The Tigers' defensive unit was showcased once again as the back six, marshalled by Luke Richards, kept the Bulldogs goalless in the opening term and to just 12 points heading into the final break.

Rocherlea made the most of their defensive stranglehold as they cumulatively built their buffer across the first three terms with a six goal and change lead at the third interval.

"We've done a lot of work on our defence at the start of the year, they're doing a tremendous job on the [opposition's] offensive side and being able to keep them scoreless at times," Rocherlea coach Josh Ponting said.

"To have them at nine points by the half is a pretty good effort considering the firepower they've got up there."

The youthful Bulldogs refused to let the home side turn the fixture into a percentage booster as they saved their best quarter for the final term with a five goal to one stanza.

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Bart McCulloch (three goals) was the focal point in attack, including a terrific contested mark against two Tigers defenders, while Jordan Tepper and Jack Lewis providing the run out of the contest for the Dogs.

The Bulldogs looked like they might run over the top of the Tigers until Andrew Cox-Goodyer (three goals) added the home side's only goal of the final term which stretched the lead enough for the victory.

"We played our game for three quarters and South found a way to get themselves back into it and a get a little bit of a roll, and that's football, the game ebbs and flows," Ponting said.

"Our boys did a really good job at knuckling down for the last five minutes in the quarter and getting some stoppages and slowing the game down, we stuck to what we needed to do."

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Hillwood rejoined the winners' list with a comfortable 10.15 (75) to 5.6 (36) win over Bridgenorth.

The Sharks held the lead at every change but broke the game open in the third term with a four goal to two term which established the match-winning lead.

"I think we're still a couple of games off playing the football that we want to play but in patches we play really well and I honestly think that we play as good as anyone in the competition when we're up and about," Pearce said.

"It's just trying be able to play that for four quarters."

Stationed on a wing, Isaac Thompson ran all day and bagged a goal while forward duo Archie Wilkinson and Ben Hyatt kicked three apiece in the 39-point win.

"Isaac Thompson just really stood up today and played really well so that was his best game for the year, he was just class, he was everywhere."

Bracknell flexed their muscles against a hapless Deloraine to move back into top spot of the table with a 23.16 (154) to 2.7 (19) win on their home deck.

The reigning premiers opened up the game with a six goal first term as they held the Roos scoreless to set up a comfortable buffer.

Bracknell had 10 individual goalkickers on the day with Jack Triffett leading the way (four goals) while Samuel Goodluck, Matthew Dennis, Nicholas Mitchell and Samuel Borlini kicked three apiece.

George Town and Scottsdale played out a thriller as the Saints grabbed their second consecutive win 8.12 (60) to 8.11 (59).

The Saints led heading into the final term but had to survive a rallying Magpies outfit as Scottsdale put on two goals to one but notched four behinds which could have secured the victory.

Zach Burt, Zane Allen, James Long were three of the Saints' best while Ben Bell kicked three goals. Joe Robinson, Joe Krushka and Connor Young led the way for the Magpies and Chev Deacon kicked two goals.

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