Bulldogs with too much bite for Falcons to open seasonSaturday, March 21, 2015 - 5:42 PM - by Chris Pike

SOUTH Fremantle and West Perth both entered the 2015 McDonald's WAFL Premiership season with hopes of returning to the finals this season and after Friday night's 35-point win it appears the Bulldogs are right on track to do so.

South Fremantle hasn’t played in the finals since 2011 but sent a message that it is ready to fire in 2015 under new coach Todd Curley with the 14.6 (90) to 8.7 (55) in front of a crowd of 2370 at Fremantle Oval on Friday night.

West Perth missed the finals in 2014 coming off the premiership in 2013, but still has the majority of those who played in that flag in its squad and will be confident that the disappointing start to the new season on Friday night will be quickly rectified.

South Fremantle controlled the game from across half-back and it was former West Coast-listed defender Blayne Wilson in his debut with the Bulldogs and Kyle Hams in his first game in the red-and-white since 2010 who were the standout players on the ground.

Wilson finished the game with 28 possessions and eight marks in a commanding display while Kyle Hams had 27 disposals in his first WAFL game since Swan Districts' first semi-final loss to East Perth in 2013.

Dylan Ross was another rock solid piece of the Bulldogs' defence along with Zac Strom, Adam McIntosh and Adam Guglielmana.

Brock Higgins had a strong game in the ruck as well for South Fremantle finishing with 17 touches and 43 hit outs giving his midfielders good service.

Ashton Hams took good advantage of that with 25 possessions to go with his seven tackles and two goals with Shaun Bewick collecting 25 disposals as well, Haiden Schloithe 21, Ryan Cook 20 (two goals), Brendan Verrier 20, Tim Kelly 18 and Anthony Collica 18.

The Bulldogs' forward-line also functioned well with Craig White leading the way with four goals while Ben Saunders added two and James Sellar provided a strong tall target taking seven strong marks to go with 12 possessions and a goal.

Two-time Breckler Medal winner Shane Nelson worked tirelessly for the Falcons on Friday night finishing up with a game-high 38 possessions while also laying six tackles.

Rohan Kerr also picked up 25 disposals and kicked two goals for West Perth with Jay van Berlo finishing with 20 touches, Matt Guadagnin 19, Luke Tedesco 18, Aaron Black 17 and Andrew Strijk 17. 

Drew Rohde has had six-time leading goalkicker Anthony Tsalikis' old No. 11 jumper passed on to him in 2015 and the half-forward showed encouraging signs on Friday night with 17 possessions and a goal.

Kody Manning worked hard applying pressure in the Falcons' forward-line and had 13 disposals, seven tackles and a goal.

Ruckman Chris Keunen worked hard for 11 touches, 35 hit outs and a goal as well in what was his 150th league appearance with the Falcons to see him earn life membership of the West Perth Football Club.

West Perth did kick the game's opening goal just five minutes in when Steve Potente was able to force the Bulldogs into a turnover in their defensive 50. Potente swooped and then got the ball on to a wide open Kerr waiting in the goal square who scored the goal.

However, from there South Fremantle hit back with the last four goals of the first quarter. The first came to veteran White and then Schloithe goaled courtesy of a 50m penalty before full-forward booted two in-a-row before quarter-time.

That saw the Bulldogs lead by 20 points at the first change before again West Perth kicked the first goal of the second term with Sandover Medallist Black nailing a clever snap.

Bulldogs skipper Cook responded for the home team shortly after to again make the margin three goals before successive goals to West Perth courtesy of veterans Strijk and Keunen had the Falcons back within five points heading into time-on.

However, Cook responded with his second goal of the quarter for the Bulldogs and the result was an 11-point half-time lead for the home team.

The game was in the balance at half-time still but Ashton Hams came out and kicked the first goal of the second half to stretch the margin again to 16 points.

West Perth responded through Rohde but the Bulldogs reenergised veteran White kicked his second and third goals of the night in quick time, and then when Sellar kicked truly just before three quarter-time, South Fremantle looked to have a match-winning 28-point advantage. 

The Falcons gave a brief indication of a comeback to start the final quarter with quick goals to Kerr and debutant Michael Lourey, but it didn’t last and the final quarter soon became party time for the Bulldogs in the season-opener.

Josh Pullman goaled from a 50m penalty against Jordan Jones before the Falcons premiership player limped off with a hamstring injury. White then booted his fourth goal, Ashton Hams nailed one from 50 and debutant Bennell ran into an open goal as South Fremantle won by 35 points.

South Fremantle's colts and reserves then made it a clean sweep for the Bulldogs in Round 1 winning their matches over West Perth at Fremantle Oval on Saturday.

SOUTH FREMANTLE            4.2    6.3    10.5    14.6    (90)
WEST PERTH                1.0    4.4    5.6    8.7    (55)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: White 4; Saunders, Cook, A Hams 2; Schloithe, Sellar, Pullman, Bennell.
Best: Wilson, K Hams, Higgins, A Hams, Cook, Bewick, Schloithe.
WEST PERTH – Goals: Kerr 2; Black, Strijk, Lourey, Rohde, Keunen, Manning.
Best: Nelson, Kerr, Strijk, Rohde, Guadagnin, Tedesco