SOUTH FREMANTLE ROUND 2 WAFLW WRAP

SOUTH Fremantle couldn’t quite come away with a victory in both Round 2 WAFLW match ups with Peel Thunder in Mandurah on Saturday but that didn’t mean there weren’t plenty of encouraging signs.

Both South Fremantle’s WAFLW and Rogers Cup teams recorded first up victories in Round 1 of the 2022 season last Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

That saw them take confidence down to Lane Group Stadium for the battles with Peel Thunder on Saturday.

It began with the Youth Girls Rogers battle and after a good start from South Fremantle, Peel was able to overpower the Bulldogs and win 7.12 (54) to 4.5 (29).

Both WAFLW league teams were coming off Round 1 wins but it was Peel who also proved too strong for South Fremantle ending up winning 8.6 (54) to 3.6 (24).

Round 3 of the 2022 WAFLW season sees South Fremantle back home to Fremantle Community Bank Oval to take on Subiaco on Friday. The Rogers Cup game begins proceedings at 5.15pm with the league game to follow at 7.15pm.

WAFLW LEAGUE
SOUTH FREMANTLE 10.14 (74) defeated WEST PERTH 0.0 (0)
Two winners from the opening round of the 2022 WAFLW season locked horns in Mandurah on Saturday evening with reigning premiers Peel Thunder hosting last year’s wooden spooners, South Fremantle.

The Thunder have won the past two WAFLW premierships and the Bulldogs didn’t manage to win a game in their opening two seasons in the competition, but both teams opened up the new seasons with wins.

Peel left it late but ended up beating Subiaco last Saturday night on the siren thanks to a Kira Phillips goal while South Fremantle made history by winning its first ever WAFLW match. The Bulldogs did in style too holding newcomers scoreless at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

South Fremantle was up for the challenge on Saturday evening at Lane Group Stadium as well. Both teams kicked two goals each in the opening quarter but it was the Bulldogs who held a two-point advantage at quarter-time.

Things remained tight in the second term as well with both teams managing a goal each, but the Thunder also put five behinds on the board to head into the half-time break with the narrow three-point edge.

There was just the one goal scored in the third quarter and that went the way of Peel but still at the last break the game was up for grabs with the Thunder just clinging to a six-point advantage.

However, the two-time reigning premiers put their foot down with the game on the line with four goals to one behind in the last quarter to claim the 8.6 (54) to 3.6 (24) victory.

Lauren Wafker had another tremendous all-round performance for South Fremantle kicking two goals to go with 11 possessions, 11 hit outs and eight tackles. Noa McNaughton kicked the other goal for the Bulldogs.

Tahlia Holtze produced another impressive performance for South Fremantle with 17 possessions while Casey Byrne finished with 17 disposals and five tackles, Jess Verbrugge 15 touches and four inside-50 entries, and captain Lauren Vecchio 15 possessions and seven tackles.

YOUTH GIRLS ROGERS CUP
SOUTH FREMANTLE 4.5 (29) lost to PEEL THUNDER 7.12 (54)
It was a rematch of the Rogers Cup Grand Final of 2020 in Mandurah on Saturday and unfortunately for South Fremantle they weren’t able to repeat the result against Peel Thunder.

South Fremantle has reached the past two Grand Finals in the Youth Girls competition including that premiership triumph in 2020, but this was always going to be challenge on Saturday at Lane Group Stadium.

The Bulldogs opened the season with a win against West Perth in a rematch of last year’s Grand Final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on the back of a huge last quarter.

It was a significantly better start this time around from the Bulldogs with three goals to two from the Thunder in the opening quarter to head into quarter-time leading by seven points.

Peel was able to pull ahead during the second quarter with three goals to one from South Fremantle but the Bulldogs were still right only touch only trailing the Thunder by six points.

It wasn’t the second half that South Fremantle was hoping for, though, with Peel kicking the only goal of the third term, and then the only goal of the last to end up winning 7.12 (54) to 4.5 (29).

Two of South Fremantle’s goals came courtesy of Alira Fotu while Mia Ciccotosto and Molly O’Hehir kicked one apiece.