South Fremantle have got themselves back on the winners list, snapping a three-game losing streak by beating West Perth by 39 points.

The reigning premiers did not quite produce the freewheeling football they showcased with regularity last year but did enough to comfortably overcome the last-placed Falcons, tasting victory for the first time since round six with an 11.12 (78) to 5.9 (39) victory.

The Bulldogs have moved up to third on the back of their sixth win of the season, giving them some important breathing room in what is shaping as a tight race for places in the top five.

On a frigid day at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, veteran South midfielder Jake Florenca was white-hot, continuing a strong spell of recent form by winning a game-high 34 disposals.

Jamaine Jones relished being swung from defence into the forward line by the winners, slotting a career-best four goals.

At the other end of the ground, seven-gamer Sam Otto kept five-time Bernie Naylor medallist Tyler Keitel without a major until the final term.

Having already left too much to too few throughout a one-win season, the Falcons could ill-afford the loss of one of their prime movers, but disaster struck when a knock sidelined on-baller Kane Bevan for the second half.

Connor West again tried hard in defeat for West Perth, with his 29 disposals including a pair of late goals.

The ball freely transitioned from one end of the ground to the other in the game’s early exchanges, but both sides let themselves down with the final kick of their chains.

What was a rare moment of quality in the scrappy start came through one of Florenca’s 11 disposals in the first term, a 50-metre bullet onto the chest of Jones in the goal square which allowed the swung-forward defender to slot what was just his second goal of the season.

West Perth were well on top in the midfield battle throughout the first half, at one stage owning a 19-11 advantage in clearances, but managed only two majors before the main break due to persistent disconnection between their on-ballers and forwards.

And although the Bulldogs also did not quite make the most of their own chances, they did manage the only three goals of the second quarter to open up an 18-point half-time lead.

Any doubt over which way the result was headed was erased in the third term, when Jones showed he still has some of the craft from an AFL career spent partly small forward by kicking two more goals and stalwart Noah Strom marked his return by hitting the scoreboard.

Jones struck again at the start of the final quarter to extend his run of side’s consecutive goals to seven but the Falcons were at least able to show some fight at the finish, hitting back with three late majors.

SCOREBOARD

SOUTH FREMANTLE 2.3, 5.4, 8.8, 11.12 (78)

WEST PERTH 2.1, 2.4, 2.6, 5.9 (39)

Goals - SOUTH FREMANTLE: J Jones 4 C Bourne 2 B Donaldson 2 R O’Hehir K Russell N Strom.

WEST PERTH: C West 2 J Demarte T Keitel T Moulton.

Best - SOUTH FREMANTLE: J Florenca J Jones L Rayson T Blechynden C Bourne C Pearson.

WEST PERTH: C West C Livingstone C Mulgolve S Nelson.

Injuries - SOUTH FREMANTLE: R Colborne (wrist). WEST PERTH: K Bevan (tbc).

Umpires: M Caifano T McPhee L Fahey-Gilmour A Crowhurst. Crowd: About 1500 at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.