Tigers Maul Falcons

by Dan Scamozzi

Claremont (Colts) registered its fourth win of the season and third in a row with a 99-point thumping of an abject West Perth at HBF Arena in round seven.

An 11-goal-to-nil second half paved the way for Claremont’s 18.15 (123) to 3.6 (24) demolition, with the Tigers backing up their 105-point mauling of Peel Thunder eight days earlier.

It’s the second consecutive game where Claremont has restricted its opposition to a paltry score of 3.6, with the Tigers supplying superb pressure all over the ground.

Jacob Sideris, Bailey Banfield and Matt Guelfi were prolific ball winners, while Chris Oakley and Tom Lawrence kicked four goals apiece.

Jake Waterman took nine marks and kicked 3.3, while ruckman Jeremy Goddard gave his teammates first use with 40 hit outs.

Goals to Waterman and Oakley gave Claremont an ideal start to the game and a 13-point lead at the 18-minute mark of the opening term, before Eamon Gilbert pulled one back for West Perth just before quarter-time.

With the Tigers holding a seven-point lead at the first change, coach Ross McQueen implored his troops to tidy up their skill errors and increase their communication.

A goal to Lawrence in the opening minute of the second term following a spearing pass by Sideris restored Claremont’s 13-point lead, before Oliver Eastland benefited from some outstanding run and poise by Keanu Shandley to kick the Tigers’ fourth major.

Ewan Larmett kicked West Perth’s second goal eight minutes later, before a pair of majors to the hard-working Oakley gave him three for the half and Claremont a 26-point buffer.

A goal to Banfield quickly followed with Oakley involved once again, before Hunter Onn kicked West Perth’s third, and incredibly, final goal.

A 27-point lead at half-time quickly turned into 45 points on the back of a second goal to Waterman and a pair of majors to Lawrence (three), with the Tigers displaying a ferocious attack on the ball.

A pair of goals to Shandley either side of a major to Dylan Wallam saw Claremont leading by 62 points at three-quarter time.

A fourth goal to Lawrence increased the lead to 70 at the five-minute mark of the final term, with the Tigers peppering the goals and West Perth unable to find a way out of the manic pressing and pressure inside Claremont’s attacking half.

Caiden Curtin then added his name to the goal kicking list, before a second to Wallam and fourth to the lively Oakley pushed the margin out to 93 points.

An outstanding chase and tackle by Jake Stergiou reaffirmed Claremont’s unwavering work ethic, before a third goal to Waterman capped off a memorable day for the Tigers and continued West Perth’s miserable start to the season.

Claremont will look to make it four consecutive wins when it hosts South Fremantle at the Show Grounds in round eight.

CLAREMONT 2.3 7.6 13.8 18.15 (123)

WEST PERTH 1.2 3.3 3.6 3.6 (24)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 4 C. OAKLEY, T. LAWRENCE, 3 J. WATERMAN, 2 K. SHANDLEY, D. WALLAM, 1 O. EASTLAND, C. CURTIN, B. BANFIELD.

WEST PERTH: 1 E. LARMETT, H. ONN, E. GILBERT.

BEST

CLAREMONT: C. OAKLEY, J. SIDERIS, B. BANFIELD, M. GUELFI, K. SHANDLEY, J. STERGIOU, J. GODDARD.

WEST PERTH: L. BAKER, J. ROTHAM, E. LARMETT.