Day to forget for Bulldogs against Lions at Leederville

IT was quite the day to forget for South Fremantle at Leederville Oval on Saturday in all three grades with the Bulldogs only managing a combined seven goals in three losses to Subiaco.

 

It was a day that promised plenty for South Fremantle heading to Leederville Oval but in the end the Bulldogs played three games to quickly forget against Subiaco league, reserves and colts teams that all now sit on top of the ladder.

 

South Fremantle only kicked three goals in each of the league and colts contests, and one in the reserves. The 3.10 kicked in the league contest was the Bulldogs' lowest score since 3.4 (22) in a 57-point loss to East Perth also at Leederville Oval on a Friday night in Round 23, 2004.

 

South Fremantle went to Leederville Oval in second position on the WAFL ladder and attempting to provide Subiaco with its biggest challenge yet of their perfect 2018 season.

 

The Bulldogs did come out and kick the first two goals inside the first six minutes in an encouraging opening. But it wouldn’t last with Subiaco kicking the last three goals of the first term and the only goal of the second to lead by 14 points at the main break.

 

Subiaco went on to dominate the second half, especially with the only seven goals of the final quarter, to end up winning 13.10 (88) to 3.10 (28).

 

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for South Fremantle but the Bulldogs remain in second position on the ladder with a 9-4 record still a game ahead of the third placed West Perth.

 

It was a day that started with great promise for South Fremantle but ended with a 10-goal defeat that will leave the Bulldogs searching for answers over the final five games of the home and away season on how they can ensure they can be of a threat against Subiaco should they clash again during the finals.

 

While South Fremantle only kicked three goals for the day in the absence of Ashton Hams, Cory Dell'Olio and Blaine Johnson, it's hard to lay the blame solely at the feet of the forwards given the ball did only come inside-50 on 34 occasions for the day.

 

Ben Saunders did kick two of South Fremantle's three goals for the day and Steven Edwards the other.

 

The pressure was on the Bulldogs' defence but Noah Strom held up well again holding Ryan Borchet scoreless with Chad Pearson a strong performer keeping Rhys Waters to just the one goal while having 19 possessions, four marks and three tackles himself.

 

Jacob Dragovich collected another 26 possessions for South Fremantle while laying seven tackles with Haiden Schloithe splitting his time between the middle and playing loose behind the ball into the breeze with 25 disposals and four marks.

 

Captain Dylan Main finished with 24 possessions and seven tackles with Marlion Pickett a solid contributor again with 24 disposals, six tackles, five inside 50s and four marks.

 

Ryan Cook also had 22 possessions, Shaun Bewick 21, Nick Suban 21 and Steve Verrier 19 in his battle with Lachlan Delahunty.

 

Brock Higgins battled hard in the ruck against Zac Clarke with 10 touches, three tackles and 42 hit outs.

 

South Fremantle had geared themselves up for the Subiaco challenge and started strongly at Leederville Oval. 

 

That included the returning Steven Edwards taking a courageous mark and going back and kicking truly from just inside-50 as he played a role up forward with South Fremantle missing Ashton Hams, Cory Dell'Olio and Blaine Johnson.

 

Ben Saunders then added another following a 50m penalty and South Fremantle had two goals on the board inside the first six minutes of the game.

 

Subiaco steadied from there, though, and finished with the last three goals of the first term thanks to Rhys Waters, Braden Fimmano and Lachlan Delahunty to be four points in front at quarter-time.

 

It was tough going in challenging wet and windy conditions in the second quarter for both teams and as a result Subiaco got the lone goal with Greg Clark converting from close range to help the Lions to a 14-point half-time lead.

 

Ben Sokol kicked the opening goal of the second half too to put Subiaco 19 points in front before South Fremantle delivered its best play of the game. Nick Suban whacked the ball on his boot from inside his defensive 50 for captain Dylan Main to run on to it.

 

He was able to keep the ball in front of him and get it over into the path of Saunders who gathered and kicked truly from a tight angle for his second and South Fremantle's third of the day to bring them back within 13 points.

 

But South Fremantle wouldn’t kick another goal with Subiaco leading by 19 points at three quarter-time following a goal to Tom Edwards-Baldwin.

 

The Lions then dominated the final quarter with seven unanswered goals with Edwards-Baldwin adding two more, Fimmano and Sokol their second against their original WAFL club while Zac Clarke, Kyal Horsley and Angus Litherland also kicked truly.

 

Subiaco's dominant day at Leederville Oval began in the reserves with the Lions holding South Fremantle to one goal for the game on the way to the 38-point victory.

 

Neither team managed a goal in the first quarter with Subiaco kicking just two behinds and South Fremantle failing to score at all.

 

The Lions then kicked the first two goals in the first half in the second quarter to head into half-time leading by 16 points at the main break.

 

South Fremantle did get its first goal of the game to start the third quarter thanks to Jarrod Parry. But it would prove the Bulldogs' only goal of the game with Subiaco ending up kicking the last five majors of the contest to win 7.7 (49) to 1.5 (11).

 

Jarrod Parry showed he is ready to return to South Fremantle's league side with a strong display in the disappointing team performance with 26 possessions, 10 tackles and the lone goal.

 

Daniel Burke also picked up 24 disposals for the Bulldogs, Trent Reed 24 (11 tackles), Tom Eastaugh 22 (nine tackles, eight marks), Seaton Thompson 21, Chris Ah Siu 19, Billy Timewell 19 and Kyle Russell 18.

 

Jake Solomon battled hard in the ruck for 40 hit outs, nine possessions and four tackles.

 

Subiaco and South Fremantle's colts played following the league contest at Leederville Oval on Saturday afternoon and into the chilly evening.

 

The Lions ended up proving too strong to retain top position on the colts ladder even though the Bulldogs remain in fifth position despite the defeat.

 

Subiaco kicked the only two goals of the first quarter with the daylight stilling hanging in there at Leederville late in the afternoon.

 

The Bulldogs delivered a more impressive second quarter with two goals to one and it was game on at half-time with the Lions only leading by four points at the long break.

 

It was all Subiaco in the second half, though, with the Lions kicking two goals to one in the third quarter and they then held the Bulldogs scoreless in the final term.

 

Subiaco kicked two more goals in the last quarter and then ended up winning 7.12 (54) to 3.9 (27) for their 10th win of the 2018 colts season.

 

South Fremantle's three goals came courtesy of Lachlan Feeney, Jack Redman and Tom Weston.

 

Tom Blechynden continued his impressive form for the Bulldogs colts with 32 possessions and six tackles while Matthew Ward had 25 disposals (13 tackles), Jack Musika 22 (12 tackles), James Russell 22, Regan Spooner 19, Enrique Aiken-Featherstone 17 and Brodee Knight 17.

 

South Fremantle will look for a quick response to the loss to Subiaco by heading to Bendigo Bank Stadium on Saturday to play the reigning premiers Peel Thunder who also desperately need a win to remain in the finals hunt in 2018.

 

 

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Saunders 2; Edwards.

Best: Main, Pickett, Dragovich, Pearson, Schloithe, Suban.

SUBIACO – Goals: Edwards-Baldwin 3; Sokol, Fimmano 2; Horsley, Waters, Litherland, Clark, Delahunty, Clarke.

Best: Horsley, Delahunty, Lockyer, Kennedy, Phelan, Sokol, Heal, Deluca.