WAFLW DERBY MATCH REPORT

WAFLW | Bulldogs open season with a bang

It couldn’t have been a better start to the WAFLW season for South Fremantle with the thumping 49-point derby win while holding East Fremantle goalless and former Sharks star Ash Gomes producing a best on ground performance.

It was a derby start to the 2026 WAFLW season at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday and the Bulldogs delivered a dominant showing with the only seven goals of the contest.

That saw South Fremantle end up prevailing 7.11 (53) to 0.4 (4) to send an early season message of their intent for 2026.

Both Pippa Sideris and Annalie Polimeno kicked two goals apiece in the win for South Fremantle with the latter also finishing with 18 possessions, four marks, four inside 50s and three tackles.

Ash Gomes had a day to remember against her former team with a standout performance on debut for South Fremantle finishing with 20 possessions, five tackles, four marks and two entries inside the forward 50.

She had plenty of help too with Tara Stribley collecting 19 disposals, debutant Madi Evans 18, another first-game South Fremantle player Tash Entwistle 17 and captain Hunter Cronin 15.

Mikayla Hyde is another new recruit for 2026 and the former Swan Districts star had 18 possessions and six tackles in her first appearance with the Bulldogs.

Charlie Vandenberg made a strong start to her season in the ruck as well for the Bulldogs finishing with 10 disposals, 24 hit outs, three marks, three tackles and three inside-50 entries.

It only took two minutes for South Fremantle to kick the first goal of the derby and that went the way of Madi Hadley.

There wouldn’t be another goal until just before quarter-time and that also went the way of the Bulldogs thanks to Pippa Sideris which saw the home team go into the break leading by 12 points.

Neither team managed a goal in the second quarter with South Fremantle kicking four points and East Fremantle one which meant the Bulldogs remained in control leading by 15 points at the half-time break.

It took less than three minutes of the second half for South Fremantle to kick the third goal of the game thanks to Annalie Polimeno before Makaela Tuhakaraina, Sideris and Polimeno again also added goals before three quarter-time to help the Bulldogs open a commanding 42-point lead.

South Fremantle then added a goal to start the fourth quarter through Jess Watts and the Bulldogs from there went on to secure the 49-point win while holding the Sharks goalless.

The day’s action on Saturday got underway at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with the Rogers Cup match up and it ended up being a derby win for East Fremantle.

The Sharks defeated the Bulldogs 7.8 (50) to 5.7 (37) in the finish.

It was a flying start from South Fremantle to begin the new season with the only seven scoring shots of the first quarter which resulted in three goals and a 22-point lead by quarter-time.

The Bulldogs did manage another goal in the second term as well and despite East Fremantle getting two themselves, it was still South Fremantle on top with the 15-point advantage heading into the half-time interval.

The Sharks kicked the only two goals of the third quarter but it was still the Bulldogs clinging to a two-point lead by three quarter-time but it was East Fremantle with three goals to one in the final term to secure the season-opening 13-point win.

Maddi Catley kicked two goals for the game for South Fremantle with one apiece to Khesan Starr, Ayvah Rioli and Skye Behrendt.

ATCO WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 1

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        2.2          2.6          6.9          7.11        (53)

EAST FREMANTLE                            0.2          0.3          0.3          0.4          (4)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Sideris, Polimeno 2; Madley, Watts, Tuhakaraina.

Best: Gomes, Hyde, Evans, Polimeno, Stribley, Vandenberg, Cleggett, Cronin.

EAST FREMANTLE – Goals: Nil.

Best: Kinnane, McNaughton, Flynn, Teakle, Nomlatyu.