South Fremantle WAFL qualifying final history

THIS Saturday South Fremantle will host West Perth in the 2016 WAFL qualifying final. It’s just the second time the Bulldogs have played in a qualifying final with the first taking place in 1992.

1992 WAFL Qualifying Final
South Fremantle 22.19 (151) defeated Swan Districts 8.11 (59)

South Fremantle Goals: Craig Edwards 5, Warren Campbell 4, Ashley Clementi 4, Jason Spinks 2, Brad Collard 2.
South Fremantle Best: Ned Fimmano, Dean Irving, Cliff Collard, Brad Collard, Craig Edwards, Mark Collins.

South Fremantle overcame a slow start before powering away to win the 1992 qualifying final by 92 points in a surprisingly lop sided contest.

Just eight days after Swan Districts had defeated South Fremantle under lights at Fremantle Oval by 39 points in the final home and away round, expectations were high of a tight qualifying final.

However, it was South Fremantle who would play some of the slickest football of the 1992 season as their ball movement was too fast and too precise for a sluggish Swans team.

In a tight opening quarter, the two teams traded goals with Swans heading into quarter-time with a six-point lead.

The match turned after quarter-time as South Fremantle’s outside running brigade began to find time and space.

Led by skipper Ned Fimmano and supported by Brad Collard, Wally Matera and Mark Collins, the Bulldogs dominated with a seven-goal to one term to build a solid 29-point lead at the main break.

Despite kicking into the breeze in the third quarter, the Bulldogs continued to dominate the contest as they outscored their opponents four goals to two to hold an unassailable 45-point lead at the final change.

The procession continued in the last as South Fremantle finished strongly with a nine-goal final quarter as the margin threatened to pass 100 points. In the end, the Bulldogs won by 92 points routing Swans with 20 goals to five after quarter-time.

Up forward it was tall targets Craig Edwards and Warren Campbell that had the biggest impact with the two-pronged tall target combining for nine goals.

One of the unsung heroes of the contest for South Fremantle was Ashley Clementi who kicked a career best four goals in a career day for the young forward. Jason Spinks and Brad Collard contributed to the demolition with two goals each.

Fimmano was close to best on ground while ruckman Dean Irving had a dominant display in the air. The Collard brothers were also good with both Cliff and Brad named in the best while wingman Mark Collins and key forward Craig Edwards were also good.

South Fremantle would follow up this win with another in the second semi-final over arch rival East Fremantle to go straight through to the grand final. Unfortunately, it would be East Fremantle that would win the 1992 decider with the Bulldogs left to settle for the runner up tag of 1992