WAFL – BULLDOGS STAY PERFECT TO OPEN SEASON

South Fremantle’s blistering start to the 2025 WAFL season continued at Joondalup on Thursday night with the impressive 27-point victory against West Perth.

The Bulldogs put their perfect record for the season on the line when taking on the Falcons on Thursday night on Anzac Day eve at HIF Health Insurance Oval, and put together another strong showing.

South Fremantle started on fire with five goals to one in the first quarter and were able to complete the job with the eventual 14.7 (91) to 9.10 (64) victory.

The win leaves the Bulldogs as the last remaining undefeated team in the WAFL competition after four rounds with the perfect 4-0 record to be sitting a game and percentage clear in top spot of the second placed Perth.

Ashton Ferreira, Jake Florenca, Trey Ruscoe, Isiah Winder and Glenn Byron all kicked two goals each in the win for South Fremantle.

Tom Blechynden kept his terrific form in the midfield going with 32 possessions and nine tackles with Matthew Parker amassing 30 disposals, Winder 23, Brandon Donaldson 20, Toby McQuilkin 18, Aaron Drage 17 and ruckman Hamish Free 17 with 25 hit outs.

The Thursday night action got underway with South Fremantle making a flying start with a goal to reigning WJ Hughes Medallist Isiah Winder after just two minutes.

He soon kicked another before Brandon Donaldson made his mark in his first league game of the season with the Bulldogs having three goals on the board in 11 minutes.

Ed Graham soon added another and Glenn Byron kicked one more before quarter-time with the Bulldogs going into the first break leading by 22 points.

South Fremantle kept the momentum going with the first two goals of the second quarter as well thanks to Matthew Parker and Jake Florenca. Byron added a second before half-time with the Bulldogs in control by 35 points at the main break.

West Perth did kick the first two goals of the second half to get back within 16 points but South Fremantle continued to have the answers and goals to Ashton Ferreira, Trey Ruscoe and Florenca had the margin back out to 32 points.

South Fremantle added another three goals in the last quarter too to confirm the 27-point win to keep the perfect start to the season going.

Then on Friday at HIF Health Insurance Oval, South Fremantle’s reserves kept on winning with the 15.10 (100) to 10.10 (70) victory against West Perth.

It was a high-scoring opening to the contest with South Fremantle kicking four goals to three in the first quarter to lead by 10 points at quarter-time.

The Falcons then kicked four goals to three from the Bulldogs in the second quarter and that meant the scores were all level by half-time.

South Fremantle then took charge with five goals to two in the third stanza, and another three to one in the fourth on the way to the 30-point win to improve to a 3-1 record on the season.

Bailey Harbour kicked four goals in the win for the Bulldogs with Mitch Geier, Cooper Clarke-Dehring and Jack Green adding two each.

Nick Stuhldreier picked up 27 possessions, Toby Dodds 23, Jack Green 23 (10 tackles), Connor McDonald 22, Callum Copeland 22, Jason Carter 20, Tarkyn Etherington 18, Hudson Pivac 18, Brady Alvaro 18 and Riley Colborne 18 to go with 12 hit outs, six marks and a goal.

The colts match then took place on Friday night at Joondalup with West Perth beating South Fremantle 9.10 (64) to 8.6 (54).

The Falcons started the better with three goals to one in the first quarter before the Bulldogs did pull the margin back to 12 points by half-time.

South Fremantle also kicked three goals to two in the third term but couldn’t quite get in front with the Falcons ending up prevailing by 10 points.

Ryda Luke kicked another three goals for the Bulldogs with Toby Whan racking up 27 possessions, Lucas Cattalini 26, Lucas Robinson 23, Jacob Donald 23 and Noah Roberts 15.

SULLIVAN LOGISTICS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 4

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        5.1          8.4          11.4        14.7        (91)

WEST PERTH                                      1.3          2.5          5.8          9.10        (64)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Ferreira, Florenca, Ruscoe, Winder, Byron 2; Donaldson, Graham, O’Hehir, Parker.

Best: Parker, Blechynden, Winder, N Strom, Free, McQuilkin, Donaldson.

WEST PERTH – Goals: Steele, Dixon, Sprigg 2; Demarte, Hinder, Keitel.

Best: Bevan, Johnson, Guadagnin, Sprigg, Steele, Peirce, Rundle.