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Development Report: Ferocious Tigers Advance to Preliminary Final

Monday, September 11, 2017 - 10:17 AM

By Dan Scamozzi

Claremont’s Reserves advanced to the preliminary final after defeating Swan Districts by 25 points in the first semifinal at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

The 12.12 (84) to 9.5 (59) win was set up by a five-goal-to-nil third term, with the Tigers now set to face Subiaco for the second time in three games, with the winner to face South Fremantle in the grand final.

The Tigers dominated most aspects of the game on the back of 129 more disposals (33 more contested), 70 more marks, 23 more inside 50s and 10 more scoring shots.

Dylan Holt finished as Claremont’s best player after his selfless performance was capped off with nine marks and an equal game-high three goals, with acting captain Tom Shanahan continuing his strong form and recording game-high hauls of 33 disposals and 12 marks.

John Williams marshalled the team across half-back and helped set the tone with his contested efforts around the ground, with Jacob Sideris also performing strongly.

Kaiden Gilbert hauled in eight marks and had a game-high seven inside 50s, with Max Bentley (23 disposals, five inside 50s) winning the players’ player award and Cameron Quenby laying a team-high eight tackles.

Chad Daniels (21 disposals, 10 tackles, one goal) was the only Swan to have 20 or more disposals, with Roderick Manton, Tom Smirk and Steven Wityk all kicking two goals as Swans saw their season come to an end.

With the Tigers kicking to the northern end of the ground in the opening term, a hot start to the game unfolded as both teams attacked the contest with vigour and applied constant pressure, before Eddie Simpson gave Claremont first blood at the seven-minute mark.

Brett Wilson kicked the Tigers’ second 11 minutes later, before a spearing pass from Lachlan Martinis set up Holt for the team’s third major and a 20-point lead approaching quarter-time.

With the Tigers dominating the majority of the opening term but missing gettable shots at goal, a late major to Smirk saw Swans close to within 14 points at the first change.

Coach Kepler Bradley lauded the team’s efforts in contested disposal (plus 17) and clearances (plus seven), with the Tigers also controlling the game through uncontested marks.

However, a lacklustre start to the second term saw Swans slam on four goals in the opening 10 minutes and take a nine-point lead.

Wilson responded for Claremont with his second major, before Wityk did likewise for Swans.

A thumping goal from the left-forward pocket from Nick Winmar gave the Tigers two of the last three majors, before Swans kicked a late goal after an undisciplined 50m penalty to take a seven-point lead at half-time.

With the Tigers needing to regroup and refocus, a second goal to Simpson after a great pass from Holt provided the perfect start to the second half, before Corey Mitchell put Claremont back in front after being found by Bentley.

A quick snap out of the pack gave Simpson his third and Claremont a 12-point lead, before Harry Sinclair, playing his first game since round 22, stormed into an open goal from a stoppage to give the Tigers four in a row.

A second to Holt capped off a scintillating term and saw the Tigers roar to a 24-point lead at the final change after restricting Swans to a solitary behind.

Despite a passionate plea from Bradley to finish off the game strongly, goals to David McKay and Smirk (second) saw Swans close to within nine points at the eight-minute mark of the final term and served as a reminder that the Tigers’ work was far from complete, before another booming goal to Winmar was set up by a great chase, tackle and pass from Williams.

Similar feats by Chris (CJ) Oakley and Tom Lawrence either side of a third goal to Holt capped off a fine win by the Tigers, and leaves the team just one win away from consecutive grand finals.

Meanwhile, Claremont’s Colts saw their three-game winning run ended by East Fremantle, 9.10 (64) to 12.7 (79), with the Tigers set to face East Perth in the preliminary final.

CLAREMONT 3.3 5.6 10.8 12.12 (84)

SWAN DISTRICTS 1.1 7.1 7.2 9.5 (59)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 3 D. Holt, E. Simpson, 2 B. Wilson, N. Winmar, 1 C. Mitchell, H. Sinclair.

SWAN DISTRICTS: 2 R. Manton, S. Wityk, T. Smirk, 1 C. Daniels, J. Nuich, E. Maguire.

BEST

CLAREMONT: D. Holt, T. Shanahan, J. Williams, J. Sideris, K. Gilbert.

SWAN DISTRICTS: B. Erceg, C. Daniels, B. McGillivray, E. Maguire, T. Yukich.