WAFL – BULLDOGS SECURE 2025 PREMIERSHIP

It might have got a little tight for comfort late but South Fremantle were the best team all season and claimed the 2025 WAFL premiership by two points to complete the Bulldogs’ best ever campaign.

South Fremantle had put together a dominant WAFL season in 2025 losing just once to finish clear on top of the ladder and then booking a place straight into the grand final by beating East Perth in the second semi-final.

That had the Bulldogs rightfully full of confidence on arrival at Optus Stadium for Sunday’s grand final but to the full credit of the Royals, they came with a distinctive game plan to give themselves a chance and almost pulled off what would have been a remarkable heist.

East Perth had a focus to deny the Bulldogs the ball and the chance to get their game going, and maintained possession as long and often as they could.

By the end of the game, East Perth had 67 more kicks than South Fremantle and took 39 marks, but the Bulldogs’ defence has been miserly all season and they repelled the Royals’ attacks tremendously.

South Fremantle did enough to be leading by 22 points at the 18-minute mark of the last quarter, but the Royals kicked three late goals to set up a frantic final minute but the Bulldogs did enough to hold on for the win.

South Fremantle prevailed 8.8 (56) to 8.6 (54) to win the club’s 15th WAFL premiership and to complete their best ever season with just the one defeat in all of 2025.

It’s also South Fremantle’s first ever grand final win against East Perth and first ever at Optus Stadium while the retiring Haiden Schloithe, captain Chad Pearson, gun on-baller Tom Blechynden, full-back Noah Strom, the versatile Zac Strom and small forward Brandon Donaldson all become dual premiership winners.

Ruckman Hamish Free had a fascinating battle all afternoon with East Perth behemoth Scott Jones, and won the Simpson Medal thanks to kicking two goals to go with 14 possessions and 19 hit outs.

Tom Blechynden finished with 20 possessions, Isiah Winder 20, Jake Florenca 19, Matthew Parker 18, Aaron Drage 16, Ethan Hughes 15, Jamaine Jones 15, Jaxon Artemis 15, Chad Pearson 14, Glenn Byron 14, Roan O’Hehir 14 and Toby Dodds 12.

South Fremantle made an ominous start to the grand final when Trey Ruscoe came out to take a strong mark and go back to slot the opening goal of the afternoon.

That would be the Bulldogs’ only goal of the opening term, though, with East Perth focused on the possession game. Eventually they got a late goal themselves thanks to Coby Burgiel with the Bulldogs leading by two points at quarter-time.

The game turned into a fascinating chess match through the second quarter with East Perth continuing to play the retaining possession game, but then each time they went forward South Fremantle’s defence was dominant and repelling each attack.

It took almost 14 minutes for a goal to be kicked and that went the way of East Perth to Liam Tedesco but the Bulldogs immediately responded courtesy of Matthew Parker.

Jake Florenca then added another and just before half-time so did Haiden Schloithe for South Fremantle to be on top by 14 points at the main break.

The Bulldogs lead was out to a game high 21 points early in the third quarter with a goal to Zac Strom and then the two teams traded a goal each for the rest of the term with South Fremantle still on top by 20 points at the last change.

East Perth got two early goals to start the last term but South Fremantle responded with goals to Hamish Free and Roan O’Hehir to be out to a 22-point advantage. With East Perth only having kicked five goals up to that point, the premiership looked secure.

That proved not to be the case, though, with East Perth kicking goals at the 24, 27 and 29-minute marks to suddenly make it a two-point game.

The Royals even earned a free-kick in the middle of the ground just before the siren but the Bulldogs held on for the premiership triumph and to complete South Fremantle’s most successful ever WAFL season.

SULLIVAN LOGISTICS WAFL GRAND FINAL 2025

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        1.2          4.4          6.6          8.8          (56)

EAST PERTH                                       1.0          2.2          3.4          8.6          (54)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Free 2; Schloithe, Florenca, Ruscoe, Z Strom, O’Hehir, Parker.

Best: Free, Florenca, Pearson, Blechynden, Parker, N Strom, Winder, Hughes.

EAST PERTH – Goals: Brayshaw 2; Van Diemen, Burgiel, Schofield, Jones, Tedesco, Milner.

Best: Jones, Wright, Wright, Watts, Brayshaw, North, Tedesco.

SIMPSON MEDAL: Hamish Free (South Fremantle)