Bulldogs best in show

by LES EVERETT

GRAND finals are funny things.

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South Fremantle coach John Dimmer & captain David Gault with the 2005 WAFL premiership cup. Photo by Les Everett.

Close ones, like Claremont's two point win over East Perth in 1996 and South Fremantle's six point derby win in 1997 excite the crowds and stick in the mind.

One-sided games allow fans of the winning team an early entry into their celebratory mode and even the players have the chance for some on-field reflection. For those on the losing side there's the opportunity to come to grips with the defeat before the final siren and sometimes there's comfort in that.

Sunday's WAFL grand final was tense, tight and tough early on. Claremont made the early running and held a narrow lead after 17 minutes. It was still tight in the second quarter until Toby McGrath too control. After spraying two shoots at goal out on the full, the Sandover Medallist kicked three contrasting goals that swung the game the way of the Bulldogs.

At half time South led by 24 points and there was a chance the game could blow out. It did. Claremont was overwhelmed by South Fremantle's ferocity - Ashton Hams and Justin Crawford deserve special mentions for their physical approach. And they were surprised by the versatility of the Bulldogs.

Tigers coach Ashley Prescott would not and could not have planned for the dynamic attacking performance of Theo Adams who marking brilliantly and kicked well in a devastating four goal effort.

Prescott would have spent lots of his planning time thinking about South's big forwards but Mitch Cornell's name probably didn't come to mind all that often. Moving very much like Justin Longmuir, Cornell kicked three goals and was the best big forward on the ground.

The defenders also worked well with Jaymie Graham cutting the dangerous Anthony Jones out of the game and Roger Hayden, Paul Duffield, Hayden North and Shane Tipuamantamerri all providing the kind of run so important to South Fremantle's style of play.

Daniel Gilmore got better as the game went on and it was good to see honest toilers like Keren Ugle, Ray Smithers and captain David Gault have their moments in the sun.

In fact the evenness of contributions of the South players in the grand final is a hallmark of John Dimmer coached teams.

The Bulldogs of 2005 were a well-organised and close-knit team and the coach can take a lot of credit for that.

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