BULLDOGS STILL ALIVE IN WAFL FINALS AFTER EARNING DOUBLE CHANCE

YOU work so hard to earn the finals double chance for a reason and before Sunday, South Fremantle had to win two finals to claim the 2020 WAFL premiership and that's still the case even after a disappointing second semi-final loss to Claremont.

South Fremantle finished the 2020 Optus WAFL Premiership Season on top of the ladder after winning the opening seven matches to not only earn the finals double chance, but also to ensure they will play the rest of the season at home at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

And an impressive crowd of 2983 turned up on Sunday despite the poor weather conditions with South Fremantle and Claremont doing battle in the second semi-final with a Grand Final spot on the line.

The Bulldogs never really got going and it can't be ignored that Jake Florenca and Kade Stewart were sorely missed from the midfield as Claremont kicked the first four and last four goals of the game to end up winning 10.11 (71) to 3.6 (24).

South Fremantle will now host West Perth this Sunday back at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with a spot against Claremont in the Grand Final the follow Sunday at the same venue on the line.

South Fremantle's three lone goals came courtesy of Haiden Schloithe, Travis Abbott and Caleb Datson.

Chad Pearson did continue his impressive form down back for South Fremantle and finished the second semi-final with a team-high 21 possessions.

His fellow defenders were the other major ball winners for the Bulldogs with Jason Maskos finishing with 18 disposals and four tackles, and Blayne Wilson 16 touches and four marks.

Of the other players at South Fremantle, Haiden Schloithe gathered 15 possessions, Steve Verrier 15 (seven tackles), Dylan Main 15, Caleb Datson 15, Tom Blechynden 14 and ruckman Brock Higgins 13 (41 hit outs).

South Fremantle might have dominated the WAFL season in 2020 to be clear on top as minor premiers, but it was a hungry and determined Claremont who turned up on Sunday in the second semi-final and walked away with the 47-point victory.

Coming off playing in the three WAFL preliminary finals and last year's Grand Final, South Fremantle took another step forward during the Optus WAFL Premiership Season in 2020 with Subiaco falling back to the pack.

The Bulldogs went on to win their opening seven matches to secure their first minor premiership since 2009 and ensure they now wouldn’t have to leave Fremantle Community Bank Oval during the finals.

Claremont earned the right to play in the second semi-final just clinging to second position ahead of West Perth on percentage, and the Tigers put together a brilliant performance all over the round on Sunday.

With Alec Waterman brilliant up forward and then the Claremont midfield getting well on top of a South Fremantle team dearly missing Jake Florenca and Kade Stewart, and the Tigers' back-line rock solid, the Bulldogs had no answer.

Claremont would kick the game's first four and last four goals on the way to the 10.11 (71) to 3.6 (24) victory to advance to the Grand Final in two weeks' time back at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

South Fremantle now hosts West Perth in this Sunday's preliminary final.

Claremont made the ideal start and it was an ominous sign of what was to come when Alec Waterman turned on to his lethal left boot and kicked truly. 

That would prove the only goal of the opening term with both teams missing some gettable opportunities, and the Tigers went into the quarter-time break leading by seven points.

It took 12 minutes for another goal to come in the second term as the armwrestle continued, but once again it was Waterman proving a class above in front of goal. 

His left-foot was on fire once more as he put the Tigers 13 points up heading towards half-time before Tyron Smallwood added another and their advantage was at 20 points at the main break with the Bulldogs held goalless.

The second semi-final appeared all but over when Claremont then started the second half with a quick goal to Tom Lee and the lead grew to 26 points with South Fremantle still yet to kick a goal after averaging almost 11 of them a game during the home and away season.

Eventually South Fremantle did get on the board thanks to Haiden Schloithe when he was isolated out of the goal square, drew the free-kick and kicked truly at the 10-minute mark of the third term.

But immediately Claremont responded with Waterman showing his class once more and not being able to miss in the difficult conditions when he had time to steady himself and had a bit of space.

The Bulldogs did add a second before three quarter-time thanks to Caleb Datson to give themselves a sniff getting the deficit back to 21 points at the last change.

South Fremantle then had some momentum for the first time in the game early in the final term with a goal to Travis Abbott to bring them within 16 points, but the Tigers pulled away from there in impressive fashion.

Claremont asserted their dominance over the contest with the last four goals of the game with Alex Manuel kicking two of them while Waterman added a fourth and Jye Bolton capped his big day nicely as the Tigers secured the 10.11 (71) to 3. 6 (24) victory.

Earlier in the day, the South Fremantle and Claremont reserves teams both met in a first semi-final with the Tigers keeping their season alive beating the Bulldogs 9.9 (63) to 6.10 (46) on the back of four goals to one in the last quarter.

Lachlan Feeney kicked two goals for South Fremantle with singles to Manfred Kelly, Robert Woods, Cody Ninyette and Guy Barnes while Zac Dent also made a successful return from an ankle injury.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – SECOND SEMI-FINAL

SOUTH FREMANTLE        0.2    0.3    2.4    3.6 (24)
CLAREMONT            1.3    3.5    5.8    10.11 (71)

SOUTH FREMANTLE: Goals – Schloithe, Abbott, Datson.
Best – Pearson, Maskos, Wilson, Verrier, Datson, Higgins.
CLAREMONT: Goals – Waterman 4; Manuel 3; Lee, Bolton, Smallwood.
Best – Waterman, Bolton, Mountford, Lim, Busher, Manuel, Rogers, Smallwood.