BULLDOGS HAMMER THUNDER IN MANDURAH

SOUTH Fremantle wanted to bounce back in the best way to possible to the previous week and the Bulldogs delivered such a dominant performance against Peel Thunder they rose to second spot on the back of it.

South Fremantle made the trip down to Mandurah's David Grays Arena on the back of a disappointing loss to Subiaco last Sunday, and Peel felt the full brunt of a determined reigning premiers who wanted to make a statement.

With Haiden Schloithe dominating through the middle and then South Fremantle's three tall forwards combining for 14 goals, South Fremantle put the Thunder to the sword and won by so much that they ended the round in second position on the ladder thanks to percentage.

It was always going to be a tough ask for the Thunder with Reece Conca their only Fremantle-listed player available for selection, and that's how it panned out.

It's certainly not the biggest win from the 47 victories South Fremantle has had in the 61 meetings with Peel since 1997, but it is the largest since a 136-point hammering back in a premiership year of 2005.

That was at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, though, but this win on Saturday was their biggest ever victory over Peel in Mandurah, eclipsing the 104-point victory back in Round 1, 1997 in the Thunder's first ever match.

Haiden Schloithe had quite the day out for the Bulldogs finishing with 42 possessions, seven marks, seven inside 50s and two goals.

He had plenty of help in the midfield with Jacob Dragovich finishing with 30 disposals, six marks and six inside 50s, Tom Blechynden 30 touches, eight tackles and six marks.

Hamish Free did well in the ruck as well for South Fremantle with 14 touches and 48 hit outs.

Nick Suban had 23 possessions against the team he won two of his four WAFL premierships with while Chad Pearson had 25 possessions down back.

Then there was the forward-line which was just on fire for South Fremantle with Mason Shaw kicking five goals from 14 disposals and seven marks.

Blake Schlensog also kicked five goals from 16 disposals and 10 marks with Jimmy Miller adding four goals from 20 touches, eight marks and 15 hit outs. Cody Ninyette also kicked three goals.

Peel's goals came courtesy of Tyrone Thorne, Jackson Broadbent and Bodie Kitchingman.

Thorne also gathered 25 disposals for the Thunder, Ben Hancock 21, Kitchingman 20, Michael Randall 19, James Sturrock 19 and Brayden Lawler 17.

South Fremantle managed just two goals the rest of the game the previous week against Subiaco after kicking the first two of the day to end up losing by 44 points to the Lions and dropping to fourth position on the WAFL ladder in the process.

That meant the Bulldogs were certainly hungry to bounce back strongly at David Grays Arena on Saturday, and combine that with the fact that Peel had access to just the one Fremantle-listed players with the rest under COVID-19 restrictions, and a big South Fremantle win was the result.

South Fremantle kicked the only six goals of the first quarter to signal their intentions early with their tall forwards Blake Schlensog, Mason Shaw and Jimmy Miller combining for four of the six.

The Bulldogs weren’t in the mood to let up and continued on the onslaught with the opening five goals of the second quarter too in the first 19 minutes including a third to Schlensog, second to Shaw and a second to goal sneak Cody Ninyette.

That saw South Fremantle lead by 67 points before Peel got its first goal on the board at the 23-minute mark of the second quarter courtesy of debutant Jackson Broadbent.

It gave the Thunder a brief moment of celebration but South Fremantle closed out the half with goals to Schlensog and Haiden Schloithe to be on top by 72 points at the major break.

Ninyette and Tyrone Thorne traded goals for each team to start the second half but then South Fremantle's tall forwards just weren’t getting any less dangerous. 

Schlensog kicked his fifth for the Bulldogs, then Miller his second and third as the lead ballooned to 92 points, and was 93 by three quarter-time.

It was more of the same once more in the fourth quarter with the Bulldogs kicking four goals to four behinds from the Thunder as the reigning premiers ran out 22.9 (141) to 3.7 (25) winners.

The day started in Mandurah with a thrilling colts contest with Peel Thunder overrunning South Fremantle with five goals to one behind in the fourth quarter to win 11.2 (68) to 10.7 (67).

Harry Elphick kicked four goals for South Fremantle and Lochlan Bloomer two while Caleb Stephens collected 32 possessions, Aaron Drage 29, Julian Hulten 22, Caden Turnbull 17 and Haki Harcourt 17.

Tristan Jacques also had 14 touches and 37 hit outs in the ruck.

South Fremantle's reserves then scored a thumping 17.6 (108) to 4.2 (26) victory with Jack Blechynden kicking three goals, Nathan Spooner two and Ira Jetta two.

George Wessels racked up 35 possessions, Matthew Ward 27, Jack Musika 20, Toby Dodds 19, Kye Barker 18, Glenn Byron 17 and Jarrod Salmeri 17.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 17

SOUTH FREMANTLE        6.1    13.2    18.6    22.9 (141)
PEEL THUNDER            0.1    1.2    3.3    3.7 (25)

SOUTH FREMANTLE: Goals – Shaw, Schlensog 5; Miller 4; Ninyette 3; Schloithe 2; Donaldson, Main, Bellchambers.
Best – Schloithe, Schlensog, Dragovich, Miller, Blechynden, Shaw, Pearson, Suban.
PEEL THUNDER: Goals – Thorne, Broadbent, Kitchingman.
Best – Thorne, Hancock, Randall, Sturrock, Kitchingman, Lawler.