Bulldogs finish 2014 season with fifth straight victory

SOUTH Fremantle finished its 2014 WAFL season in style with a fifth successive victory thanks to a dominant final quarter at Fremantle Oval on Saturday to beat Peel Thunder by 30 points.

South Fremantle had beaten Peel also at Fremantle Oval by a point a month ago and it was a tight contest again for three quarters on Saturday before the Bulldogs piled on the last six goals of the match to run out 14.20 (104) to 10.14 (74) victors.

The win means that the Bulldogs have finished the 2014 season with five consecutive victories with two of them coming against the Thunder and the other three against finals teams – the second-placed Subiaco, third-placed East Fremantle and fourth-placed Swan Districts.

Ben Saunders kicked five goals for South Fremantle from 17 possessions and that took his season tally to 59 goals to see him claim his second Bernie Naylor Medal as the league’s leading goalkicker for his second time in three years.

Haiden Schloithe, Shaun Bewick and Josh Pullman all kicked two goals each for South Fremantle as well.

Ashton Hams finished off his terrific first full season back with the Bulldogs from the AFL with 33 possessions, seven tackles and five inside-50 entries.

Adam Guglielmana also racked up 28 disposals for the Bulldogs, Toby Bairstow 26, Brendan Verrier 23, Bewick 22 and Schloithe 20 to go with his two goals and seven tackles.

Ruckman Brock Higgins was again outstanding with 22 possessions, 20 hit outs and seven inside-50 entries.

South Fremantle got off to a slow start against Peel in its final match of the 2014 season with the Thunder kicking the opening four goals of the contest before finally the Bulldogs were on the board thanks to Jarrod Pickett.

The Thunder led by as much as 29 points in the opening quarter and then still by 23 at three quarter-time, but the Bulldogs started the second term strongly with quick goals to Schloithe and Bewick to suddenly be back within 10 points.

The deficit was then just four points shortly after when Saunders kicked his first goal of the day and when he added his second, South Fremantle was in front for the first time in the contest.

South Fremantle led by just the two points at the main break and then conceded the advantage again with Peel booting the opening two goals of the  third quarter, but the Bulldogs quickly got back on top thanks to quick goals to full-forward Saunders and centre half-forward Josh Pullman.

Peel again managed to get back in front, but then a goal to South Fremantle veteran Craig White had the Bulldogs back on top by two points at three quarter-time.

While the game was in the balance at the last change, South Fremantle dominated the final term after Peel had kicked the opening goal.

Saunders kicked his fourth and fifth goals, and Bewick, Schloithe and Pullman all their second as the Bulldogs kicked the last six goals of the contest to end up winning by 30 points to close the season with five consecutive victories.

South Fremantle’s reserves might not be able to defend its premiership from last year, but at least finished its 2014 season on a positive note with a 18.13 (121) to 12.7 (79) win over Peel.

Kaiden Matera and Brett Hill kicked three goals each for the Bulldogs with John Sgherza and Emmanuel Collard adding two apiece.

Ben Sokol racked up 35 possessions, Adam McIntosh 32, Lewis Harvey 24, Jakeb Tartaglia 23, Matthew Gundry 23, Mitch Carter 21, Jason Maskos 21, Sgherza 19, Tim Stewart 19 and Steve Mills 18.

South Fremantle’s colts geared up for a fourth successive finals appearance with a thumping 21.10 (136) to 3.9 (27) win over Peel at Fremantle Oval on Saturday.

Ruckman Billy Frampton starred for South Fremantle with 25 possessions, nine marks and 44 hit outs while Jarrod Garlett kicked four goals, Joel McComb three, Cameron Loersch two and Alex Robinson two.

SOUTH FREMANTLE        1.3    5.8    8.13    14.20    (104)
PEEL THUNDER            4.9    5.10    8.11    10.14    (74)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Saunders 5; Schloithe, Bewick, Pullman 2; White, Panizza, Pickett.
Best: Hams, Guglielmana, Higgins, Bairstow, Bewick, Saunders, Kelly, Schloithe.
PEEL THUNDER – Goals: Apeness 3; Thornton 2; Bootsma, Hannath, Duffy, Bradley, Wood.
Best: De Boer, Jones, Dann, Ballard, Griffin, Sheridan.