Strong start to WAFLW season from Bulldogs

IT was a terrific day at Fremantle Community Bank Oval to open the 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership Season for South Fremantle with the Bulldogs claiming two wins and coming ever so close to making it three.

The WAFLW season has been brought forward for an earlier start in 2021 to more closely run alongside the national AFLW competition meaning that it got underway this past weekend some six weeks before the WAFL season will begin for 2021.

It turned out to be a good day for South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with the Rogers Cup, Reserves and League teams all in action to open the season against Subiaco.

The day’s action got underway with South Fremantle’s Youth Girls beginning their premiership defence with a 12.12 (84) to 1.0 (6) victory over Subiaco.

It was the perfect way for the Bulldogs to begin the defence of their premiership from last year in the Rogers Cup competition.

It was then time for the Reserves contest and that turned out to be another emphatic victory for South Fremantle, beating Subiaco 7.6 (48) to 4.1 (25).

Subiaco made a strong start with two goals to one in the opening quarter but South Fremantle was able to respond in the second term with three goals to head into half-time leading by 13 points.

The Bulldogs kicked another three goals to two in the third quarter, and then scored the only four behinds of the final term to end up winning by 23 points.

It was then time for the main event with the WAFLW League fixture and South Fremantle would go on to show just how far they have improved entering their second season in the competition.

On short notice, there were challenges in the Bulldogs’ inaugural WAFLW season but they had shown rapid improvement from the opening game to the end of the season, and now clearly they have continued that path of growth coming into the 2021 season.

Subiaco ended up winning 4.13 (37) to 5.4 (34) over South Fremantle but it was a tremendous contest at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The Lions began strongly with two goals to one in the opening quarter and then with a goal apiece in the second term, it was Subiaco leading by eight points at the main break.

South Fremantle then went scoreless in the third stanza while Subiaco added 1.6 but the Bulldogs wouldn’t go away.

South Fremantle kicked the only three goals of the final quarter to fall just three points short of what would have been a historic victory.

Zoe Huggett was the star in attack for the Bulldogs kicking three goals with Ashleigh Reidy and Lauren Vecchio the other goal scorers.

Casey Byrne, Makaela Tuhakaraina, Ashleigh Reidy, Lauren Wafker and Pia Durk were among the standout performers for South Fremantle.

Round 2 for the South Fremantle WAFLW team will see them take on Swan Districts at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Reserves have a bye and the Youth Girls take on East Fremantle on Sunday at Leederville Oval.

OPTUS WAFL WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP – ROUND 1

SOUTH FREMANTLE        1.1    2.2    2.2    5.4    (34)
SUBIACO            2.2    3.4    4.10    4.13    (37)

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Huggett, Reidy, Vecchio.
Best: Byrne, Tuhakaraina, Reidy, Wafker, Durk.
SUBIACO – Goals: MacLachlan 2; Hunt, Rust.
Best: Thomas, Harken, MacLachlan, Blackmore, Rust.