The Claremont Tigers are on the march. A grand four-quarter effort against Subiaco at the Showgrounds on Monday had Claremont fans roaring their approval of a side which has been improving steadily and now will be determined to rise from eighth on the premiership table.

Claremont’s spirited performance against the second-placed Lions earned the side a hard-fought and highly-deserving nine-point victory. It was a massive turnaround from the 80-point loss to Subiaco in round three two months earlier.

Now the immediate task is to replicate Monday’s display against West Perth at the Showgrounds next Saturday afternoon. The Tigers are aiming to develop their temporary home ground into a fortress.

Each one of the 22 players rose to the occasion and played a role in Monday’s heart-warming victory. But one young man stood out and deserves special acclamation. Hugo Breakey, in his first league appearance of 2014 --- after receiving fractured bones in his right hand in the round one reserves match against Perth at Lathlain Park in March --- was a match winner.

The 20-year-old Breakey, in his ninth WAFL appearance, was given the onerous task of tagging star George Hampson, Subiaco’s joint fairest-and-best winner last year, a WA representative this year and the leader in the $5000 AAMI WAFL Player of the Year competition.

Hampson, who booted 4.4 against the Tigers in the previous clash against Claremont, lined up on a half-forward flank and Breakey stuck to him like glue, constantly thwarting him with his tight-checking tactics. A frustrated Hampson did not take a mark and was restricted to four kicks (two of them free-kicks) and four three effective handpasses.

Hampson’s only score was a snapped goal just before the 20-minute mark of the final quarter. Breakey took four marks, had 12 kicks (including a goal) and drove the ball inside his side’s 50m attacking zone four times. He was credited with five tackles, a total which was equalled only by Claremont’s Andrew Foster.

It was a wonderful return to senior football by Breakey, who has suffered from shoulder problems in the past couple of years and then had the misfortune to damage his right hand just after half-time of the round-one reserves match against Perth this year. This was the result of a typical courageous effort from Breakey, who was hurt as he smothered a kick off the boot of a Perth opponent.

This required surgery when a couple of screws were inserted in his hand, which was encased in a protective black glove on Monday. Since his injury Breakey has shown wonderful discipline in keeping himself fit by working hard in the gymnasium and running every day. He resumed in the reserves side in the round-nine match against Swan Districts.

While Breakey excelled against Hampson, Matt Goyder also did a fine job in a back pocket where he won his duel against Chris Deluca and restricted him to a single goal, from a free-kick.

Claremont’s victory was a triumph for youth, as well as meticulous planning and firm self-belief. It was wonderful to watch the Claremont forwards line up at the start of the contest, with the full-forward line comprising 19-year-olds Brenden Abbott and debutant Mitch McGovern and 18-year-old Steven Edwards (all from Albany in the heart of Claremont’s Great Southern zone). For good measure, 18-year-old Albany product Darcy Cameron came off the bench early in the first quarter to take a turn at full-forward. 

The starting half-forwards were 21-year-olds Anton Hamp and Jack Richardson and 28-year-old Andrew Foster. 

Mark Seaby and Cameron held sway in the ruck duels and the Tigers had hard-working and efficient wingers in Tom Taylor and Sam Fong as well as a band of productive midfielders in acting captain Luke Blackwell, Ryan Neates, Foster, Jack Bradshaw, Corey Yeo and Matt Orzel.

It was tough, unyielding and spirited football in the first half when the lead changed hands eight times and the scores were level on another five occasions. Subiaco held a one-point lead at quarter-time and half-time. Claremont regained the lead 69 seconds into the third quarter and did not relinquish that advantage for the rest of the contest.

The early pace was a cracker, with Subiaco gaining the clearance from the opening bounce, Lachlan Delahunty taking a mark and then passing to full-forward Matt Boland for a goal with 60 seconds on the clock. The Tigers replied a minute later when Hamp gathered a Subiaco clearing kick and booting a major with the left boot from left half-forward.

Three minutes later a Blackwell handpass found Foster, who was pushed in the back, received a free-kick and a 50m penalty for Claremont’s second goal. Subiaco hit back with goals to Boland and Rhys Waters (from a free-kick for a high tackle) before the Tigers drew level with a Richardson goal (after receiving a delicate short pass from Bradshaw).

Four minutes later it was Blackwell to McGovern to Richardson for Claremont’s fourth major, after Richardson met with interference from Clancy Wheeler and received a free-kick. Then an accurate Boland snap saw the scores tied at 4.1 apiece. It was see-sawing stuff and Claremont were back in front again with a snapped goal from Edwards, following some cohesive work from Abbott, Hamp and Neates.

A soccered goal from Waters followed by a behind from Boland (from a free-kick) had the Maroons in front by a point at quarter-time.

It took the Tigers only 52 seconds to get back in front again in the second term. Taylor drove the ball long into attack where Cameron held a strong, contested mark for a goal. A free-kick to Deluca for a high tackle earned Subiaco their sixth goal, but the Tigers regained the lead four minutes later when Richardson posted his third goal, following passes from Taylor and Neates.

Then, remarkably, only one more goal was scored in the final 19 minutes of the quarter, a major to Shane Yarran after he had taken a mark. Shortly after that Cameron took a mark, but his shot at goal was fractionally off line, with the ball ploughing into the right goal post.

The Tigers were smartest into stride after the half-time break with a short, low pass from Richardson finding Bradshaw for the first of his three goals, with 69 seconds on the clock. This gave Claremont a five-point advantage, a lead they maintained until the final siren.

A goal to Foster (after a free-kick) was answered by a fourth goal from Boland, enabling the Lions to close the gap to five points. Five minutes later the hard-working Foster received a free-kick on the left wing and he passed to Bradshaw to give the Tigers some more breathing space.

Four minutes later the Tigers took full advantage of a fortuitous situation. Richardson was tackled as he was about to shoot at goal. Though thrown off balance, Richardson was able to get boot to ball and the ball slewed forward about 20m and landed on the chest of Breakey, who then brought up full points.

Foster again was to the fore, this time chasing Subiaco’s Brett Mahoney and earning a free-kick. He handballed to Fong, whose pass was marked by Hamp. But only a behind resulted. Blackwell gained yet another clearance from a stoppage at left half-forward and his rushed kick was marked by Edwards for another behind.

Once again, it was Claremont first out of the blocks at the start of a quarter. Neates gained the clearance at the opening bounce of the final term and the ball was sent forward, resulting in a snapped major from Bradshaw with just 19 seconds on the clock.

But the Maroons were not to be denied and they scored the next two goals, along with a succession of points. There was only five points the difference at the 20-minute mark. Two minutes later Claremont supporters breathed a heavy sigh of relief when Abbott gained possession at right half-forward and handballed to Neates, who centred the ball for Hamp to pull down an excellent mark 10m out and dead in front.

Hamp’s goal virtually sealed the issue. However, Subiaco refused to surrender and added a couple of behinds which left the Tigers triumphant by nine points.     

It was a great game.

by Ken Casellas

Details:

Claremont 13.9 (87) beat Subiaco 10.18 (78)

Scorers---CLAREMONT: J. Richardson 3.1; J. Bradshaw 3.0; A. Hamp 2.1; A. Foster 2.0; S. Edwards 1.2; D. Cameron 1.1; H. Breakey 1.0; B. Abbott, L. Blackwell, M. Seaby, C. Yeo 0.1. SUBIACO: M. Boland 4.2; R. Waters 2.0; S. Yarran 1.3; C. Deluca 1.1; G. Hampson, K. Horsley 1.0; C. Phelan 0.2; J. Bristow, J. Kayler-Thomson, N. Mahoney, J. Scafidi 0.1; 6pts forced.    

Best---CLAREMONT: H. Breakey, L. Blackwell, C. Yeo, A. Foster, J. Bradshaw, R. Neates, J. Richardson, S. Fong, T. Taylor. SUBIACO: C. Phelan, M. Boland, D. Leishman, J. Kayler-Thomson, K. Horsley, J. Bristow.