Bulldogs next month season defining

South Fremantle chief executive Cameron Britt believes the Bulldogs are ready to fire after overcoming their salary cap breach points penalty.

The club received sanctions over the summer including the loss of eight premiership points for exceeding the total player payments limit in the 2021 season, but moved their tally into the positives with a 29-point win over East Perth before the state game bye.

Britt told Sports Breakfast the sanction was a non-factor for the playing group.

“I think getting that four points into the black for our fanbase and our members was really important and a symbolic moment for what we’ve encountered this year,” Britt said.

“We’ve won three games, not one, we just don’t happen to pick up those points, as we know, and that’s the sanction and we just get on with it.

“We’re just trying to take every game on its merits.”

Todd Curley’s side has a big month of football ahead of them, with this Saturday’s clash with Perth at Fremantle Community Bank Oval followed up by the WA Day derby against East Fremantle and clashes with West Perth and East Perth.

Britt said the stretch would be “absolutely defining” for the Bulldogs’ finals hopes.

“Even Perth this weekend, they’re not going on that well, but we need to be right on our game every week. There’s no such thing as an off week,” he said.

“We believe we have a really good list, we’re just figuring out how we maximise the production out of our list at the moment and work within a few injuries and a few niggles.

“(Ladder leaders) Peel are five and one and the one is because of us. I thought we played really good footy that day, so we just have to go and try to discover that again and find the formula and ingredients to maintain that consistency.”

East Fremantle hosting the derby at the WACA Ground in East Perth has caused consternation in some corners, but Britt said the Sharks had a right to host the game at their temporary home while East Fremantle Oval undergoes renovations.

“I’m totally okay with them receiving the home derby,” he said.

“I don’t want this issue to come back and bite me, because there will probably come a time when we’re redeveloping our oval and I’ll want to play somewhere (else).”

Speculation built that young ruckman Jackson Broadbent had left the club after he featured for his hometown Collie Eagles last weekend, but Britt said he was still a required player who had been granted a release for the bye weekend.

IMAGE: WA FOOTBALL