Round 4 League Match Report

Wastefulness Cost Tigers

By Dan Scamozzi

Despite 56 more disposals, 12 more marks, 15 more inside 50s and nine more scoring shots, Claremont was left to rue several missed opportunities in front of goal against Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval in round four.

Swans’ six-point victory, 13.5 (83) to 10.17 (77), saw the Black Ducks record their first win for the season, and condemned an inaccurate Claremont to consecutive losses.

For the second week running, Claremont was unable to capitalise on a dominant opening term and were made to pay by a fast-finishing opposition.

The ball-winning ability of Jye Bolton and captain Jake Murphy, relentless run of Tom Ledger, reliable Ryan Lim and enigmatic performance of Ian Richardson (3.5) were not enough to get the Tigers across the line.

After some promising performances in Claremont’s Reserves, Zac Langdon (debut) and Jack Richardson were rewarded with inclusions in place of Haydn Busher and Dylan Ross, and each kicked two goals.

However, eight Tigers were guilty of kicking behinds.

Swans were best served by Aaron Elari, Freddie Clutterbuck, Albert Dean and Ricky Cary (three goals), while skipper Tallan Ames restricted Beau Maister to just two behinds.

With the Tigers looking to atone for last round’s loss to Perth, Murphy won the toss of the coin and elected to kick to the city end in the opening term with the aid of a healthy breeze.

An inspiring tackle by Jack Bradshaw highlighted Claremont’s appetite for the contest early on, with Ledger and Murphy already winning their share of the ball.

But an errant kick from Bradshaw across half-back, following four consecutive behinds for Claremont, gifted Dean and Swans the opening goal of the game.

A goal to Langdon after some great work by Darcy Cameron saw the Tigers respond and take a four-point lead, before Murphy extended the buffer from long range.

Consecutive goals to I. Richardson, the second from 60m, saw the Tigers’ lead out to 23 points, with Swans unable to work their way into the contest due to Claremont’s dominance.

On the back of his two goals, some fine efforts and a team-lifting smother from I. Richardson saw Claremont take a 26-point lead into quarter-time, however, it should’ve been a lot more, and would come back to haunt the Tigers.

The efforts of Ledger, Murphy, I. Richardson and Matt Davies, who had done well to blanket Swans’ Matt Rogers, contributed to the Tigers’ fast start.

Claremont coach Michael Broadbridge implored his troops to keep the “foot down” in order to avoid a repeat of last round’s fadeout against the Demons.

With the breeze now in favour of Swans, a goal to the versatile Tony Notte gave the Black Ducks first blood in the second term and trimmed Claremont’s lead to 17 points.

Despite Swans recording the first four scoring shots for the term, a goal to J. Richardson following a searching pass by Matt Palfrey saw the Tigers respond, before Dean was once again the beneficiary of an errant kick in Claremont’s defence, this time from Bolton, and replied for Swans with his second major.

Further goals to Tom Smirk and Rogers gave Swans three in a row and had them trailing by just 10 points, with a bit of feeling from both sides now creeping into the contest.

A dribbled effort from the boundary line saw Langdon grab his second and a badly-needed reply for Claremont, before Palfrey benefited from a 50m penalty to kick the Tigers’ seventh major.

A late goal to Cary saw Swans close the gap to 11 points at half-time after kicking five goals to three for the quarter.

Matthew Jukes, barely sighted in the first half, gave Swans the opening goal of the second half, before I. Richardson replied for Claremont with his third after a pinpoint pass by Bradshaw.

A second goal to J. Richardson following a handball from I. Richardson saw the Tigers kick their ninth goal and take a 21-point lead, before Smirk added his second for Swans.

A late goal to Brayden Hackett, on debut, saw Swans finish the term strongly and trail by just 10 points at the final change, with the Tigers now in a spot of bother and needing to regain their composure.

Broadbridge encouraged Claremont to lower their eyes and control the ball in the final term, while leaving everything on the field in search of a winning effort.

A quick snap out of the pack by Bolton gave the Tigers a 17-point lead at the nine-minute mark, before Cary replied for Swans with his second major.

A dribbled effort by Clutterbuck and long-range bomb from Kirk Ugle gave Swans three in a row and levelled the scores at the 20-minute mark, with Claremont now on the ropes and unable to find a clear way to goal.

Despite the contest developing into a tight affair for the next five minutes, a third goal to Cary broke Tiger hearts and saw Swans prevail.

Claremont will look to get its season back on track when it tackles the in-form East Fremantle at ATOM Stadium in round five.

In positive news, Francis Watson played the second half for Claremont’s Reserves as he works his way back to full fitness.

CLAREMONT 4.8 7.9 9.15 10.17 (77)

SWAN DISTRICTS 1.0 6.4 9.5 13.5 (83)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 3 I. RICHARDSON, 2 J. RICHARDSON, Z. LANGDON, 1 J. BOLTON, M. PALFREY, J. MURPHY.

SWAN DISTRICTS: 3 R. CARY, 2 T. SMIRK, A. DEAN, 1 B. HACKETT, K. UGLE, M. JUKES, M. ROGERS, T. NOTTE, F. CLUTTERBUCK.

BEST

CLAREMONT: J. BOLTON, T. LEDGER, J. BRADSHAW, I. RICHARDSON, R. LIM, J. MURPHY.

SWAN DISTRICTS: A. ELARI, R. CARY, A. DEAN, F. CLUTTERBUCK, T. AMES.