Swans make inefficient Bulldogs pay

SOUTH Fremantle kicked the first goal of the game but from there inaccuracy and missed opportunities set in with Swan Districts ending up 21-point winners at Steel Blue Oval.

The Bulldogs started the season in impressive fashion beating Subiaco at Fremantle Community Bank Oval by 39 points.

South Fremantle then started encouragingly against Swans at Bassendean with the first goal through Blaine Johnson. But they then kicked seven first quarter behinds from there and never really recovered.

The Bulldogs had 2.10 on the board at half-time and with Swans more efficient they went on to win 13.7 (85) to 8.16 (64).

South Fremantle had plenty of big ball winners and finished with 89 more possessions than Swan Districts, 19 more marks, 15 more inside-50 entries and four extra scoring shots.

That all resulted in just eight goals for the afternoon, though, for the Bulldogs who also lost Jarrod Garlett to a leg injury in the second quarter. He was playing his first league game back since returning from the Gold Coast Suns over summer.

Tim Kelly racked up a career-high 38 possessions for the Bulldogs to go with 12 marks, seven inside 50s and a goal.

He wasn’t the only one to pick up huge numbers either with Brendan Verrier finishing with 34 disposals, Haiden Schloithe 31, Ashton Hams 28, Ryan Cook 28 (12 marks), Shaun Bewick 26, Blayne Wilson 26, Brandon Donaldson 23, Dylan Main 22 and second-gamer Kyle Russell 19.

Jake Solomon again worked hard in the ruck for South Fremantle with 11 disposals, 32 hit outs and a goal.

South Fremantle did kick the first goal of the game thanks to Johnson, but then the bad kicking in front of goal set in.

They ended up with seven behinds for the first quarter while Swans kicked straight thanks to Matthew Rogers, Todd Banfield and Ryan Crowley.

The Bulldogs then continued to miss and Swans were having no such trouble with David Ellard, Corey Gault and Brayden Noble all kicking truly to extend their advantage to 25 points.

South Fremantle ended its goalless drought at the 21-minute mark of the second term through Steven Edwards but the black-and-whites remained in control leading by 18 points at the main break.

The Bulldogs needed to start kicking straight to be any hope in the second half and that task started well when Kelly booted truly less than a minute into the third term to make the margin just 12 points.

It wouldn’t last and South Fremantle went more than 15 minutes before another goal and in that time Swans added majors through Noble, Crowley and Warrick Wilson to be up by 30 points.

South Fremantle got a couple back before three quarter-time, but Swans continued to have the answers and four goals in time-on saw Cary add his two for the afternoon, Crowley his third and Adam Faulkner his third to make the advantage 41 points at the last chance.

It was all South Fremantle in the final quarter but the Bulldogs again kicked just three goals from eight scoring shots. Ben Saunders, Cook and Edwards did kick goals but that only cut the final margin to 21 points.

The day at Steel Blue Oval began with the colts contest with Swan Districts winning 18.15 (123) to 7.8 (50).

Jesse Mason kicked two goals for the Bulldogs with Kyle Hamersley racking up 27 possessions and laying nine tackles.

Nic Giarrizzo also gathered 25 disposals for South Fremantle, Ben Sherry 23, Zane Sumich 19, Michael Redman 19 and Glenn Byron 19.

John Frampton again did well in the ruck ending up with 14 possessions and 25 hit outs.

Then in the reserves clash, South Fremantle started the season 2-0 with a strong 10.11 (71) to 6.9 (45) victory over Swan Districts.

Tyson Pickett, Caleb Datson and Mitch Dzelebdzic all kicked two goals each for the Bulldogs.

Daniel Burke compiled 31 possessions for South Fremantle, Chris Luff 28, Jake Florenca 27, Jarrod Parry 22, Matthew Gundry 18 and Chad Pearson 18.

Brock Higgins continues to work back towards full fitness and had 11 touches and 30 hit outs.

South Fremantle remains on the road this Saturday to take on reigning premiers Peel Thunder at Bendigo Bank Stadium.

SOUTH FREMANTLE        1.7    2.10    5.11    8.16    (64)
SWAN DISTRICTS        3.2    6.4    13.4    13.7    (85)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Edwards 2; Cook, Solomon, Saunders, Johnson, Donaldson, Kelly.
Best: Kelly, B Verrier, Schloithe, Cook, Wilson, Donaldson, Hams.
SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Crowley 3; Noble, Cary 2; Ellard, Faulkner, Rogers, Banfield, Gault, Wilson.
Best: Ellard, Gault, Cary, Ames, Howard, Ugle, Faulkner.