Round 9 – Subiaco v South Fremantle Match ReportMonday, May 15, 2017 - 9:18 AM - by Chris Pike

SUBIACO has won a seventh straight match, earned revenge for Round 1, celebrated captain Kyal Horsley's 150th game and gone clear on top of the WAFL ladder after beating South Fremantle by 39 points at Leederville Oval on Saturday.

The game loomed as the clash of the WAFL season to date with both teams entering on 6-1 records with South Fremantle sitting top with the superior percentage and on a five-game winning run with Subiaco having won its last six.

The Bulldogs did beat the Lions by 39 points back in Round 1 at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, but the Lions got a measure of revenge on Saturday winning by the exact same margin.

It was an emphatic performance by a Subiaco team who has played in the last three WAFL grand finals and now won seven of its last eight meetings over South Fremantle. This will also be the last clash between the two teams during the home and away season.

The Lions started with a statement kicking the opening three goals and led the entire afternoon, including by as much as 63 points at the 17-minute mark of the last quarter.

South Fremantle kicked the game's last four goals but Subiaco still comfortably prevailed 19.13 (127) to 14.4 (88).

Subiaco not only improved to a 7-1 record with the win to move clear on top of the ladder ahead of the now 6-2 South Fremantle, it was the perfect celebration for captain Horsley who played his 150th game to earn life membership at the Lions.

Horsley delivered a brilliant performance for the occasion as well with 30 possessions and three goals.

Horsley learned from the best, now the benchmark at Subiaco 
Horsley reaches 150 but big game the focus for Lions skipper 

Subiaco had plenty more stars on the day and it was the small and mid-size forwards that did the damage.

West Perth recruit Liam Baker booted four goals with the small forward also racking up 23 possessions to go with five marks and five tackles. He missed some relatively easy shots late too denying him an even bigger day out.

Liam Ryan continued his outstanding season with another four goals while former Bulldog Ben Sokol had another good game against his former club kicking three majors from 21 disposals and seven marks.

Max Walters continued his strong form both off half-forward and through the middle with 22 touches, seven marks and a goal.

Clancy Wheeler and Brad Stevenson also kicked two goals apiece for the Lions.

Lachlan Delahunty took control of the game in the middle even if he is an undersized ruckman and loses more hit outs than he wins. He finished with 31 possessions, six marks and 29 hit outs.

Horsley had good support in the midfield with Leigh Kitchin racking up 25 possessions and Adam Cockie 21.

Corey Adamson had a fascinating battle with Haiden Schloithe all afternoon. There was no love lost between the pair but Adamson had 26 disposals in the finish.

Aaron Heal did a strong job early on Blaine Johnson in defence for Subiaco holding him goalless and he then moved on to Ben Saunders after Angus Litherland went off injured. Declan Jackson also did well limiting the influence of Mason Shaw.

Ben Saunders was one South Fremantle forward to have a good afternoon ending up kicking four goals from seven kicks. Cory Dell'Olio, Blaine Johnson and Mason Shaw all managed to kick two apiece as well.

Tim Kelly continued his tremendous form in the midfield for South Fremantle and still had 28 possessions, seven inside-50 entries and two goals despite the 39-point defeat.

Shane Hockey worked hard to end up with 26 disposals and six tackles for the Bulldogs.

Haiden Schloithe was locked in a battle with Subiaco's Corey Adamson all afternoon and still managed 22 possessions and six marks. Brendan Verrier also had 22 disposals for the Bulldogs.

Small defender Jason Maskos did all he could to try and limit the influence of Subiaco's mercurial talent Liam Ryan. He might have kicked four goals but Maskos actually did a good job and continues to be a Bulldogs defender who will fight to the death.

Subiaco got off to a fast start determined to make an early statement. They did that with goals to Ryan, Wheeler and Baker inside the first 15 minutes.

South Fremantle did answer back through Saunders, but Baker soon added his second and after Horsley kicked his first shortly before quarter-time, the Lions had capped a strong opening term and led by 21 points at the first change.

The Bulldogs did start the second term strongly with a goal in just 30 seconds to Dell'Olio. But Subiaco responded through Baker and Sokol to lead by 28 points.

However, South Fremantle then delivered its best three-minute patch of the game starting with a goal to Shaw before Saunders added another and Dell'Olio ran onto the ball in the open goal square. The margin was then just 11 points and the momentum was with the Bulldogs.

But Subiaco was able to turn the tide again and kicked the last four goals of the first half through Sokol, Ryan, Walters and Wheeler to be in control to the tune of 35 points at half-time.

Again South Fremantle got the opening goal of the third term when Shaw kicked his second. It took until the 15-minute mark for Subiaco to score its 12th goal of the afternoon, but when Baker nailed his fourth, Ryan followed with his third and Horsley his second as the lead blew out to 48 points.

The Bulldogs answered with two good goals from Jarrod Garlett and Kelly. But the Lions continued to have all the answers and they closed the third quarter with two goals from Stevenson and Horsley's third to open a 55-point advantage.

The lead grew to 63 points by the time Sokol booted his third 17 minutes into the last quarter.

South Fremantle, at least, finished with some junk time goals with Johnson and Saunders booting two apiece but it only cut the final losing margin for the Bulldogs to 39 points.

Subiaco will look to maintain its gap on top of the ladder hosting the winless East Fremantle on Saturday at Leederville Oval.

South Fremantle will look to bounce back hosting an East Perth team at Fremantle Community Bank Oval who is now on a three-game winning run after losing its opening five games of 2017.

SUBIACO            5.3    11.6    17.10    19.13    (127)
SOUTH FREMANTLE        2.0    6.1    9.3    14.4    (88)

SUBIACO – Goals: Ryan, Baker 4; Sokol, Horsley 3; Stevenson, Wheeler 2; Walters.
Best: Horsley, Delahunty, Heal, Baker, Kitchin, Adamson, Sokol. 
SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Saunders 4; Johnson, Kelly, Shaw, Dell'Olio 2; Garlett, Strom.
Best: Kelly, Hockey, Maskos, Saunders, Verrier.