YOUNG DOGS LEARN NEW TRICKS IN DARWINMonday, January 23, 2023 - 10:42 AM

A dozen debutants have given South Fremantle cause for optimism after the club’s first pre-season hit out for 2023.

Making the club’s first visit to Darwin in a quarter of a century, South Fremantle went down to the North Territory Football League side by 12 points – 12.9 (81) to 10.9 (69).

About 2,000 fans turned out to see a highly competitive match in humid conditions, with little separating the sides all night.

Retired Bulldogs great Haiden Schloithe made a comeback for the match, kicking two goals as South Fremantle turned a deficit of 9 points at quarter time into a lead of 3 points at the main change.

The WAFL Premiers of 2020 were missing Captain Dylan Main, midfielder Jake Florenca and key forward Jimmy Miller, giving several young players the opportunity to gain valuable experience.

Ex Brisbane Lions midfielder Mitch Robinson was outstanding for the NT team, earning best on ground status.

South Fremantle coach Todd Curley told “The West Australian” he was excited with what his young side delivered.

“We’re happy as we took up a really young group and there’s obviously some blokes that we haven’t seen a lot of.

We were able to bounce them around and them in some different positions and there were some really positive signs going forward.

There’s still a lot of blokes to come back in but there were really exciting signs,” Curley said.

The match signalled the 50th anniversary of South Fremantle’s first visit to the Northern Territory.