Bulldogs go down at home to Subiaco

SOUTH Fremantle started strongly but couldn’t keep it going against Subiaco at Fremantle Oval on Saturday with full focus now turned to the ANZAC Day derby this Thursday.

The Bulldogs came out looking terrific in the first quarter kicking four of the first five goals of the game to lead by 17 points late in the opening term, but Subiaco got on top after that to run out 16.17 (113) to 10.12 (72) winners.

The result means that South Fremantle slips to a 0-5 record to remain the only winless team left in the competition after Peel Thunder managed to beat Swan Districts on Sunday in Mandurah.

The bad news continued for the Bulldogs with the 0-5 start being the worst opening to a season since the South Fremantle team of 1965 lost its opening seven matches.

If that wasn’t bad enough, 173-game veteran swingman Andrew McCarrey went down in the third quarter with a serious knee injury, which if scans determine early in the week that he requires a reconstruction could potentially spell the end of the 30-year-old's terrific career.

South Fremantle did start Saturday's game in strong form with Anthony Collica returning to the league side and snapping truly at the three-minute mark for the first goal of the game. That after he kicked four behinds in the reserves last week against Swan Districts.

Alistair Gillespie then got on the end of a terrific passage of play to get the Bulldogs' second goal. Craig White kicked the ball in from a Subiaco behind to Kris Miller who got it on to Alex Grima on the centre who bombed it forward for Gillespie to run onto and soccer it through.

Miller then kicked a good long goal and Mitch Banner added another to give South Fremantle a 17-point advantage at the 24-minute mark of the first quarter.

It was still 11 at quarter-time and the Bulldogs were still in control at the 25-minute mark of the second term after an outstanding running goal from Gillespie to stretch the home side's lead back out to 13 points.

However, Subiaco kicked three late goals just before half-time to lead by a goal at the main break, and then kicked nine goals to the Bulldogs' three in the second half to win by 41 points.

Banner tried hard all day for the Bulldogs racking up 32 possessions to go with seven marks, five tackles and the goal. Captain Ryan Cook spent more time on the ball than the wing and picked up 30 disposals, 10 marks and five entries inside-50.

Miller returned to the side after a one-week suspension and had 24 touches and two goals while Haiden Schloithe picked up 23 disposals and laid eight tackles. Defender Craig White also picked up 23 possessions, Toby Bairstow 22 and ruckman Sean Tighe 19 to go with five marks and 29 hit outs.

Meanwhile, the reserves put in a good performance earlier in the day beating Subiaco 14.6 (90) to 8.8 (56).

Adam McIntosh was outstanding in response to being dropped finishing with 37 possessions, seven marks and six entries inside-50 to do his chances of being recalled for ANZAC Day no harm.

Jacob Martinez also responded well to playing in the reserves picking up 27 possessions while Joe Pantano also had it 26 times, Tim Kelly 24, Rhys D'Alton 19 and Justin Monaco 19 in his first appearance for the Bulldogs since crossing from East Fremantle.

The colts went down by 26 to start the day, though, against Subiaco.

Cameron McCarthy kicked four goals for South Fremantle with Ben Sokol adding three and Matthew Ah Siu two. Tim Stewart racked dup 33 possessions, Bailey Matera 20 and Sokol 18.

SOUTH FREMANTLE                        4.3          7.5          9.6          10.12     (72)

SUBIACO                                             2.4          7.11        11.17     16.17     (113)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Miller, Collica, Gillespie 2; Smith, Mugambwa, Banner, Sgherza.

Best: Cook, Miller, Banner, White, Tighe, Schloithe.

SUBIACO – Goals: Herring 4; Stevenson 3; Pickett, Bristow 2; Kayler-Thomson, Hampson, Phillips, Mahoney, Phelan.

Best: Kayler-Thomson, Daniels, Hampson, Leishman, Bristow, Sheed, Davey.

By Chris Pike