SOUTH Fremantle has handed Subiaco its first loss of the WAFL Women’s season in stunning fashion, coming away with a 43-point victory at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday. The Bulldogs kept the previously undefeated Lions goalless throughout the 80 minutes, and while taking an hour to kick clear, finally did so in the last term to win, 7.6 (48) to 0.5 (5).

Both sides were missing a stack of players due to either the AFL Women’s Under 18 Championships or injury, but it was the finals hopefuls that took control early over the unbeaten ladder leaders, and they never looked back. The conditions made it tough for both sides with a small lake on one wing and mud covered in patches meaning territory was everything.

Making her return for the Bulldogs off a knee injury and representing the Perth Lynx in the WNBL over the summer, tall forward Alira Fotu kicked two majors at either end of the game, and should have had a third but opted for a dribble attempt from the pocket which cannoned into the post. It was a solid return from the talented National Academy member in the absence of Subiaco talls Olivia Wolmarans and Olivia Crane, as well as forward Layla Quinn-Schofield and defender Sunni-Quay Peters, the latter of whom certainly would have been the matchup for Fotu.

South Fremantle was also without some of its stars, as Renee Morgan and Marie Polimeno were both representing Western Australia, while Zoe Huggett was also an out ahead of the match. Despite Subiaco having its experienced ex-AFLW midfield core of Paige Sheppard, Lisa Steane and Krstel Petrevski, South Fremantle did well to force turnovers from the back half and propel the ball forward.

Though only on goal was kicked between the 11th minute of the first term and the fifth minute of the fourth term, the action was tense and tight with a still manageable 19-point differential following a Chloe Shearing behind in the opening minute of the fourth term. However Fotu and Shannyn Pomersbach put the game to bed within the next six minutes, and then speedy left-footer Jasmine Bazeley filled her boots with back-to-back majors in the last five minutes.

It was a stunning performance from the Bulldogs who had scraped past West Perth a fortnight earlier, only to lose to the winless Perth last week. From going down to the cellar dwellers to knocking off the premiership favourites, South Fremantle embodied the phrase ‘a week is a long time in football’.

It was a strange game in terms of bests, with Subiaco’s stars in Petrevski (27 disposals, four tackles and four inside 50s), Sheppard (23 disposals, three marks and eight tackles) and Steane (21 disposals, three marks and three tackles) all incredibly strong across the match. Wing Hayley Corlett also worked hard, while Shearing and Charlotte Tompkin did their best in the forward half.

The top ball-winner for the Bulldogs was Liusaidh Gilchrist with 16 touches as well as five marks, while Fotu booted 2.1 from 15 disposals and five marks often deep in attack. Co-skipper Lauren Vecchio filled a role up forward and was busy with a couple of shots from 15 disposals and five marks, while Tahleah Mulder and Madison Hadley were also among the best in an even all-round performance. Bazeley (10 disposals, 15 tackles and two goals) did it all, with Pomersbach (nine disposals, two goals) the other multiple goalkicker.

SOUTH FREMANTLE 2.4 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 7.6 (48)
SUBIACO 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 (5)

GOALS:
South Fremantle: A. Fotu 2, S. Pomersbach 2, J. Bazeley 2, M. Hadley
Subiaco: Nil.

RMC BEST:
South Fremantle: T. Mulder, L. Gilchrist, A. Fotu, J. Bazeley, L. Vecchio
Subiaco: K. Petrevski, P. Sheppard, L. Steane. H. Corlett, C. Shearing

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Claremont took full advantage of Subiaco’s shock loss to gain top spot on the WAFL Women’s ladder. It was far from easy against Perth with the Demons’ new found confidence, but after conceding the first goal of the game, the Tigers kicked four of the last five to come away with the 4.10 (34) to 2.1 (13) win at Mineral Resources Park.

Making a successful return amongst a host of experienced players, Jayme Harken worked hard around the coalface to have 25 disposals – 21 handballs – and lay eight tackles, working well with Sarah Viney (30 disposals, nine tackles) and Jacinta Valentini (18 disposals), while Matilda Husband had 43 hitouts from 13 disposals through the ruck. Co-captains Isabella Shannon and Holly Britton impressed again for the Demons, while hard-running wing Jasmine Single is in terrific form.

West Perth negated South Fremantle’s win with a victory of its own, knocking off Peel Thunder by 33 points up in Joondalup. The Falcons battled with inaccuracy in the conditions, but had 15 scoring shots to two in the big win, coming away 5.10 (40) to 1.1 (7) victors. The Falcons had six more clearances (30-24) and 17 more inside 50s (39-22).

Madison Dodd (21 disposals) worked had across the ground as second gamer Lunay Van Den Heever kicked 2.3 from 19 disposals, three marks and nine tackles, with her and her sister Kayla both busy throughout the match. Mia Robis (20 disposals, four marks and three tackles) also had a big day out. Chloe Wrigley and Ebony Dowson combined for 51 disposals, seven marks and 13 tackles for Peel Thunder, while other experienced players Krystal Carter and Cassie Davidson were strong.

East Fremantle also notched up an important win to keep its slender finals hopes alive, defeating East Perth by 29 points at The Good Grocer Park. The Sharks lead at every change but kicked clear with the last three goals of the game just as the Royals closed to within 10 points. They won the hitouts (48-39), clearances (36-27) and inside 50s (32-20) in a scrappy affair.

Noa McNaughton lead the way with 18 disposals and 13 tackles in the victory, while Siena Jezierski-Brown and Madison Evans were among the best. Skipper Ashleigh Gomes worked hard through the middle as Sarah Wielstra and Eve Wilson-Sieber both slotted a pair of majors. Brianna Hyde looked good for the Royals in defeat, as Summer Mollross (17 disposals, eight tackles) and Layla Firns (16 disposals, three marks and seven tackles) their side’s top ball-winners.