Latest News
Round 5 Match Report – Claremont v South FremantleTuesday, May 1, 2018 - 10:26 AM - by Chris Pike
THE close game of Round 5 in the WAFL took place in Albany with South Fremantle overcoming the arm-wrestle with five goals to one in the last quarter to beat Claremont by 27 points.
It was the fifth time that a WAFL game has been held in Albany since 1989 but the first time at Centennial Stadium following the first four matches in the city were played at Collingwood Park.
An impressive crowd of 2664 people turned out to watch the most competitive match of the weekend in the WAFL too with little separating the Tigers and Bulldogs over the first three quarters.
But after leading by just two points at three quarter-time, South Fremantle put its foot down in the last term to boot five goals to one to claim the 12.13 (85) to 8.10 (58) victory.
It is a third straight win for the Bulldogs who have now defeated West Perth, East Fremantle and Claremont since a first up loss to Subiaco.
Claremont has just the one win now in four attempts this season and that came courtesy of the last kick of the game against East Fremantle leaving the Tigers with plenty of work to do to be a finals contender in 2018.
Shane Hockey has started the season in outstanding form in the midfield for South Fremantle and the 2016 fairest and best winner continued that on Saturday in Albany with another 31 possessions, seven tackles, seven inside-50 entries and four marks.
Brandon Donaldson spent the first two weeks of the season in the reserves but has been tremendous now for two weeks running in the league side following another 24 disposals, five marks, four tackles and two goals on Saturday.
Captain Dylan Main also had 21 touches and nine tackles for the Bulldogs with Jacob Dragovich finishing the game with 18 possessions, Nick Suban 18, Blayne Wilson 15 and Marlion Pickett 14 to go with four inside-50 entries.
Reigning Sandover Medallist Haiden Schloithe kicked three goals for South Fremantle from six kicks and seven tackles with Matthew Parker also booting two majors.
Brock Higgins had a good battle in the ruck with Claremont's Oliver Eastland. Higgins finished with 16 possessions, six tackles, 46 hit outs and a goal, and Eastland 19 touches, seven tackles and 39 hit outs.
Kane Mitchell returned to the Claremont team for the trip to Albany and was terrific through the middle racking up 33 possessions, seven tackles and five marks.
Another Sandover Medallist, Jye Bolton, also picked up 32 disposals for the Tigers with Ryan Murphy having it 24 times, Jared Hardisty 18 (11 tackles), Tom Shanahan 17 and Matthew Palfrey 17.
Claremont's defence stood up well too led by Haydn Busher who had 22 possessions and nine marks while also holding triple Bernie Naylor Medallist Ben Saunders to one goal and five kicks. Anton Hamp also restricted Mason Shaw to five kicks, three marks and three behinds.
Meanwhile up forward, Tom Lee and Ian Richardson kicked three goals each for Claremont and Ryan Lim chimed in with two.
Fresh off being included in the WAFL State squad for the clash with South Australia in Adelaide, Brock Higgins gave South Fremantle the fast start in Albany with the opening goal of the game at the five-minute mark.
Claremont responded soon after through Tom Lee before the Bulldogs got their second through Ben Saunders, playing not far from his home town of Mt Barker.
But Lee kept Claremont in touch in the opening term with his second goal before South Fremantle opened up a 13-point lead by the first break after majors to debutant Daniel Cabassi and Dylan Main.
It was tough going for both teams during the second quarter and it took until the 20-minute of the second quarter when Ryan Lim kicked truly for Claremont. The Tigers added another when Ian Richardson kicked truly to make it a one-point ball game at the main break.
South Fremantle might have been goalless from late in the first quarter, but that soon changed with two goals in the opening 10 minutes of the third term with goals to Brandon Donaldson and Haiden Schloithe.
Claremont responded with Richardson kicking his second goal and then Lim his second too before the Bulldogs returned to a seven-point advantage with Schloithe's second major of the quarter.
But it remained a two-point difference by three quarter-time with the game on the line in front of the good crowd at the new facility in Albany.
South Fremantle showed its quality in the first 20 minutes of the last quarter, though, with goals to Donaldson, Matthew Parker and Blaine Johnson to open up a 21-point lead as the Bulldogs went on to win by 27 in the finish.
The reserves contest between Claremont and South Fremantle took place at Claremont Oval on Sunday morning with the Tigers ending up beating the Bulldogs 14.9 (93) to 6.8 (44).
James Egan kicked four goals for Claremont, Rhett Lloyd three and Cooper Nitschke two.
Lachlan Martinis amassed 34 possessions for the Tigers, Tom Ledger 33, Jacob Sideris 29, Nick Winmar 20 and Isaac Wallace 20. Jeremy Goddard had eight disposals, five marks and 39 hit outs in the ruck.
Jesse Musika kicked three goals for South Fremantle from nine kicks, six marks and four tackles.
Caleb Datson continued his good form to start the season in the reserves for the Bulldogs collecting 24 possessions while Glenn Byron gathered 28 disposals, Matthew Grubelich 18, Travis Abbott 17 and Andre Coutinho 17.
Jake Solomon finished with 14 touches, six marks, 23 hit outs and a goal while Zac Strom and Adam McIntosh were solid contributors as they look to force their way back into the league line-up for the first time in 2018.
Claremont will now head to Bendigo Bank Stadium on Saturday to take on Peel Thunder with both teams looking to get a second win on the board for the season heading into the State game break.
South Fremantle will be back at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday for just the second time this season to take on Swan Districts.
It's the first time the teams will have played one another since the Bulldogs beat Swans by 80 points in last year's first semi-final at the same venue.
CLAREMONT 2.4 4.7 7.8 8.10 (58)
SOUTH FREMANTLE 4.5 4.8 7.10 12.13 (85)
CLAREMONT – Goals: Lee, Richardson 3; Lim 2.
Best: Mitchell, Bolton, Busher, Eastland, Hardisty, Murphy, Richardson.
SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Schloithe 3; Donaldson, Parker 2; Higgins, Johnson, Main, Saunders, Cabassi.
Best: Hockey, Higgins, Donaldson, Main, Suban, Dragovich, Pickett.
Join Our Newsletter
Subscribe Now!
Join our WA Footy family to receive all the latest news and results.