It was perfect conditions at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday, but the WAFL Eagles couldn’t use it to their advantage, falling to South Fremantle in a significant 8.7 (55) to 22.11 (143) defeat.

Despite the result, it was a successful return to footy for Jai Culley (ACL) and Dom Sheed (foot), who both suited up for the first time this year and made it through the game unscathed.

Jai Culley high-fives Trey Ruscoe pre-game.

Culley was lively early, kicking West Coast’s first goal of the game off the back of an impressive diving grab, and finishing with eight disposals, four marks and four tackles.

Experienced midfielder Sheed led by example, delivering some tough plays around the contest and managing 15 touches, three marks and two tackles.

New Eagles recruit Harvey Johnston played his first game of league footy in the blue and gold, showing promising signs with his effort and energy around the ground.

Harvey Johnston made his league footy debut.

The Bulldogs started strongly, with Jake Florenca putting a goal on the scoreboard for the visitors within the first minute of the game.

Back-to-back goals from the Strom brothers, Zachary and Noah, pushed out the score in South Fremantle’s favour, before a late first-term goal from West Coast’s Zane Trew brought the margin back to 16 points at the first break.

The Dogs came out firing again in the second, before West Coast responded with consecutive goals from Shannon Lucassen and acting captain Trey Ruscoe.

Dom Sheed had a successful return from injury.

South Fremantle kicked away as the quarter went on, before keeping the Eagles goalless in the third and piling on four majors of their own.

Back-to-back goals from Eagles’ Next Generation Product Tyrell Dewar took some sting out of the final term for the home side, but South Fremantle finished strongly and secured the four points in a dominant display.

West Coast return to Mineral Resources Park next round to face East Fremantle on Sunday, bouncedown at 10:00am. 

WEST COAST                   2.1   5.2    5.5       7.7

SOUTH FREMANTLE        6.4   13.6   16.9    21.11

GOALS 

West Coast: Lucassen 2, Dewar 2; Culley, Trew, Ruscoe. South Fremantle: N Strom 5; Z Strom 4; Bourne, Parker, Schloithe 2; Florenca, Polson, Donaldson, Kelly, Winder, Main

BEST

West Coast: Sparks, Gaff, Hall, Trew, Johnston, Witherden. South Fremantle: Blechynden, Winder, N Strom, Z Strom, Parker, Florenca

Crowd: TBC at Mineral Resources Park