BULLDOGS SUFFER FIRST LOSS TO TIGERS

SOUTH Fremantle couldn’t quite keep its winning start to the season going on Saturday or celebrate Brandon Donaldson's 100th game in style with Claremont claiming the 48-point victory.

The Bulldogs opened the 2023 WAFL season with a dominant 53-point win at home to the West Coast Eagles, but the going was tougher against Claremont at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday.

Claremont ended up kicking eight goals to two in the first half to set up the victory and despite both teams just managing two goals apiece in the second half, the Tigers ended up winning 10.16 (76) to 4.4 (28).

Earlier in the day, Claremont's colts also beat South Fremantle 13.15 (93) to 5.6 (36) and the Tigers reserves defeated the Bulldogs 15.9 (99) to 6.3 (39).

Both teams were coming off Round 1 wins with the Tigers beating West Perth and the Bulldogs having beaten West Coast as they resumed their fascinating recent rivalry on Saturday at Revo Fitness Stadium.

But Claremont didn’t take long to assert its authority on the contest and with Jack Buller kicking four goals up to the midway point of the second quarter, the Tigers kicked eight goals to two in the first half on the way to the 48-point victory.

Caleb Datson was lively in the South Fremantle forward-line kicking two goals from 16 possessions and seven marks with the other two goals kicked by Manfred Kelly and Tom Blechynden.

Blechynden picked up another 25 possessions for South Fremantle while defenders Toby McQuilkin (20 disposals) and Chad Pearson (18) did what they could down back once again.

Dylan Main also collected 16 touches for the Bulldogs, Jimmy Miller 16, Kelly 15, Aiden Hall 15, Jordan Gallucci 15 and Jarrod Salmeri 15.

Claremont hasn’t enjoyed life against South Fremantle for the most part in recent times, but that changed on Saturday with the Tigers stamping their authority quickly with Jack Buller providing a dominant presence in attack.

He kicked the game's first goal at the eight-minute mark before Jason Carter kicked another soon after. South Fremantle did get on the board thank to Caleb Datson, but it was still all the Tigers with two more goals to Buller before quarter-time.

The Bulldogs did manage a late goal courtesy of Manfred Kelly, but still at the last change it was Claremont in control leading by 17 points.

Claremont then dominated the start of the second quarter as well with two goals in the first six minutes thanks to Talon Delacy and Oliver Eastland to stretch the lead out to five goals.

When Buller kicked his fourth goal at the 15-minute mark, the Tigers were on their way to a huge win up by 37 points. They would hold the Bulldogs to just one behind in the second quarter and a late goal to Delacey saw Claremont in command by 43 points at the long break.

South Fremantle needed to start the second half strongly to be a chance, but it wasn’t to be with Claremont getting the first goal with Joel Western kicking a beauty with a snap from the boundary to push the lead out to 50 points.

The Bulldogs did manage the only other goal of the third quarter thanks to Tom Blechynden, but that only cut the three quarter-time deficit to 45 points.

South Fremantle made it consecutive goals thanks to Datson to open the last term, but they couldn’t build any momentum from there with Claremont kicking the last goal of the contest through Western to run out 48-point victors.

The day started with the colts contest at Revo Fitness Stadium and even though South Fremantle lost by 57 points, Jacob Whan gathered 25 possessions, Ed Graham 24 and Ashton Ferreira 17.

Then in the reserves, while Claremont won by 60 points, South Fremantle had some encouraging performances with Caleb Stephens and Jake Hinder kicking two goals while Robbie Turnbull collected 24 possessions, Toby Dodds 21, Jaxon Bellchambers 20 and George Wessels 19.

SOUTH FREMANTLE        2.0    2.1    3.2    4.4    (28)
CLAREMONT            4.5    8.8    9.11    10.16    (76)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Datson 2; Kelly, Blechynden.
Best: Blechynden, Pearson, McQuilkin, Datson, Main, Kelly.
CLAREMONT – Goals: Buller 4; Delacey, Western 2; Eastland, Carter.
Best: Rogers, Miles, Martinis, Buller, Davis, Western, Eastland, England, Bolton.