TOUGH OPENING TO 2015 CAMPAIGN FOR FALCONS

WEST Perth has quickly turned its focus to next Saturday's home opener for 2015 against Peel Thunder following losses for the league, reserves and colts against South Fremantle at Fremantle Oval in Round 1.

West Perth opened the WAFL season for 2015 up against South Fremantle at Fremantle Oval on Friday night and even though the Falcons kicked the first goal of the game, they never again held a lead with the Bulldogs ending up winning 14.6 (90) to 8.7 (55).

With the colts and reserves then also losing to South Fremantle on Saturday it wasn’t the way the Falcons wanted to start the 2015 season, but the chance to bounce back presents next Saturday against Peel Thunder at Joondalup's HBF Arena.

Two-time Breckler Medal winner Shane Nelson worked tirelessly for the Falcons on Friday night finishing up with a game-high 38 possessions while also laying six tackles.

Rohan Kerr also picked up 25 disposals and kicked two goals for West Perth with Jay van Berlo finishing with 20 touches, Matt Guadagnin 19, Luke Tedesco 18, Aaron Black 17 and Andrew Strijk 17. 

Drew Rohde has had six-time leading goalkicker Anthony Tsalikis' old No. 11 jumper passed on to him in 2015 and the half-forward showed encouraging signs on Friday night with 17 possessions and a goal.

Kody Manning worked hard applying pressure in the Falcons' forward-line and had 13 disposals, seven tackles and a goal.

Ruckman Chris Keunen worked hard for 11 touches, 35 hit outs and a goal as well in what was his 150th league appearance with the Falcons to see him earn life membership of the West Perth Football Club.

West Perth did kick the game's opening goal just five minutes in when Steve Potente was able to force the Bulldogs into a turnover in their defensive 50. Potente swooped and then got the ball on to a wide open Kerr waiting in the goal square who scored the goal.

However, from there South Fremantle hit back with the last four goals of the first quarter. The first came to veteran Craig White and then Haiden Schloithe goaled courtesy of a 50m penalty before full-forward booted two in-a-row before quarter-time.

That saw the Bulldogs lead by 20 points at the first change before again West Perth kicked the first goal of the second term with Sandover Medallist Black nailing a clever snap.

Bulldogs skipper Ryan Cook responded for the home team shortly after to again make the margin three goals before successive goals to West Perth courtesy of veterans Strijk and Keunen had the Falcons back within five points heading into time-on.

However, Cook responded with his second goal of the quarter for the Bulldogs and the result was an 11-point half-time lead for the home team.

The game was in the balance at half-time still but Ashton Hams came out and kicked the first goal of the second half to stretch the margin again to 16 points.

West Perth responded through Rohde but the Bulldogs reenergised veteran White kicked his second and third goals of the night in quick time, and then when James Sellar kicked truly just before three quarter-time, South Fremantle looked to have a match-winning 28-point advantage. 

The Falcons gave a brief indication of a comeback to start the final quarter with quick goals to Kerr and debutant Michael Lourey, but it didn’t last and the final quarter soon became party time for the Bulldogs in the season-opener.

Josh Pullman goaled from a 50m penalty against Jordan Jones before the Falcons premiership player limped off with a hamstring injury. White then booted his fourth goal, Ashton Hams nailed one from 50 and debutant Bennell ran into an open goal as South Fremantle won by 35 points.

West Perth's reserves only went down to South Fremantle by three points on Saturday at Fremantle Oval in a tightly-contested affair.

West Perth led by a point at quarter-time before South Fremantle took a four-point advantage into half-time. The Bulldogs led by a point at three quarter-time and then after two goals apiece in the last term, the home team held on for the three-point win.

Brayden Antonio, Callum Papertalk and Chris Yarran all kicked two goals apiece for West Perth while Corey Chalmers racked up 22 possessions, Blake Wilhelm 20, Antonio 19, Aidan Lynch 18, Kris Shannon 17, Kaidyn Fullgrabe 16 and Papertalk 16.

The Falcons' colts also went down the Bulldogs by 34 points at Fremantle Oval on Saturday morning.

The Falcons started solidly enough only trailing by two points at quarter-time, but the Bulldogs extended their lead to 17 points by half-time, 19 points at three quarter-time and 34 points by the final siren.

Mitch Antonio kicked two goals for West Perth with Scott Nelson racking up 20 possessions, Troy Manners 18, Mitchell Peirce 16, Liam Baker 16 and Conal Lynch 16.

WEST PERTH                1.0    4.4    5.6    8.7    (55)
SOUTH FREMANTLE            4.2    6.3    10.5    14.6    (90)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Kerr 2; Black, Strijk, Lourey, Rohde, Keunen, Manning.
Best: Nelson, Kerr, Strijk, Rohde, Guadagnin, Tedesco.
SOUTH FREMANTLE – Goals: White 4; Saunders, Cook, A Hams 2; Schloithe, Sellar, Pullman, Bennell.
Best: Wilson, K Hams, Higgins, A Hams, Cook, Bewick, Schloithe