BULLDOGS SECURE DRAW WITH SWANS

SOUTH Fremantle secured a dramatic draw with an after the siren behind to Manfred Kelly with Swan Districts at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday.

The Bulldogs were back home to host a Swans team on a seven-game winning streak and with both teams inside the top five, it was always going to be a fascinating match up and it didn’t disappoint.

South Fremantle did fall down by as much as 21 points, but kept on firing back and then in the end when down by a point, Manfred Kelly took a spectacular mark just before the siren.

Then he took the shot and it was touched on the goal line but then crossed the line and the score was counted with the Bulldogs and Swans ending up all level at 8.12 (60) apiece.

Ed Graham was South Fremantle's lone multiple goalkicker on the day kicking two as he continues to find his feet as a key forward in the competition eight games into his career.

The South Fremantle back-line was once again superb led by Noah Strom who limited Swan Districts' spearhead Leigh Kohlmann to just two behinds from four kicks.

Chad Pearson also had 18 possessions down back for the Bulldogs with Jordan Boullineau finishing with 12 disposals and nine marks as well.

While Haiden Schloithe spent most of the afternoon playing deep in attack in the absence of Zac Strom, Isiah Winder racked up another 31 possessions, Matthew Parker 25, Dylan Main 20, Tom Blechynden 19 and Chase Bourne 19.

Ruckman Solomon James also produced a strong performance with 18 disposals, 38 hit outs, five marks and the first goal of his 13-game WAFL career.

It took until the 11-minute mark of the contest for the first goal to come and it went the way of Swan Districts' second-gamer Kristian Caporn before he went and contested the ruck contest straight afterwards.

South Fremantle answered courtesy of Ed Graham and it would be just a goal apiece in the opening quarter with scores all square by the end of one.

Swan Districts then started the second quarter well with an early goal to captain Jesse Turner before adding another 10 minutes later courtesy of Max Chipper who came back into the side for Round 17.

Jehb O'Donohue then got forward while having the job on Haiden Schloithe for the day to add another for the black-and-whites to push the lead out to 21 points midway through the second term.

South Fremantle needed to respond and did just that with the last two goals of the opening half including the first in the 13-game career of ruckman Solomon James.
Dylan Main then added another to cut the Swan Districts lead back to just nine points at the half-time break.

With Jiah Reidy having left the field in the first half with a concussion on his return to the team, Bryce Watson was a surprise option to go into attack for Swan Districts and he opened the second half with the first goal of his WAFL career.

Swans were soon back out to an 18-point lead before the Bulldogs got a goal back thanks to Isiah Winder.

It continued to be goal for goal with Watson adding a second for Swan Districts only for Schloithe to answer for the Bulldogs just before three quarter-time to make it a seven-point margin once more.

Swans pushed their lead back out to 19 points by the 10-minute mark of the last term following goals to Tom Edwards and a third to Watson, but South Fremantle weren’t going away and got one back through Graham.

Chase Bourne then added another at the 22-minute mark before Jordan Gallucci swooped three minutes later for a nice finish on his left boot in his second game of the season to tie scores up.

It was a frantic finish with Will Collins kicking a behind to put Swans back in front, but the Bulldogs attacked out of that behind and in the end the ball was in the hands of Manfred Kelly as the siren sounded after he took a spectacular two-grab mark.

He had the set shot on goal from 40m out and couldn’t quite make the distance but with the pack on the goal line, the ball came off hands and bounced back onto Collins with the Swans defender behind the line and it was determined the point would count.

That meant scores were level and the draw left neither team really knowing how to feel but further consolidating a finals spot at the same time.
The day got underway on Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with South Fremantle's colts going down, with Swan Districts ending up winning 10.12 (72) to 3.12 (30).

All three of South Fremantle's goals were kicked by Ivan Starr with Toby Whan racking up 27 possessions, Fred Rodriguez 24, Orlando Keleman 21, Tom Bell 19 and Millar Rank 14 to go with 11 tackles.

South Fremantle's reserves were then able to come away with the 10.7 (67) to 7.8 (50) victory against Swan Districts having led virtually from go to woe.

Liam Brandis, Anton Hanson and Riley Holden all kicked two goals apiece in the win for the Bulldogs.

Aaron Drage racked up 33 possessions, Toby McQuilkin 31, George Wessels 25, Kyle Russell 22, Toby Dodds 19, Connor McDonald 19, Lachlan Mitchell 18, Jacob Sax 16 and Josh Branchi 15 to go with 32 hit outs and a goal.

WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 17

SOUTH FREMANTLE        1.3    3.3    5.8    8.12    (60)
SWAN DISTRICTS        1.3    4.6    6.9    8.12    (60)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Graham 2; Schloithe, Gallucci, Winder, Main, Bourne, James.
Best: Winder, Parker, N Storm, James, Main, Boullineau, Pearson.

SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Watson 3; O'Donohue, Chipper, Edwards, Turner, Caporn.
Best: Rokahr, Turner, Pasini, Cipro, Collins, Watson, Clarke, Chalcraft.