.

South Fremantle is also attempting to record a first win against Swan Districts since a one-point victory back in Round 13, 2022, at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Since then and Swans won three straight games against the Bulldogs before the two teams played out a draw in Round 17 last year also at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

One of those South Fremantle recruits, Trey Ruscoe, has had an outstanding start to the season for the Bulldogs as the spearhead in attack kicking seven goals in the two matches so far and he is already loving every second of being at South Fremantle.

“I think we’re going into every game knowing that every team is capable of doing well so there’s certainly no signs of complacency,” Ruscoe told The Kennell on 91.3 SportFM.

“We do go into the game knowing what we need to do as a team and as a collective. We also have very good players in the reserves who can also come up to play a pivotal role so that keeps us all knowing we need to keep performing.

“But we’re excited and every week is exciting, and I just love going out there and running out there with the boys. Hopefully we get the win again but it’s going to continue to be exciting every time we get to play together with the team we’ve got this year.”

The colts contest gets the day underway with South Fremantle also undefeated following the opening two matches up against a Swan Districts team who has split its first two encounters.

South Fremantle started the season beating Perth by 32 points and then backed it up last week at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with the 48-point victory against Peel.

Meanwhile, Swan Districts started off beating West Perth by 37 points in Round 1 before going down to East Perth by 19 points last Saturday morning.

The reserves clash is up next with South Fremantle currently sitting in top spot on the ladder and attempting to stay there up against a Swan Districts team also yet to taste defeat in 2025.

South Fremantle started the reserves season with a 30-point win against Perth at Lathlain before also downing Peel by 73 points last Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

In that win over the Thunder, Ed Graham kicked four goals for the Bulldogs as did Cooper Clarke-Dehring with Brandon Donaldson adding three, Mitch Geier three and Hudson Pivac two.

Toby Dodds also racked up 31 possessions, Toby McQuilkin 25, Nick Stuhldreier 22, Callum Copeland 22, Jacob Whan 20, Sam Otto 20, Tarkyn Etherington 19 and Zac Strom 12 to go with 12 hit outs, six marks and a goal.