WAFL – BULLDOGS CONSOLIDATE TOP SPOT

South Fremantle maintained top spot in the WAFL with Brandon Donaldson and Noah Strom outstanding at either end of the ground in the 22-point victory at home to Perth on Saturday.

The Bulldogs were back home at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday afternoon playing host to a Demons outfit looking to make a statement of what they are capable of against a team above them.

In the end, South Fremantle produced another strong showing for the 10.9 (69) to 7.5 (47) win to make it six wins in-a-row and to maintain top spot with a 10-1 record ahead of a tantalising clash this coming Saturday with the second placed Claremont back at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Premiership winning small forward Brandon Donaldson is right back to his best form with South Fremantle in 2025. He kicked another four goals from 11 possessions and five marks to be the leading scorer in the game.

South Fremantle did lose Matthew Parker early in the game, but the rest of the midfield stood up to cover for his absence including reigning WJ Hughes Medallist Tom Blechynden having 28 possessions, eight tackles and five marks.

Jake Florenca added 25 possessions, Aaron Drage 23, Isiah Winder 21, Zac Strom 20 (18 hit outs), Jamaine Jones 18 and Chase Bourne 15.

The South Fremantle back-line was again outstanding conceding just the seven goals including another standout display from Noah Strom holding Perth spearhead Aaron Clarke to just one behind for the afternoon.

The two teams played out a thriller back in Round 1 and it was Perth that managed the first goal of the game this time around at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

South Fremantle responded soon after thanks to Zac Strom and Brandon Donaldson added another soon after but by quarter-time scores were all level.

The Bulldogs then started the second quarter strongly with the first two goals thanks to Isiah Winder and Matthew Ward before debutant Cooper Clarke-Dehring added another.

South Fremantle continued the momentum with goals to Aaron Drage and Brandon Donaldson which ended up seeing the Bulldogs head into half-time with the 24-point advantage.

It took more than 13 minutes for either team to manage a goal in the second half but when it came it went the way of Donaldson as the Bulldogs’ lead grew to beyond five goals.

Roan O’Hehir added another before three quarter-time which saw South Fremantle still in control with the 31-point lead but the Demons then started the last quarter on fire.

They kicked three goals in the first eight minutes to close the gap back to 13 points but they weren’t able to get closer than that. South Fremantle closed the deal with a snapped goal from Donaldson to give him four for the day and the Bulldogs the 22-point win.

It was a thriller to start the day in the colts at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with Perth kicking the first two goals of the last quarter to set up the eventual 8.4 (52) to 7.8 (50) victory against South Fremantle.

The Demons kicked two goals to one in the first quarter to be leading by five points at quarter-time before the Bulldogs managed three goals to two in the second period to go into the half-time break leading by two points.

It was two goals each in the third quarter with South Fremantle clinging to a one-point lead before Perth kicked the opening two goals of the last quarter to be leading by nine points.

South Fremantle did manage a late goal from Jay Elliott-Tideman but Perth hung on for the two-point win in the finish.

The result leaves the Bulldogs in second position in the colts with a 7-3 record by the end of Round 12 to be just a game still behind the league-leading East Fremantle.

Tom Jackson kicked two goals for South Fremantle with Noah Roberts finishing with 24 possessions, Millar Rank 23, Aston Clissold 22, Byron Foster 21, Lucas Cattalini 20, Jack McAuliffe 16 and Zac Godwin 16.

Then in the reserves, South Fremantle consolidated top spot with the 11.18 (84) to 5.3 (33) win against Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

It was two goals apiece in the first quarter but South Fremantle had seven scoring shots to two, and then the Bulldogs kicked the only three goals of the second term to open up a 26-point lead by half-time.

It was just a goal each in the third term before South Fremantle closed the deal on the 51-point victory with five goals to two in the last quarter.

Bailey Harbour kicked three goals in the win for the Bulldogs and Kaden Harbour two.

Haiden Schloithe’s remarkable comeback continued with 35 possessions as well for South Fremantle while Toby Dodds collected 26 disposals, Nick Stuhldreier 20, Robbie Turnbull 18, Jack Green 17, Brady Alvaro 17 and Jacob Whan 16.

SULLIVAN LOGISTICS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 12

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        2.1          7.1          9.4          10.9        (69)

PERTH                                                   2.1          3.1          4.3          7.5          (47)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Donaldson 4; Winder, Z Strom, Ward, Drage, O’Hehir, Clarke-Dehring.

Best: Blechynden, Florenca, Donaldson, N Strom, Z Strom, Drage, Winder.

PERTH – Goals: Derksen, Bodle 2; Parfitt, Cachard, Luers.

Best: Constable, Parfitt, Taylor, Schlensog, Cachard, Wills, Watson.