WAFL RD 14 MATCH REPORT

WAFL | BULLDOGS WIN ON NAIDOC ROUND

South Fremantle made it consecutive wins to get their WAFL premiership defence right back on track with the last two goals of the NAIDOC Week match up to beat Claremont by 11 points and win the Jimmy Melbourne Cup.

The two teams have been playing for the Jimmy Melbourne Cup in NAIDOC Week now since 2007 and renewed that rivalry on Saturday afternoon at Revo Fitness Stadium.

It was a second against third match up as well and a tight battle the entire way until South Fremantle kicked the last two goals of the game through Isiah Winder and Brandon Donaldson for the 9.10 (64) to 7.11 (53) victory.

The result improves the Bulldogs to an 8-5 record in the season and while percentage means they did slip down to fourth position behind Perth, they now are only percentage also out of second place where Claremont remain.

All nine goals for South Fremantle came from nine different players with Jake Florenca finishing with 29 possessions, Aaron Drage 25, Matthew Parker 25, Lewis Rayson 23, Isiah Winder 23, and Chad Pearson 22.

Hamish Free had a good battle in the ruck with Oliver Eastland and ended up with 15 disposals and 16 hit outs with Glenn Byron also having 15 touches, Ethan Hughes 14 and Chase Bourne 14.

Claremont kicked two quick goals inside six minutes to start the game before South Fremantle responded just before the 10-minute mark thanks to Glenn Byron.

Aaron Drage did kick another for South Fremantle before quarter-time but by the first break it was the Tigers leading by 11 points.

Tarkyn Etherington got the margin back to four points with a goal early in the second quarter and then Cooper Clarke-Dehring kicked the last goal of the half for South Fremantle stay within four points of Claremont.

It was two goals each in the third quarter and South Fremantle’s were kicked by Matthew Parker and Ed Graham with Claremont clinging to the three-point lead at three quarter-time.

South Fremantle hit the front thanks to Riley Colborne nine minutes into the final term before Isiah Winder and Brandon Donaldson kicked the sealers and the Bulldogs got their premiership defence back on track with the 11-point victory.

The Colts clash was first up at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday morning with South Fremantle coming away with the 13.11 (89) to 9.6 (60) win against Claremont.

It was a flying start from South Fremantle with six goals to two in the first quarter before also managing three goals to one in the second term to be leading by 42 points at half-time.

The lead for the Bulldogs was out to 43 points by three quarter-time and even with Claremont kicking five goals to two in the last quarter, South Fremantle went on to score the 29-point win to remain in top spot in the Colts with a 10-2 record.

Elijah Nathan and Sam Hookham kicked three goals each in the win for South Fremantle with Jye Hunt and Jarra Mallard also kicking two apiece.

Chace Vanderhoek picked up 25 possessions, Zac Godwin 21, Kobe Clucas 19, Riley Stannard 18, Hudson Graham 18, Coby Douglas 17, Jack McAuliffe 14, Elijah Nathan 14 and Byron Foster 14 to go with 16 hit outs.

That led into the Reserves match up and it was Claremont taking out the 12.14 (86) to 8.8 (56) victory against South Fremantle.

The Bulldogs made a tremendous start on the road with the only four goals of the first quarter but then Claremont responded with six goals to one in the second to be leading by five points at half-time.

It was then a goal apiece in the third quarter and the Tigers went on to secure the 30-point win with five goals to two in the last term with the Bulldogs remaining in seventh position in the Reserves with a 5-7 record.

Jermaine Pickett ended up kicking four goals for South Fremantle and Mitch Geier two while Jack Green gathered 27 possessions, Cohen Frith 21, Taj Longmuir 20, Connor McDonald 18, Lucas Cattalini 16 and George Bockman 16.

SULLIVAN LOGISTICS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 14

SOUTH FREMANTLE         2.0         4.3         6.7          9.10       (64)

CLAREMONT          3.5        4.7       6.10       7.11       (53)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Winder, Colborne, Parker, Etherington, Drage, Clarke-Dehring, Byron, Graham, Donaldson.

Best: Parker, Winder, Florenca, Drage, Free, Rayson, Pearson, Bourne.

CLAREMONT – Goals: Mainwaring 3; Luscombe, Gowdie, Elliott, Hunter.

Best: Eastland, Mainwaring, Rogers, Alvarez, Elliott, Waterman, Sheldrick, Headland.