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A very enjoyable game. Difference seemed to be that Souths could take big contested  pack marks when it counted. Not sure what can be done about this when subi have only  a big old cumsy trier like Putty, who can really only bring the ball to the ground.. He is better this year,  to be fair. 
Couple of bald guys were impressive for Subi. Robbins, too. 
Suban looks a fat old pudding these days, but still a good player. 
Overall, a good start. Look forward to the next game. 

With 23 unavailable off the senior list due to Covid and injuries, 8 debutants and a11 senior players missing from last years GF team, I think it was a terrific effort to get so close to Souths. We lead for all but the last 10 mins but lacked the experience and poise in that last qtr to stop Souths falling over the line. They were bigger and out marked us consistently and made just enough better decisions to get the W. We blew it in the 3rd with wasteful forward line work. The younger players and even Sok going for shots from deep in the scoreboard pocket where is was all but impossible to score a major with that gale force southwesterly, where as in the last qtr, Souths centred the ball to 25 out in front of the goals where they took a couple of critical marks and snaps resulting in goals. Before the game I would have taken a 7 point loss as I expected we would get done by at least 30+. Wardmans coaching was very good given that more than half the team were regular ressies players or debutants, it was quite defensive which frustrated a usually free-wheeling attacking Souths side and almost caused a massive upset. 
Some of the youngsters coming in aquitted themselves very well but we desperately need a real ruckman, Dela was beaten up and exhausted at the end of the game, Putt did little but is just 21 and a work in progress.

Souths should have won and won well even given they had about 8 missing from their GF side but they have had all their new players for a full pre-season whereas Subi's prep has been seriously compromised, very similar to what has happened to WC where the lack of continuity at training has had a major impact.

A red hot Claremont next week at Apartment stadium, they are coming off a win over flag favouties Joondy so will be a much tougher opponent than Souths, hopefully we will get some senior players back for that game but the covid affect on their fitness is an unknown.
 

Agree SS, whilst SF came away with the 4 points, a short term plus,  Subi came away knowing their depth players are more then capable to compete at the WAFL level. A bit of short term pain for long term gain isn't a bad thing sometimes I guess.

Good summary SS. That third term when we had use of the breeze hurt us big time in that Souths set up well behind the ball and the likes of Bremen and Sokol were leading into the dead score board forward pocket which made kicking goals very hard. On that subject, Borchet is a shadow of himself after breaking his ankle early last season and being out until the last couple of games. He needs to find some form very quickly as we're looking vulnerable up forward with no Nick Martin. Huge effort by our defence who were under constant pressure with Souths +13 inside 50s which was made worse in that we only had Gus Dewar and Aaron Heal from our regular back 6 playing with no Rohde, Lockyer or Kennedy and Stainsby playing as a mid.

So much attack comes from that back 6, hopefully we'll get a few back next week. The very lopsided free kick count didn't help in a close game, I heard it was 27 to 18 Souths way. Claremont proved they will be contending for a top 3 spot after beating Joondy up at South Gero, they have so many scoring options and arguably the best midfield in the comp.

Yes...free kick count went their way but I don't think it made a difference. It was more poor decision making by some of our young blokes kicking into the corridor out of defence and turning it over, and even by our senior players with one Lachlan Delahunty producing his own howler when he took a mark 10 meters out and tried to play on only to get tackled and lose it. A certain goal gone begging...but I'm sure the likes of debutants Bremen, Ash, Connor Faraone, Holt, Clinch and co would have learnt a lot