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Qualifying Final Match Report – South Fremantle v West PerthMonday, September 3, 2018 - 2:49 PM - by Chris Pike
SOUTH Fremantle is one win away from the 2018 WAFL Grand Final after a 98-point thumping of West Perth in Saturday's qualifying final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.
South Fremantle took over the contest following West Perth managing three consecutive goals early in the second quarter to get back within five points.
The Bulldogs went on to kick the game's next 13 goals with the Falcons only managing one more goal for the afternoon after the 10-minute mark of the second term.
That meant South Fremantle made it nine consecutive wins against West Perth dating back to the start of 2016 and ended up with the thumping 22.12 (144) to 6.10 (46) win.
The win means that South Fremantle moves into Sunday's second semi-final against Subiaco at Leederville Oval. The winner goes straight into the 2018 Grand Final at Optus Stadium while the loser will host the preliminary final the following Sunday.
West Perth will now return home to Joondalup Arena with no more second chances as the Falcons host Claremont in a first semi-final on Sunday. The winner will advance to the following Sunday's preliminary final.
The 144-point total is also the highest South Fremantle has scored in a final against West Perth and the 98-point win the biggest margin in a final ever by the Bulldogs.
On top of that, it's West Perth's biggest ever loss in a final and their score of 46 is their third lowest ever in a final.
Marlion Pickett delivered a dazzling best on ground display for South Fremantle continuing his outstanding season since moving into the midfield in 2018. He finished the afternoon with 26 possessions, eight inside 50s, seven marks and four goals in an unstoppable performance.
Mason Shaw kicked another six goals for the Bulldogs to go with 17 disposals and nine marks to mean he has now kicked 18 goals without a miss over the past three weeks to help cover for the absence of the injured Ben Saunders and departed Blaine Johnson.
Cory Dell'Olio kicked three goals as well for South Fremantle from 22 possessions while Sandover Medallist Haiden Schloithe was right at his best with three goals from 28 disposals and seven marks.
South Fremantle's midfield got right on top the longer the afternoon went with Nick Suban collecting 29 possessions while Ryan Cook finished with 28 disposals (11 marks), Steven Verrier 24, Shaun Bewick 22, Shane Hockey 22, Brandon Donaldson 22 and Dylan Main 22.
The Bulldogs' back-line was superb with Noah Strom getting the better of Tyler Keitel for the third time in 2018, keeping the joint Bernie Naylor Medal winner to just two goals and six kicks. 
Jason Maskos had the job on the other Bernie Naylor Medallist for 2018, Andrew Strijk, and limited him to one goal and seven kicks.
Blayne Wilson was also tremendous across half-back with 27 possessions and 14 marks with Steven Edwards adding 22 disposals and six marks, and Chad Pearson 19 touches, five marks and a goal.
Brock Higgins battled hard in the ruck with 14 possessions and 36 hit outs with support from Zac Strom who had 17 touches, nine tackles, eight marks, 13 hit outs and five inside-50 entries.
Keegan Knott was lively in the first half for West Perth kicking three goals from 17 possessions, seven marks and five inside 50s. While Tyler Keitel kicked two goals for the Falcons, he only had six kicks and three marks for the afternoon.
Shane Nelson battled away all afternoon through the middle for West Perth with 30 possessions and 14 tackles while captain Aaron Black collected 29 disposals.
Trent Manzone gathered 24 possessions in his 101st game for West Perth despite the Falcons choosing the occasion to celebrate the 100-game milestone he reached back in the Round 20 victory against East Perth.
Luke Meadows also finished with 21 possessions, Corey Chalmers 20, Michael Lourey 18 and Dean Munns 17.
Zac Guadagnin continued his standout rookie season in defence for West Perth defying the odds to hold Matthew Parker goalless and to 11 kicks and four behinds. He had 12 possessions and four tackles himself.
It took only four minutes for Mason Shaw to continue his stunning recent form and kick the first goal of the qualifying final for South Fremantle.
Chad Pearson added a second for the Bulldogs less than two minutes later and when Marlion Pickett kicked truly from a set shot at the 13-minute mark, the home team was off to a flying start.
West Perth did respond when the crafty Keegan Knott swooped to run into an open goal and then Andrew Strijk marked and goaled too to bring the Falcons back within a goal.
But two more goals to Shaw for South Fremantle before quarter-time put his team up by 16 points at the first break.
Pickett added a second goal to start the second term for South Fremantle inside 30 seconds but West Perth then put together its best period of the afternoon.
The result was two goals to Knott and another to Tyler Keitel and the stage was set for a cracking qualifying final with the margin just five points at the 10-minute mark.
It was an arm-wrestle for the next seven minutes before Shaw kicked a fourth goal for South Fremantle and then the floodgates opened with West Perth unable to go up a gear when the Bulldogs rose their level.
South Fremantle finished the first half with goals to Haiden Schloithe, Cory Dell'Olio and Ashton Hams to lead by 31 points at the main break.
The rout continued in the third quarter with Shaw booting a fifth goal, Dell'Olio a second and third, Brandon Donaldson a first, Pickett a third, Schloithe a second and third, and then Shaun Bewick kicked truly against his former team as well.
West Perth went goalless for the third quarter with South Fremantle piling on eight unanswered goals to lead by 80 points at the last change.
Shaw started the last term with his sixth of the day and then after West Perth finally ended its two quarter long goal drought with Keitel alone in the goal square, the Bulldogs still kept the foot down with the last three goals of the game to lead by as much as 99 points and win by 98.
SOUTH FREMANTLE 5.2 10.6 18.10 22.12 (144)
WEST PERTH 2.4 5.5 5.8 6.10 (46)
SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Shaw 6; Pickett 4; Schloithe, Dell'Olio 3; Bewick, Verrier, Pearson, Donaldson, Cook, Hams.
Best: Pickett, Schloithe, Shaw, Dell'Olio, Suban, Cook, Wilson, N Strom, Maskos.
WEST PERTH – Goals: Knott 3; Keitel 2; Strijk.
Best: Nelson, Black, Manzone, Knott, Guadagnin.
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