FALCONS CAN'T QUITE GET OVER BULLDOGS

WEST Perth shot out of the blocks impressively against South Fremantle at HBF Arena on Sunday but couldn’t quite maintain the rage with the Falcons losing to the Bulldogs in a tight Round 3 WAFL contest.

 

West Perth was attempting to snap a six-game losing run against South Fremantle and got off to the ideal start with five goals to one in the opening quarter to be 24 points to the good by quarter-time.

 

But the Bulldogs kicked four goals in the opening nine minutes of the second quarter to claim the lead and from there it was a seesawing contest the rest of the way.

 

South Fremantle led by a point by half-time and then there were seven lead changes alone in the third quarter before West Perth finished it with an eight-point lead.

 

The Falcons were still nine points up when Tyler Keitel kicked his third goal at the nine-minute of the final quarter. But the Bulldogs kicked the game's last three goals, including Haiden Schloithe's fourth on the siren, to claim the 15.6 (96) to 13.10 (88) victory.

 

South Fremantle has now won seven straight matches against West Perth as a result of the win.

 

The Bulldogs also continued to enjoy their trips to HBF Arena. They have now won 18 of their 27 appearances at the Joondalup venue including seven of the last eight as a result of the eight-point victory.

 

West Perth has now lost its past two matches since beating Claremont at home in the opening round.

 

Tyler Keitel had made a slow start in attack for West Perth with just the one goal in the opening two games but he had a better performance on Sunday with three goals from 18 possessions and eight marks.

 

Former skipper Jay van Berlo also kicked two goals to go with 17 disposals and five marks with Rudy Riddoch kicking two majors as well.

 

Triple Breckler Medal winner Shane Nelson continued his prolific ball winning form with another 41 possessions and seven marks for West Perth with captain Aaron Black also compiling 32 disposals and 10 marks.

 

Andrew Strijk was important again off half-back for the Falcons with 25 possessions and eight marks while Mark Hamilton had a good duel with Mason Shaw at centre half-back, ending the day with 18 touches and eight marks.

 

Corey Chalmers picked up 19 possessions for the Falcons, Trent Manzone 17, Luke Meadows 16 and ruckman Chris Keunen 16 to go with six marks and 24 hit outs.

 

It was a hot start by the Falcons started with a goal to Rudy Riddoch to get the ball rolling. By the time Tyler Keitel also kicked truly and Riddoch added a second using the outside of his right boot to checkside it home, the Falcons were up by those three goals.

 

South Fremantle got its only major of the first term thanks to Blaine Johnson, but West Perth responded through Keegan Knott and then Kody Manning to lead by 24 points at the first change.

 

Knott's effort was a spectacular snap from the boundary after having to jump the fence following taking the mark while Manning delivered a trademark effort bursting through defenders to kick truly on the run.

 

South Fremantle had some work to do by quarter-time but responded in the best possible way with goals to Ashton Hams, Haiden Schloithe, Hams again and then Matthew Parker in the opening minutes of the second term to claim a one-point lead.

 

The Bulldogs still managed to lead by a point heading into half-time before West Perth regained the lead to open the second half when Trent Manzone kicked truly inside 45 seconds. The Falcons' advantage was then 12 points when Luke Meadows goaled as well.

 

But South Fremantle answered with three goals in five minutes to Ben Saunders, Parker and Schloithe to be up by five points again at the 13-minute mark.

 

It was then goal for goal the rest of the third term as the lead continued to change hands. Conal Lynch, Jay van Berlo and Keitel all put West Perth back in front after South Fremantle goals to Johnson and Saunders.

 

But a goal on the siren for the Falcons to van Berlo put the home team eight points up. They regained a nine-point advantage with Keitel kicking his third at the nine-minute mark of the last quarter too.

 

But South Fremantle responded with goals to Saunders and Mason Shaw, before Schloithe sealed the win on the siren with the Sandover Medallist booting his fourth of the day.

 

The day started on Sunday at HBF Arena with a thrilling reserves contest with West Perth ending up winning 12.6 (78) to 10.16 (76).

South Fremantle got on top through the second and third quarters before appearing to have opened up a match-winning lead halfway through the final quarter.

 

But West Perth kept coming and with a five-goal last term capped off with Mitch Antonio goaling after the siren when he marked in the goal square, they stormed home for the two-point victory.

 

Michael Lourey kicked four goals for West Perth to go with 18 possessions and eight marks. Mitch Antonio finished with three goals and Kurt Hindmarsh two.

 

Connor West continued to put his hand up for a league debut with the Falcons with 29 possessions and eight marks.

 

Brayden Antonio also gathered 24 disposals, Max Alexander 24, Mitch Peirce 22, Baylee James 21 and Scott Nelson 21.

 

The colts contest took place at HBF Arena on Saturday afternoon with West Perth winning another nail-biter, beating South Fremantle 8.9 (57) to 8.6 (54).

 

South Fremantle's colts kicked away in the second quarter with the only four goals to lead by 25 points at half-time.

 

But by West Perth had closed the gap and levelled scores before the Falcons kicked three goals to two in the last term to win by three points.

 

Nathan Murray delivered a best on ground performance for West Perth with 31 possessions, five inside-50 entries and two goals.

 

Bailey Chalmers compiled 27 possessions for the Falcons, Alec Johnson 26, Koopah Todd 17, Brayden Templeton 17 and ruckman Eamon Gilbert 17 to go with 22 hit outs.

 

West Perth will now try to bounce back on Saturday in the now annual fixture to commemorate Anzac Day against Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval. That's a Swans team who won their opening two games of 2018 before a 96-loss at the hands of Subiaco.

 

 

WEST PERTH – Goals: Keitel 3; van Berlo, Riddoch 2; Meadows, Manzone, Lynch, Knott, Moulton, Manning.

Best: Nelson, Black, Strijk, Hamilton, Keunen, Keitel, Shannon.

SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: Schloithe 4; Saunders, Hams 3; Johnson, Parker 2; Shaw.

Best: Schloithe, Hockey, Suban, Cook, Hams, Parker, Edwards, Wilson.