{"id":212502,"date":"2026-04-21T16:36:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T06:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=212502"},"modified":"2026-04-21T16:36:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T06:36:47","slug":"scouting-notes-bulldogs-exact-revenge-in-grand-final-rematch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2026\/04\/21\/scouting-notes-bulldogs-exact-revenge-in-grand-final-rematch\/","title":{"rendered":"Scouting Notes: Bulldogs exact revenge in Grand Final rematch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>SOUTH Fremantle has held on to claim a thrilling four-point win in Saturday&#8217;s WAFL Colts Grand Final rematch against Claremont. After going down in last year&#8217;s decider, the Bulldogs reigned supreme at Fremantle Oval, but it wasn&#8217;t without a fright as <strong>Charlie Anning<\/strong> missed a tough shot from the boundary to put Claremont ahead in the final seconds. On the back of the state winter squad being announced, we took a focus to how each member fared in the clash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SOUTH FREMANTLE 3.1 | 5.2 | 7.4 | 9.5 (59)<\/strong><br><strong>CLAREMONT 1.6 | 2.8 | 4.10 | 7.13 (55)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GOALS:<\/strong><br><strong>South Fremantle: <\/strong>J. Mallard 2, S. Coote 2, S. Hookham 2, J. Hayden, N. Allen, C. Matera<br><strong>Claremont: <\/strong>G. Gale 2, H. Banfield, S. Gallagher, H. Brooks, D. Newry, F. Wibrow<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>BEST:<\/strong><br><strong>South Fremantle: <\/strong>B. Foster, C. Vanderhoek, J. Mallard, Z. Godwin, D. Noble<br><strong>Claremont: <\/strong>G. Gale, E. Dennis, C. Bedbrook, I. Darling, S. Gallagher<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div>\n<div class=\"t7_match_result match-result-comparison rmc-block is-match-preview\">\n<div class='match-result_legend'><ul><li>Team<\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class='match-result_team'><ul><li class='column-head'><h5 class='heading title h5'>South Fremantle<\/h5><img src='https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/South-Fremantle-150x150.png' \/><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class='match-result_team'><ul><li class='column-head'><h5 class='heading title h5'>Claremont<\/h5><img src='https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2022-Claremont-logo-150x150.png' \/><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong>SOUTH FREMANTLE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#1 <\/strong><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"203897\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/cameron-maynard\/\" target=\"_blank\">Cameron Maynard<\/a><br><strong>Small Forward | 171cm | 14\/08\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>9 disposals, 2 marks, 7 tackles<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A man of eye-catching moments, Maynard stood out most with his defensive pressure on Saturday. His closing speed and aggression saw him bury opponents into the dirt, causing a bit of panic each time he sprung into action. Maynard also got busy by working up the ground as a high forward, exhibiting clean hands on the lead while swooping on ground balls as expected. He didn&#8217;t hit the scoreboard this time out, but looked dangerous as a connection piece further afield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#11 <\/strong><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"164940\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/heath-wilson\/\" target=\"_blank\">Heath Wilson<\/a><br><strong>Defender | 187cm | 04\/08\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>15 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a typical playmaking game from Wilson, maintaining a similar output to last week. The medium defender positioned himself expertly at the back of contests to receive and look forward, doing much of his work facing towards goal. Wilson\u2019s overlap run and sharp foot skills were a feature every time he found the ball, helping distribute the ball calmly. He also dropped further back to take a solid one-on-one mark in the final term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#23 <\/strong><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"185745\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/byron-foster\/\" target=\"_blank\">Byron Foster<\/a><br><strong>Key Defender | 196cm | 05\/06\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>16 disposals, 8 marks, 3 tackles<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Foster took a game-high eight marks in what was a terrific showcase of his aerial capabilities. The rangy tall was difficult to beat one-on-one and extended nicely at the ball overhead, even going back on the flight on occasion. One of his best plays was a double effort in the first term, splitting the aerial duel before following up to lay a desperate tackle in defensive 50. Wilson also got involved as South Fremantle looked to transition the play, showing great speed, mobility and foot skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#24 <\/strong><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"212180\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/conor-bushe-jones\/\" target=\"_blank\">Conor Bushe-Jones<\/a><br><strong>Ruck | 200cm | 07\/08\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>15 disposals, 4 tackles, 13 hitouts<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently confirmed as an addition to the state squad, Bushe-Jones continued to show glimpses of high potential. The mobile ruck was up against a more physically sturdy opponent and played to his strengths, staying agile at the contest to gain access to the ball. He also fared well in open play, staying involved after the initial ruck battle to help the Bulldogs move forward in waves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CLAREMONT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#6 <\/strong><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"200111\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/harper-banfield\/\" target=\"_blank\">Harper Banfield<\/a><br><strong>Midfielder | 181cm | 18\/12\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>18 disposals, 6 tackles, 1 goal<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a relatively quiet outing from Banfield compared to his usual standard, although he did the typical in-and-under work and lifted late it the day. His booming goal on the run gave Claremont a sniff at stealing the points with under two minutes left to play, albeit to no avail. The West Coast father-son prospect rode the bumps and popped up after every big hit, even dishing out some of his own. He showcased his best traits when the game was on the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#7 <\/strong><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"164915\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/george-gale\/\" target=\"_blank\">George Gale<\/a><br><strong>Defender\/Midfielder | 190cm | 06\/09\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>32 disposals, 6 marks, 7 tackles, 2 goals<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gale was once again outstanding for the Tigers and had an extended run through the guts. He started out in his usual half-back\/wing rotation and got his hands on all of Claremont\u2019s best transitional play through the corridor. While not blessed with great speed, Gale got on the move at a forward 50 stoppage and snapped through his first of two goals in the second term. He also showed his wares with strong overhead marking and was clean at the coalface all day. Pressure can lessen the impact of his disposal, but he gave flow to the Tigers\u2019 ball movement while thwarting South&#8217;s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#10 <\/strong><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"164937\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/tom-brown-2\/\" target=\"_blank\">Tom Brown<\/a><br><strong>Defender | 188cm | 29\/07\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>11 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While he didn\u2019t produce eye-popping numbers, Brown made an impact with his strong aerial feats. He clunked intercept marks both high and deep, leaping confidently into packs and clunking the ball overhead. Brown was difficult to beat in one-on-one duels and proved competent as a third man up, while also being there to mop up the ground level spills. He was quite reliable with ball in hand to boot, making for another solid all-round game from the top-ager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#25 <\/strong><a data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"164941\" class=\"_dc_spo\" href=\"\/afl\/player\/elijah-dennis\/\" target=\"_blank\">Elijah Dennis<\/a><br><strong>Key Defender | 193cm | 26\/05\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>14 disposals, 6 marks, 1 tackle<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dennis teamed up with Brown and <strong>Harry Prentice<\/strong> to rule the airways down back, forming a brick wall to come away with several intercept marks. He plucked the ball reliably and was just as assured when using it by foot, moving on quickly and efficiently. Dennis\u2019 intercept ability led to some good opportunities for Claremont to counter from an advanced position on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>#42 <\/strong><a href=\"\/afl\/player\/isaac-darling\/\" data-type=\"player\" data-id=\"212508\" class=\"_dc_spo\" target=\"_blank\">Isaac Darling<\/a><br><strong>Ruck | 201cm | 13\/10\/2008<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stats: <\/strong>16 disposals, 2 marks, 35 hitouts<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enjoying a breakout game in the absence of <strong>Benji van Rooyen<\/strong>, Darling imposed himself on the ruck contest with his pure size and physicality. He applied strong bodywork to access the ball and while that meant conceding a few free kicks, it also saw him win 22 more hitouts than his direct opponent. Darling also showcased terrific handling below his knees and was deceptively nimble in open play, while his positioning saw him become an exit kick target out of defensive 50.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-dc-block-dc-mention _dc_mention\"><div class=\"section-heading_wrap\"><span class=\"section-heading is-small\">Mentions<\/span><span class=\"hor-border\"><\/span><\/div><ul class=\"js-overflow-list overflow-list\"><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/cameron-maynard\/\">Cameron Maynard<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/heath-wilson\/\">Heath Wilson<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/byron-foster\/\">Byron Foster<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/conor-bushe-jones\/\">Conor Bushe-Jones<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/harper-banfield\/\">Harper Banfield<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/george-gale\/\">George Gale<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/tom-brown-2\/\">Tom Brown<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/elijah-dennis\/\">Elijah Dennis<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_p\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/player\/isaac-darling\/\">Isaac Darling<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"object-mention_single\"><div class=\"tag tag--is-clickable\"><a class=\"tag-text _dc_mention_e\" href=\"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/event\/south-fremantle-vs-claremont-2\/\">South Fremantle vs Claremont<\/a><\/div><\/li><li class=\"js-dropdown dropdown overflowed\"><button class=\"btn btn-icon-only\"><span class=\"icon btn-icon\">\n                    <!-- icon - plus circle - 20px-->\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\">\n                        <path d=\"M15,9.28h-4.3V5h0A.72.72,0,1,0,9.28,5h0V9.28H5a.72.72,0,0,0,0,1.43H9.28V15a.72.72,0,0,0,1.43,0h0V10.71H15a.72.72,0,0,0,0-1.43Z\"\/>\n                        <path d=\"M10,0A10,10,0,1,0,20,10,10,10,0,0,0,10,0Zm0,18.57A8.57,8.57,0,0,1,10,1.43h0a8.57,8.57,0,0,1,0,17.14Z\"\/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/span><\/button><div class=\"popover\"><div class=\"popover-content\"><ul class=\"popover-menu\"><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SOUTH Fremantle has held on to claim a thrilling four-point win in Saturday&#8217;s WAFL Colts Grand Final rematch against Claremont. After going down in last year&#8217;s decider, the Bulldogs reigned supreme at Fremantle Oval, but it wasn&#8217;t without a fright as Charlie Anning missed a tough shot from the boundary to put Claremont ahead in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":212503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18050,11607,8,11,11614,22152,3131],"tags":[22448,23102,23448,23140,22866,23033,22794,23483,18917,2880],"class_list":["post-212502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-afl-draft","category-claremont","category-news","category-scouting-notes","category-south-fremantle","category-wafl","category-western-australia","tag-byron-foster","tag-cameron-maynard","tag-conor-bushe-jones","tag-elijah-dennis","tag-george-gale","tag-harper-banfield","tag-heath-wilson","tag-isaac-darling","tag-south-fremantle-vs-claremont","tag-tom-brown"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=212502"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":212516,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212502\/revisions\/212516"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/212503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}