WAFL – BULLDOGS DOMINATE WAFL RAC DERBY

South Fremantle delivered quite the emphatic WAFL RAC Derby performance on WA Day on the way to the 54-point victory at Fremantle Community Bank Oval to move clear on top of the ladder as a result.

It was a rare occurrence of the Bulldogs and Sharks meeting on WA Day occupying the top two spots on the WAFL ladder with both teams coming into the Monday contest in wet conditions in impressive form.

Another strong crowd showed up at Fremantle Community Bank Oval for the occasion with more than 5000 people braving the wintry conditions and they saw a dominant South Fremantle performance all afternoon.

The Bulldogs kicked the only two goals of the first quarter and then finished with four to one in the last on the way to the 10.21 (81) to 4.3 (27) victory to move clear in top spot on the WAFL ladder with a 7-1 record heading into this weekend’s bye.

South Fremantle finished the derby with 31 scoring shots to seven on top of having 20 extra inside-50 entries, 60 more possessions while taking an extra 18 marks, and producing a standout performance against a Sharks team who had won five straight.

Zac Strom has made a career out of delivering in derbies across the 194 games he’s played with the Bulldogs and he produced another four goals to go with 10 possessions while Trey Ruscoe and Brandon Donaldson both kicked two goals apiece.

Isiah Winder also racked up 30 possessions for South Fremantle, Matthew Parker 29, Tom Blechynden 27 (14 tackles), Ethan Hughes 22, Lewis Rayson 21, Aaron Drage 21, Jake Florenca 20 and Jaxon Artemis 18.

The South Fremantle back-line was once again superb holding East Fremantle to four goals and giving up just 50 points a game so far this season with Noah Strom and Chad Pearson rock solid once more.

It was a monstrous WA Day occasion with the fierce rivals coming into the match up occupying the top two positions in the WAFL and South Fremantle made the perfect start with a goal to Trey Ruscoe after just 70 seconds.

South Fremantle also managed the only other goal of the first quarter thanks to Zac Strom and had seven scoring shots to one for the opening term to end up leading by 16 points at quarter-time.

The Bulldogs dominated the opening 15 minutes of the last quarter but only managed three behinds before East Fremantle did manage their first goal of the match up at the 17-mintue mark.

South Fremantle responded with a goal to Chase Bourne and despite the 1.7 for the quarter, the Bulldogs remained in control leading by 22 points at the half-time break.

South Fremantle then took less than 90 seconds to add a fourth goal of the game to start the second half with a second of the day to Ruscoe.

East Fremantle did have its best patch of the game in response to that with a couple of quick goals, but South Fremantle kicked away once more with goals to Brandon Donaldson and Strom to head into the three quarter-time break on top by 33 points.

South Fremantle then dominated even further in the final term with eight scoring shots to two, and adding four more goals thanks to Strom, Isiah Winder, Strom again and then a second to Donaldson which saw the Bulldogs claim the 54-point victory.

The day’s action at Fremantle Community Bank Oval got underway with the reserves match up on the morning of WA Day and it turned out to be a thumping 17.14 (116) to 5.5 (35) victory for South Fremantle against East Fremantle.

The Bulldogs had eight scoring shots to three in the first quarter but scores were level by quarter-time before South Fremantle dominated the second term with five goals to one to go into the half-time break leading by 25 points.

It was then another three goals to two from the Bulldogs in the third stanza before South Fremantle produced a monstrous last term with eight goals to one behind from the Sharks on the way to the eventual 81-point win.

The win improves South Fremantle to a 5-2 record in the reserves to be sitting in second place with Bailey Harbour ending up kicking five goals, Jermaine Pickett three, Jordan Douglas two and Jack Green two.

Ferreira also racked up 31 possessions, Riley Colborne 26, Zane Triscari 22, Douglas 20, Green 20, Toby Dodds 19, Callum Copeland 19, Robbie Turnbull 18 and Samuel Otto 17 while Kyle Russell marked his return with 16.

The colts match then wrapped up derby day at Fremantle Community Bank Oval and it was a thrilling finish with East Fremantle just prevailing 6.7 (43) to 6.4 (40) over South Fremantle.

The Bulldogs started well to kick two goals to one in the first quarter before the Sharks kicked the only goal of the second term and went into half-time leading by two points.

South Fremantle then worked on top with three goals to one in the third term to be leading by seven points at three quarter-time and then still being up by nine points by the 18-minute with Cameron Maynard kicking a fourth goal in the fourth term.

However, East Fremantle then kicked the last two goals of the game to snatch the three-point win but despite the result the Bulldogs remain in top spot in the colts percentage ahead of both the Sharks and West Perth.

Cameron Maynard kicked four goals from seven kicks along with having six tackles for South Fremantle.

Aston Clissold also finished with 23 possessions, Noah Roberts 22 (10 tackles), Jacob Donald 19 (12 tackles), Mack McAuliffe 17 (16 tackles), Sam Hookham 16, Zac Godwin 16 and Dylan Noble 15.

Byron Foster added 16 possessions, 37 hit outs and tackles as well in the ruck for South Fremantle.

SULLIVAN LOGISTICS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 8

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        2.5          3.12        6.17        10.21     (81)

EAST FREMANTLE                            0.1          1.2          3.2          4.3          (27)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Z Strom 4; Ruscoe, Donaldson 2; Winder, Bourne.

Best: Winder, Parker, Blechynden, Z Strom, Hughes, Rayson, Donaldson, Drage.

EAST FREMANTLE – Goals: Eardley, Marlin, Austin, Dunscombe.

Best: Baskerville, Eardley, Murdock, Marlin, Cleaver, H Marsh, Avery.