BULLDOGS TAKE CHALLENGE TO LIONS

THE youthful South Fremantle might have lost to Subiaco at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday but it wasn’t without positives with another standout showing from Aaron Drage while Noah Strom clamped down on Lions spearhead Ben Sokol.

It was the last home game of the season for South Fremantle and once again there was plenty of fresh faces and youth out there for the Bulldogs in the continued absence of Jake Florenca, Manfred Kelly, Jordan Gallucci, Brendon Ah Chee, Brock Higgins, Chad Pearson, Brandon Donaldson, Dylan Main, Matthew Parker and Jordan Boullineau.

The Bulldogs were still able to make the Lions work hard, but they had just too much to play for in the end to lock in a top two position and stay in the race to finish in top spot at the end of the 2023 WAFL season.

Subiaco ended up overcoming South Fremantle 13.15 (93) to 9.9 (63).

The Bulldogs now sit on a 5-12 record this season with one match remaining which is at Mineral Resources Park this Saturday morning against the West Coast Eagles.

Jack Blechynden was South Fremantle's only multiple goal scorer in the game kicking two goals from 11 touches to go with four marks, three tackles and three inside-50 entries.

In just the third game of his league career, Aaron Drage was once again outstanding for South Fremantle with another 32 possessions, five tackles and five inside-50 entries.

Tom Blechynden collected 24 disposals, Jimmy Miller 23 (13 hit outs, eight marks, one goal), Glenn Byron 20, Toby McQuilkin 20, Roan O'Hehir 19, Jacob Dragovich 18, Kyle Russell 18 and Caleb Stephens 18.

Subiaco's tall forwards Jack Mayo and Ryan Borchet opened up the game with the first two goals of the contest before small forward Ben Golding chipped in to give the Lions the first three of the afternoon.

South Fremantle, though, did respond with the next two goals from Aiden Hall and Jimmy Miller leading into quarter-time to cut the Subiaco lead to just five points.

Both teams found the going tough to find a goal in the second quarter and they combined for seven behinds before it was Kyle Russell who kicked truly for South Fremantle at the 21-minute mark to make it just a two-point ball game.

Subiaco responded just before half-time with a goal to Jordan Faraone and that saw the Lions lead by eight points at the main break.

Young key forward Luker Kentfield then started the second half with a goal for Subiaco and when he added another at the 10-minute mark of the third term, the Lions lead got out to 21 points.

South Fremantle responded through second-gamer Mitch Sinnott, but the Lions answered with goals to Mayo, Drew Rohde and Stefan Giro to lead by 32 points before South Fremantle got a goal back just before three quarter-time from Jack Blechynden.

South Fremantle did make things interesting with the first goal of the last quarter too when Jacob Dragovich kicked truly to make it a 20-point game, but Subiaco continued to have the answers and another couple of goals to Kentfield helped the Lions secure the 30-point victory.

The Round 19 Colts action began on Saturday morning with Subiaco beating South Fremantle 13.6 (84) to 3.9 (27) at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

South Fremantle's goals came from Riley Plunkett, Harrison Heaton and Nic Davidson with Toby Whan racking up 29 possessions (15 inside 50s), Jacob Whan 22 and Tarkyn Etherington 15.

Round 19 in the Reserves saw Subiaco deliver the 15.10 (100) to 6.4 (40) victory over South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with the Bulldogs' season over with the final round bye.

Liam Brandis kicked two goals for South Fremantle with Callum Copeland finishing with 36 disposals, George Wessels 27, Jaren Carr 26 and Toby Dodds 25.

WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON 2023 – ROUND 19

SOUTH FREMANTLE        2.2    3.4    5.5    9.9    (63)
SUBIACO            3.1    4.6    9.7    13.15    (93)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: J Blechynden 2; Dragovich, Russell, Colborne, Hall, Miller, Sinnott, Harbour.
Best: Drage, N Strom, T Blechynden, Miller, McQuilkin, Byron, Stephens, O'Hehir.
SUBIACO – Goals: Kentfield 4; Mayo, Borchet 2; Giro, W Hickmott, J Faraone, Rohde, Golding.
Best: Giro, L Hickmott, Schofield, Kentfield, Mayo, Clarke, W Hickmott, Rohde, Borchet.