Bulldogs respond to slow start beating Demons by 110 points

South Fremantle was 29 points down just before quarter-time. That was the bad news. From there the Bulldogs dominated Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval to cruise to a thumping 110-point victory on Sunday.

Perth was coming off its worst half football of the season last week going from 23 points up against East Fremantle at half-time to end up losing to the previously winless Sharks by 58 points.

That was an East Fremantle team that had lost to South Fremantle by 145 points as well on WA Day so the signs were ominous coming into the clash on Sunday for the Demons at the port.

But the young Perth line-up came out a spirited outfit and delivered a terrific first quarter kicking five goals to two and leading by as much as 29 points.

They also kicked an early second quarter goal through Callum Papertalk, but from there it was all South Fremantle.

South Fremantle kicked 22 goals to one from that point on in the game and after being 29 points behind, went on to win emphatically 25.13 (163) to 7.11 (53).

It's an eighth straight victory for South Fremantle as well over Perth by an average of over 52 points.

It was a career-best day for a host of Bulldogs players with Blaine Johnson booting nine goals from 19 possessions and four marks. That beats his previous career-best of six from earlier this season against Claremont.

Cory Dell'Olio also booted six goals for the first time in his 87-game WAFL career. He had previously kicked five goals on four occasions but this was his first time reaching the half-dozen to go with 16 disposals and six marks.

Mason Shaw also equalled his career-best of five goals from 12 disposals and eight mostly strong contested marks.

Those three forwards combined for 20 of South Fremantle's 25 goals following full-forward Ben Saunders being carried off early after copping a knock and suffering a concussion. He is expected to be fine to play Claremont after the bye.

It wasn’t just the regular forwards who ended up with big afternoons with Haiden Schloithe continuing his stunning season with another 32 possessions, 14 marks and four goals.

Shane Hockey played likely his best game of the season ending up with 36 disposals while Brendan Verrier also racked up 36 touches and eight marks.

Dylan Main was strong through the middle again with 27 disposals, eight inside-50 entries and six marks while Shaun Bewick ran hard all day to end up with 26 touches, 10 marks and a goal.

Steven Edwards gave great run off half-back with 25 possessions and eight marks while Blayne Wilson was strong at centre half-back with 24 disposals and 12 marks.

Ryan Cook also had 20 possessions (eight marks, seven inside 50s), Ashton Hams 19 and Jake Florenca 18.

For whatever reason, South Fremantle came out flat and Perth had a point to prove after the horror second half against East Fremantle eight days earlier.

Callum Papertalk kicked the opening two goals of the game in the first eight minutes to give Perth the fast start. Johnson did respond for South Fremantle, but the Demons had some momentum and kicked three goals in an eight-minute patch leading to quarter-time.

Anton Scotney, Cody Ninyette and Papertalk were those responsible and the lead was out to 29 points before South Fremantle kicked one on the siren from Bewick to cut Perth's lead to 21 points at the first change.

South Fremantle started the second term with a goal to Dell'Olio, but Perth was still showing fight with Papertalk booting his fourth at the five-minute mark to put the Demons back up by 22 points.

They wouldn’t kick another goal for more than another 50 minutes of game time, though, as South Fremantle delivered some dazzling football as it became far too easy for the Bulldogs.

By half-time, Johnson had four goals, Dell'Olio three and Shaw two with the Bulldogs having kicked the last seven goals of the half to go into the main break 25 points in front after being 29 down only half an hour earlier.

South Fremantle continued to dominate and do as it pleased through the third quarter with Johnson adding his fifth and sixth goals, Dell'Olio his fourth and fifth, and Shaw his third and fourth as they kicked the opening five goals.

Perth did get one back late thanks to Scotney who battled against the odds in attack but South Fremantle was heading for a big win 53 points up at three quarter-time.

It was party time in the last quarter. Perth managed just the one behind and it was a virtual training drill for the Bulldogs. Schloithe went forward and kicked all four of his goals for the afternoon.

Johnson kicked two goals without the ball going back to the middle to give him nine majors for the afternoon while Dell'Olio kicked another to have six and Shaw added his fifth as the Bulldogs ended up with the 110-point, a 139-point turnaround from just before quarter-time.

South Fremantle's colts began the day on Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with a thumping 16.17 (113) to 4.2 (26) victory over Perth.

Luke Moore booted seven goals for the Bulldogs from 23 possessions and seven marks. Ryan Burrows also kicked four goals to go with 20 disposals and five marks.

Bruno Faulkner collected 22 possessions for South Fremantle to go with eight marks and seven tackles. Brodee Knight also gathered 21 touches, Glenn Byron 21, Matthew Ward 20 and Alex Cabassi 19 with Jacob Warne finishing with 14 touches and 39 hit outs in the ruck.

Perth's reserves did put in an impressive showing on Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval beating the league-leading South Fremantle 13.15 (93) to 6.10 (46).

Mitch Dzelebdzic, Daniel Cabassi, Matthew Gundry, Tom Vandeleur, Matthew Parker and Chad Pearson combined for South Fremantle six goals.

Jacob Dragovich racked up 33 possessions for the Bulldogs, Jarrod Parry 28, Pearson 24, Dzelebdzic 20, Daniel Burke 19 and Vandeleur 17.

South Fremantle now has the Round 15 bye before taking on Claremont in NAIDOC Round at Claremont Oval.

SOUTH FREMANTLE        2.3    10.8    16.9    25.13    (163)
PERTH                5.6    6.7    7.10    7.11    (53)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Johnson 9; Dell'Olio 6; Shaw 5; Schloithe 4; Bewick.
Best: Johnson, Dell'Olio, Schloithe, B Verrier, Hockey, Main, Shaw, Edwards.
PERTH – Goals: Papertalk 4; Scotney 2; Ninyette.
Best: Tropiano, Henderson, Jones, Papertalk, Scotney.