WAFL RD 9 MATCH REPORT

DOGS LOSE THIRD STRAIGHT 

South Fremantle fell to a third straight defeat as reigning WAFL premiers on Sunday with just the one second half goal in the eventual 48-point defeat at the hands of East Perth. 

The Bulldogs arrived at Leederville’s Sullivan Logistics Stadium trying to respond to last up losses to Peel Thunder and East Fremantle as they took on East Perth in the first meeting between the two teams since last year’s Grand Final at Optus Stadium. 

It took until six minutes into the second quarter for South Fremantle to manage a first goal of the game and then they didn’t manage another after the eight-minute mark of the third term. 

East Perth went on to win 12.11 (83) to 4.11 (35) with South Fremantle slipping to a 5-4 record with the three straight losses to be in fourth position on the WAFL ladder by the end of Round 9. 

Isiah Winder kicked South Fremantle’s first goal of the game and finished with 31 possessions while Ethan Hughes finished with 27 disposals, Lewis Rayson 25, Tom Blechynden 23, Chad Pearson 23, Jamaine Jones 22, Jake Florenca 21, Jacob Sax 19 and Aaron Drage 19. 

South Fremantle were looking to avoid the third consecutive defeat but managed just the five behinds in the opening quarter while East Perth kicked two goals to be leading by nine points at quarter-time. 

South Fremantle were able to kick their first goal of the game at the six-minute mark of the second term thanks to Isiah Winder before Jacob Whan added another shortly after to tie scores up. 

The Royals answered with four goals in the space of 10 minutes but the Bulldogs did get one back before half-time from Lewis Rayson to cut the deficit to 17 points at the long break. 

South Fremantle also kicked the first goal of the third quarter but that would be the only goal for the Bulldogs of the second half with East Perth kicking one more in the third term, and then the only five of the last to win by 48 points. 

The day’s action began on Sunday at Sullivan Logistics Stadium with the Colts match up and that saw South Fremantle secure the 9.10 (64) to 7.12 (54) victory against East Perth. 

The Bulldogs made a flying start with four goals to nil in the opening quarter before still leading by 18 points heading into the half-time break. 

South Fremantle did add two goals in the third quarter but East Perth kicked two and that cut the margin to 12 at three quarter-time. 

East Perth then hit the front with the first two goals of the last quarter but South Fremantle responded thanks to Noah Hayden and Riley Stannard to secure the 10-point victory to retain top spot in the Colts with the 7-1 record. 

Jye Hunt and Sam Hookham kicked two goals each in the win for South Fremantle with Stannard racking up 30 possessions, Chace Vanderhoek 24, Jack McAuliffe 18, Elijah Nathan 16 and Kaidan Freight 14. 

That led into the Reserves match up and it wasn’t quite to be for South Fremantle with East Perth winning 12.8 (80) to 7.10 (52). 

East Perth started the game with three goals to two in the first quarter and then three to two in the second to go into half-time leading by nine points. 

South Fremantle did manage three goals to two in the third term to get back within four points at three quarter-time but East Perth kicked away with the only four goals of the final stanza with the Bulldogs now sitting in fourth place in the Reserves at 4-4. 

Aidan Harvey kicked two goals for South Fremantle with Jacob Donald gathering 33 possessions, Toby Dodds 28, Tarkyn Etherington 23, Lachlan Princi 21, Louis Poulson 19, Taj Longmuir 19, Cohen Frith 18 and Millar Rank 17.  

SULLIVAN LOGISTICS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 9 

SOUTH FREMANTLE 0.5 3.6 4.8 4.11 (35) 

EAST PERTH 2.2 6.5 7.9 12.11 (83) 

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Rayson, Ruscoe, Winder, Whan. 

Best: Winder, Hughes, Rayson, Pearson, Blechynden, Jones, Florenca. 

EAST PERTH – Goals: Kuek, Craven, Peak, Schofield 2; Tedesco, North, Graham, Burgiel. 

Best: Scott, North, Foley, Wright, Saunders, Regan, Tedesco, Van Diemen.