EAST Perth and South Fremantle put their respective four-match winning streaks on the line at Leederville Oval on Saturday and it was the Bulldogs who made quite the impressive statement kicking 12 of the last 13 goals to win by 68 points.

 

Prior to last week's State game that saw the KIA WAFL State Team head to Adelaide Oval and defeat the SANFL by 26 points for WA's first win in Adelaide since 1994, both East Perth and South Fremantle were in tremendous form.

 

The Royals and Bulldogs both lost their opening games of 2018 to Subiaco but had gone on to win four straight matches following that heading into the break for the State game.

 

That created an exciting back drop for Saturday's battle between the two clubs at Leederville Oval and up until entering time-on of the second quarter, it looked it was going to deliver as a contest.

 

East Perth led by a point at the 19-minute mark of the second quarter when Brayden Ainsworth kicked his second goal of the game. But from that point on South Fremantle kicked the last three goals of the second term to go into half-time leading by 16 points.

 

The Bulldogs went on with it from there too to kick the only six goals of the third quarter and then another three goals to one in the final term to claim the 18.13 (121) to 8.5 (53) victory.

 

The win is a fifth straight for South Fremantle since that 58-point loss to Subiaco in Round 2 and the Bulldogs are now clear in second position on the ladder with a 5-1 record with games to come the next fortnight against the bottom two teams Claremont and East Fremantle.

 

The loss was East Perth's first since a 118-point drubbing from Subiaco on Good Friday with the Royals slipping to fourth position on the ladder with a 4-2 record.

 

South Fremantle's midfield got on top with their hardness at the contest and with the pressure they applied on East Perth with Haiden Schloithe, Shane Hockey, Marlion Pickett and Dylan Main combining for 38 of their team's 84 tackles in the game.

Reigning Sandover Medal winner Schloithe got out the back twice to run into open goals to go along with 27 possessions, six tackles and four marks.

Hockey also continued his superb start to the 2018 season with another 27 disposals, eight tackles and a good goal on the run while Pickett was once again outstanding in the midfield with 24 touches and 10 tackles.

Captain Main led from the front too with a strong leadership performance for South Fremantle with 20 possessions, four marks, 14 tackles and four inside-50 entries.

Jacob Dragovich also finished with 21 disposals for the Bulldogs, Nick Suban 20, Brandon Donaldson 19, Ryan Cook 19 and ruckman Brock Higgins 17 along with five marks, five tackles and 41 hit outs.

Blayne Wilson was tremendous across half-back with 18 touches and nine marks while Noah Strom shut down promising young forward Jarrod Brander.

Cory Dell'Olio was again impressive up forward for South Fremantle in his second game of the season kicking four goals from seven kicks and four tackles. 

Mason Shaw also kicked three goals from 15 touches and seven marks with Schloithe, Donaldson and Ben Saunders kicking two each.

East Perth's cause wasn't helped with first quarter injuries to Will Schofield and Asher Samelko. That forced a reshuffle from the Royals with Matthew Allen playing down back and he actually did quite well with 21 possessions and 10 marks.

Tom Gorter went to play on Saunders after Schofield went off and even with the South Fremantle forward battling injury and not seeing much of the second half, Gorter had a strong afternoon with 21 disposals and 10 marks.

Brayden Ainsworth finished with 27 possessions, nine marks and two goals for the Royals with Will Maginness also kicking two goals from 23 touches, eight marks and five tackles.

Nathan Blee collected 24 disposals, Luke Partington 23, Patrick McGinnity 20, Sharrod Wellingham 20, Jackson Nelson 19 and Shayne Hille 18.

East Perth's reserves delivered a strong performance at Leederville Oval on Saturday beating South Fremantle 16.7 (103) to 6.3 (39).

Blake Riley and Dwayn Bolton kicked three goals each for East Perth's reserves with Matt Young and Christian Ameduri kicking two goals apiece.

Nelson Waite picked up 29 possessions for the Royals, Mitch Dobson 29, Harley Stack 29, Jaxon Cahill 27, Stan Wright 26, Matt Young 25, Josh Hewett 23, Nathan Arbon 22, Will Young 21 and Kye Willcocks 20.

Zac De San Miguel kicked two goals for South Fremantle with Steve Verrier responding well to his demotion by racking up 35 possessions, 10 tackles, eight marks and seven inside-50 entries.

Trent Reed gathered 27 disposals for the Bulldogs, Zac Strom 22, Kyle Russell 20 and Andre Coutinho 15 to go with eight marks.

East Perth will be out to return to the winner's list back at Leederville Oval this Saturday against a Swan Districts team playing its first game in three weeks following the double bye.

 

South Fremantle is back to Fremantle Community Bank Oval to play against a Claremont team with just the one win so far for the season this Saturday. 

 

The Bulldogs have won the last four, five of the last six and eight of the previous 10 matches against the Tigers.

 

 

EAST PERTH – Goals: Maginness, Ainsworth 2; McGinnity, Eaton, Allen, England.

Best: Blee, Ainsworth, Maginness, Gorter, Allen, Nelson.

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Dell'Olio 4; Shaw 3; Schloithe, Donaldson, Saunders 2; Hockey, Florenca, Parker, Hams, Cabassi.

Best: Pickett, Main, Higgins, Hockey, Wilson, Schloithe, Suban, Dell'Olio, N Strom.