Purple patch delivers key win and second place

John Townsend

Five minutes of exquisite football produced 15 unchecked disposals, five goals and a lead that Claremont used to resist West Perth and rise to second place on the WAFL ladder.

The 32-point win over the Falcons at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday was underpinned by the qualities Claremont will need to have an impact in September.

Ruckman Ollie Eastland was a dominant force once again, blue-blood midfielders Jye Bolton, Bailey Rogers and Ben Elliott were prolific and influential, and power forwards Jaiden Hunter and Kieran Gowdie built their important relationship with seven goals between them in the 14.9 (93) to 9.7 (61) result.

But that was only part of the story.

Speedster Joel Western had an immediate impact in his first match in nine weeks, having three touches in the opening minute and setting up the two goals on the board before a West Perth player touched the ball.

Jasper Peace did such a good job quelling four-time Bernie Naylor medallist Tyler Keitel that the big Falcon was forced into the ruck in the second half where he sparked a West Perth comeback.

And Max Minear was a powerful force in defence, where he dragged in a game-high nine marks and matched Peace and Anthony Davis with five effective spoils that stymied numerous West Perth forward thrusts.

Yet on a day that marked exactly 50 years since provocative Mal Brown made his Claremont debut by becoming the only league footballer to wear No.100 on the field, Claremont’s best football was their most flamboyant.

That was seen in a five-minute burst from the start of time-on in the first quarter when Claremont kicked five straight goals and did not allow their opponents to get a disposal.

The seven-goal term provided Claremont with a 39-point lead at the first break and though West Perth whittled the margin it back, particularly in the last quarter when they had the advantage of the howling storm front, the result was evident early in the contest.

Gowdie started the streak by converting a 50m set shot after leading directly as a splendid Eastland pass.

Bolton then won the next centre clearance and slammed the ball inside 50 where Tyron Smallwood collected it and handballed to Hunter whose true snap gave him two majors in the opening term. Four disposals, two goals.

Elliott won the next clearance before a chain of handballs ended with Alec Waterman’s slick pass finding Western who ran into an open goal. Ten disposals, three goals.

Eastland won the next centre clearance, one of his 13 from 41 hit-outs and 28 possessions, while his kick inside 50 was to Hunter’s advantage who passed to Mainwaring for the fourth major in as many minutes. Thirteen disposals, four goals.

The onslaught was not over.

Eastland won another hit out and clearance while his long kick, helped by the 40kmh wind blowing to the northern end of the ground, fell for Gowdie who swooped on the loose ball and belted it home. Fifteen disposals, five goals.

West Perth had the better of the second half as Keitel gave them a level of drive absent in the first hour but Claremont were never threatened and eased to their seventh win of the season.

It was coach Ash Prescott’s 124th win at the Tigers, taking him past Gerard Neesham’s mark and just 11 short of Graham Moss’s record, but more importantly steered his team into a position of strength for the last two months of the home-and-away season.

Eastland remains the team’s pivotal figure but Bolton (32 disposals), and Rogers and Elliott (25 each), help convert the ruckman’s impact with effective dividends.

Wingmen Sam Alvarez (27) and Talon Delacey (26), in his 50th match, were also prolific contributors while their goal apiece came at important moments.

The club’s enviable depth will ensure selection pressure will continue to build with captain Declan Mountford and Sandover medallist Callan England expected to return in the next couple of weeks while giant ruckman Kalin Lane, who has returned after four seasons with Brisbane, got through his first reserves match after a knee reconstruction.

CLAREMONT 7.3 9.5 13.7 14.9 93

WEST PERTH 1.0 2.3 6.6 9.7 61

GOALS – CLAREMONT: Hunter 4; Gowdie 3; Rogers, Western, Waterman, Martinis, Alvarez, Delacey, Mainwaring. WEST PERTH: Knott, Dixon, Patterson, Keitel 2; Rundle.

BEST – CLAREMONT: Eastland, Elliott, Bolton, Rogers, Minear, Peace, Alvarez, Martinis, Western, Lewsey. WEST PERTH: Keitel, Guadagnin, Bevan, Lynch, A Nelson.