WAFL – BULLDOGS WIN BIG OVER FALCONS
Author: South Fremantle Football Club
South Fremantle’s dominant WAFL season continued on Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with the Bulldogs kicking six goals in the second quarter and eight in the last to beat West Perth by 62 points.
It was the last home game of the home and away season for the Bulldogs and they started strongly to be leading the Falcons by 39 points at half-time, and then kicked away in the last with another eight goals.
South Fremantle went on to secure the 20.10 (130) to 10.8 (68) victory to make it 12 matches in-a-row they have won and to improve to a 16-1 record on the season with one game to go against the West Coast Eagles this Saturday at Lathlain’s Mineral Resources Park.
Trey Ruscoe, Roan O’Hehir and Chase Bourne all kicked three goals apiece in the win for the Bulldogs with Riley Colborne, Brandon Donaldson, Matt Ward and Aaron Drage all kicking two each.
Jake Florenca racked up 36 possessions for South Fremantle, Tom Blechynden 33, Ward 28, Matthew Parker 28, Glenn Byron 25, Isiah Winder 23, Bourne 20 and Hamish Free 19 to go with 49 hit outs in the ruck.
Even with top spot already sewn up coming into the game, South Fremantle weren’t about to take the foot off the gas and made a perfect start to the game when Haiden Schloithe kicked a goal inside the opening 20 seconds.
Trey Ruscoe then added another three minutes later with Riley Colborne and Aaron Drage also kicking goals for South Fremantle to be leading by 11 points at quarter-time.
South Fremantle again made the fast start to the second quarter with a quick goal to Colborne before Ruscoe soon added a second goal with Chase Bourne adding another with Roan O’Hehir kicking two and Matt Ward provided another for the Bulldogs to be leading by 39 points at the half.
West Perth breathed plenty of life back into the contest with the first four goals of the second half to get back within 15 points, but South Fremantle responded with goals to Bourne and Ward to be leading by 25 points at three quarter-time.
The Bulldogs then dominated the last quarter with eight goals including a third to Ruscoe, two to Brandon Donaldson, a third to Bourne, a third to O’Hehir, a second to Drage, and then one each from Isiah Winder and Matthew Parker.
The day’s action at Fremantle Community Bank Oval got underway with the colts clash and that saw South Fremantle beat West Perth 11.14 (80) to 7.4 (46).
It’s the last game of the home and away season for the Bulldogs with the last round bye and they will finish with a 12-4 record and are guaranteed of at least a top two finish. They will stay in top spot as well unless East Fremantle beats West Perth this Saturday to claim the minor premiership.
South Fremantle kicked three goals to two in the first quarter to start the game before kicking the only goal of the second term to go into half-time with the 19-point advantage.
It was then four goals to three in the third quarter for the Bulldogs and then three to two in the last on the way to the 34-point victory.
Cameron Maynard, Cian Bushe-Jones, Alex MacDonald and Tom Stewart all kicked two goals in the win for South Fremantle.
Toby Whan collected another 27 possessions, Fred Rodriguez 27, Jacob Donald 23, Noah Roberts 19, Riley Stannard 16 and Zac Godwin 16.
The reserves contest was up next at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with South Fremantle beating West Perth 14.14 (98) to 7.6 (48).
The Bulldogs finish the home and away season with a 13-3 record to now be guaranteed of finishing second no matter what happens in the last round when they have the bye.
South Fremantle had eight scoring shots to three in the first quarter with three goals to two for the 10-point lead at quarter-time.
The Bulldogs then kicked away with the only five goals of the second quarter to be leading by 38 points at the half-time break.
South Fremantle then finished off with three goals to one in the last term on the way to the 50-point win.
Mitch Geier kicked three goals in the win for the Bulldogs with Ashton Ferreira, Jordan Boullineau, Hudson Pivac and Cooper Clarke-Dehring all kicking two goals apiece.
Ferreira also racked up 29 possessions, Nick Stuhldreier 28, Jack Green 23, Robbie Turnbull 20, Connor McDonald 18 and Callum Copeland 17.
SULLIVAN LOGISTICS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 19
SOUTH FREMANTLE 4.2 10.7 12.8 20.10 (130)
WEST PERTH 2.3 4.4 8.7 10.8 (68)
SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Ruscoe, O’Hehir, Bourne 3; Colborne, Donaldson, Ward, Drage 2; Schloithe, Winder, Parker.
Best: Florenca, Blechynden, Ward, Free, Bourne, Parker, Winder, O’Hehir.
WEST PERTH – Goals: Sprigg, Keitel 3; Rundle, S Rotham, J Rotham, Black.
Best: Nelson, Bevan, Keitel, Peirce, Lynch, McKenzie.