WAFL 2024: East Fremantle defy lack of home ground advantage to dish out derby demolition to South Fremantle

East Fremantle have defied a lack of home ground advantage in their nominal home Fremantle derby to produce a phenomenal performance, smashing South Fremantle by 66 points at Fremantle Community Bank Oval. Unable to host the contest at East Fremantle Oval due to ongoing issues over their return to the ground, the reigning premiers looked right at home at the abode of their arch-rivals, dominating for the duration of the day in a 17.16 (118) to 7.10 (52) victory. The win sees the competition’s form side extend the league’s longest current winning streak to four games, while the Bulldogs — who started the season with five wins in their first six games — are now firmly locked in a race with Claremont for the final spot in the top five. Cam Eardley and Dillon O’Reilly led the way with four goals apiece in a balanced attacking effort from the winners, while Milan Murdock overcame some close checking to register a game-high 25 disposals, leading the way as his side dominated the midfield battle. The Bulldogs were without many winners on the day and will be sweating on another injury to one of their key players, with Haiden Schloithe ending the day with ice on his knee. Sent forward to start the game by Bill Monaghan in a trademark surprise, Eardley slammed home a set shot for the first goal of the afternoon as part of a huge early impact which would have been even bigger had he not misfired with his next three attempts. The Bulldogs were better value than their goalless return for the term but East Fremantle’s defence, expertly marshalled by captain Matt Jupp on return from concussion, held firm in the face of several attacking forays. Veteran Strom started the second term by costing his side a rare scoring opportunity with a rookie error, playing on after an inside-50 mark and being run down, and the Sharks added insult to injury by transitioning the ball to the other end and having Blaine Boekhorst split the major opening. Strom attempted to spark his side in the second term by taking a mark of the year contender on the wing, but a run of five straight conceded goals still saw his side still headed for the major break trailing by 41 points. Eardley set the early tone in the second half by punching home his third major and quick follows from Dillon O’Reilly and Chris Walker saw the margin extend beyond 10 goals. Battling through at full forward, Schloithe straightened the Bulldogs up and created some opportunities to at least ensure the margin did not get seriously ugly in the third term. But the Sharks put the finishing touches on a dominant day in the final quarter, with Jono Marsh producing a ‘fins up’ celebration after he rolled home his first goal of the day as the clock ticked into added time. SCOREBOARD EAST FREMANTLE 2.5, 8.9, 14.12, 17.16 (118) SOUTH FREMANTLE 0.2, 2.4, 5.7, 7.10 (52) Goals – EAST FREMANTLE: D O’Reilly 4 C Eardley 4 J Hagan 3 J Cleaver 2 B Boekhorst H Marsh C Walker J Marsh. SOUTH FREMANTLE: E Graham 2 K Harbour R Colborne C Bourne I Winder C Datson. Best – EAST FREMANTLE: C Eardley M Murdock M Jupp J Hagan J Cleaver K Baskerville. SOUTH FREMANTLE: Z Strom C Pearson J Carter I Winder. Injuries - SOUTH FREMANTLE: D Main (personal) replaced in the selected side by C Datson, H Schloithe (knee). Umpires: C Snadden T McPhee G Simmonds J Kerr. Crowd: 3459 at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.