FALCONS WINNING STREAK ENDS AT HANDS OF BULLDOGS

WEST Perth's seven-game winning run might have come to an end at the hands of South Fremantle at HBF Arena on Saturday but it wasn’t a total loss with Luke Tedesco receiving a call up to earn life membership by playing his 150th game.

The former captain and 2013 premiership defender got the call up to play when Laine Rasmussen failed a fitness test on Saturday morning with Tedesco celebrating his 150-game milestone at the Falcons to see him earn life membership.

The result wasn’t what he was after, though, with the Falcons unable to stretch their winning run to eight as South Fremantle came to HBF Arena and went away with the 16.6 (102) to 9.13 (67) victory.

West Perth dominated the second quarter with the aid of the breeze but finished with just three goals to show for it and then South Fremantle kicked the opening seven goals of the second half to set up the eventual 35-point win.

Despite the loss, West Perth remains in third position on the ladder a game clear of East Fremantle and Peel Thunder but the Falcons are now two games and percentage back from top two teams South Fremantle and Subiaco.

Shane Nelson and Dean Munns both continued their outstanding form in the midfield for West Perth with Nelson ending up with 40 possessions, six inside 50s and four tackles.

Munns was given the tagging job on South Fremantle state defender Tim Kelly and he had another win holding him to 10 possessions while winning 15 himself to go with seven tackles.

Aaron Black also worked hard for West Perth for 30 possessions while Jay van Berlo picked up 21 disposals, Steve Potente 21, Aidan Lynch 20 and Blake Wilhelm 18.

Tyler Keitel continued his good form in the back-line with 25 possessions and five marks in a good battle with Mason Shaw but the Falcons sorely missed Nick Rodda.

Andrew Strijk was West Perth's most effective forward proving too crafty for Tom Vandeleur kicking four goals from 18 possessions and 10 marks.

West Perth started strongly when big man Mark Hamilton marked his return from an ankle injury with a conversion at the five-minute mark. The Bulldogs had the next couple of scoring shots before Ben Saunders kicked truly for their first goal of the day.

Saunders then added a second minutes later before second-gamer Brandon Donaldson also showed he is adjusting quickly to league football with another at the 23-minute mark with South Fremantle's lead growing to 13 points.

The Falcons got one back before quarter-time courtesy of Corey Chalmers but the Bulldogs had the last say of the term with a goal to Shaw after the siren to see them lead again by 13 points.

It took just 30 seconds of the second quarter for West Perth to score when Max Duffy kicked a trademark clever major. Scores were level soon after when Strijk kicked his first of the day and the Falcons had all the momentum kicking with the breeze.

West Perth was struggling to convert in front of goal, though, to not get reward for its dominance. South Fremantle grabbed two chances in a minute with Saunders and Donaldson both goaling to see the visitors lead again by eight points.

The Falcons regained control in general play and Strijk did manage a second goal, but West Perth kicked just 3.7 for the quarter with scores tied up at the long break.

The game was in the balance at half-time and it stayed that way for the first 10 minutes of the third quarter until South Fremantle took over the contest.

It started with Saunders booting his fourth goal of the day with his fourth kick from well outside 50 before Steven Edwards showed his class by balking an opponent and then kicking truly. A fifth goal to Saunders following a 50m penalty then put South Fremantle 17 points up.

Shaun Bewick nailed another goal for the Bulldogs from outside 50 near the boundary and the Bulldogs continued to pile on the pressure with Blaine Johnson making the Falcons pay for some horror turnovers coming out of defence with the last two goals of the third quarter.

South Fremantle kicked the only six goals of the term to lead by 35 points and that was out to 42 early in the last term when Shaw added his second.

West Perth showed brief signs of a fightback with Strijk's third and fourth goals, but the Bulldogs steadied with Shaw kicking a third and fourth, and Saunders his sixth as South Fremantle recorded the 35-point victory to return to the top of the WAFL and end West Perth's winning run.

South Fremantle's colts began the day at HBF Arena with an 11.8 (74) to 3.6 (24) victory over West Perth.

Ewan Larmett, Eamon Gilbert and Zac Guadagnin combined for West Perth's three goals.

Guadagnin gathered 27 possessions and 12 tackles to go with his goal for the Falcons while Brayden Thompson contributed 21 disposals, Connor West 19 and Tyrese Miller 19.

Then in the reserves contest, South Fremantle defeated West Perth 9.10 (64) to 7.9 (51) with the Bulldogs fighting back from a one-goal first half to kick eight goals to three after half-time to win by 13 points.

Tyson Moulton kicked three goals for the Falcons and Jordan Mills two with Mitch Peirce compiling 30 possessions, Matt Johnson 25, Mitch Antonio 20, James Batterham 18 and ruckman Seva Mozhaev 13 to go with 49 hit outs.

WEST PERTH            2.2    5.9    5.10    9.13    (67)
SOUTH FREMANTLE        4.3    6.3    12.4    16.6    (102)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Strijk 4; Chalmers 2; Leeson, Duffy, Hamilton.
Best: Nelson, Munns, Strijk, Keitel, Potente, Black, van Berlo. 
SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Saunders 6; Shaw 4; Johnson, Donaldson 2; Bewick, Edwards.
Best: Dragovich, Stewart, Bewick, Saunders, Higgins, Hockey, Guglielmana.