Waterman Leads Tigers to Victory

By Dan Scamozzi

An outstanding debut by Jake Waterman helped Claremont record a 45-point win over Peel Thunder at Bendigo Bank Stadium.

Waterman, one of three Claremont debutants alongside Morgan Davies and Matt Guelfi, kicked five goals and took multiple strong marks in the Tigers’ 17.10 (112) to 10.7 (67) victory, as Peel saw their two-game winning streak come to an end.

Six goals to nil in the opening term paved the way for Claremont’s fifth win, as Peel dropped to fifth position despite winning the second and final terms.

Claremont’s Jye Bolton continued his remarkable form with 36 disposals, while Jared Hardisty (25 disposals, seven tackles, two goals), Ryan Lim and Tom Shanahan were also busy in the Tigers’ midfield.

Darcy Cameron (three goals) and Beau Maister (nine marks, one goal) provided a constant headache for Peel’s defence, while Mitch Andrews was outstanding in the ruck and had the better of Fremantle pair Jonathon Griffin and Jack Hannath.

However, Claremont’s win was somewhat soured by a foot injury to midfielder Ryan Neates, who sat out the second half.

Peel was best served by Connor Blakely and Clancee Pearce who each had 31 disposals and kicked one goal, while Michael Apeness provided a late cameo with five second-half goals after previously being blanketed by Haydn Busher.

Jack Bradshaw, Waterman, Morgan Davies, Zac Langdon and Guelfi all came into the Claremont team who were defeated by East Perth seven days earlier for Keifer Yu, Jack Richardson, Anton Hamp, Jack Beeck and Ben Higgs.

Acting captain Ian Richardson won the toss and elected to kick to the southern end with the aid of a breeze, as Maister found himself opposed by Peel’s Josh Bootsma, Busher lined up on Apeness and Shanahan went to Rory O’Brien.

In a befitting start to the game, Waterman kicked truly with his first kick in League ranks to give the Tigers first blood after the young forward was picked out by Maister.

Goals to Cameron and Alex Manuel soon followed as the Tigers burst out of the blocks, before majors to Tom Ledger, Hardisty and Langdon capped off a scintillating first term against a lacklustre and undisciplined Peel.

With Andrews winning 12 hit outs and giving Claremont’s midfield first use, Bolton winning 12 disposals and a spread of six goal kickers, the Tigers recorded their second-highest score for an opening term this season.

A second major to Hardisty extended Claremont’s lead to 44 points at the six-minute mark of the second term and made it seven consecutive goals before Langdon briefly left the field under the blood rule.

Pearce kicked Peel’s first goal at the 13-minute mark before a pair of majors to Morabito gave the hosts three in a row and trimmed the Tigers’ lead to 29 points.

However, a second goal to Waterman meant Claremont took a 35-point lead into half-time on the back of outstanding efforts by Hardisty and Bolton, and a ferocious attack on the ball.

Davies was also displaying his hunger with a couple of vital smothers.

Cameron gave Claremont a fast start to the second half with his second goal before majors to Maister and Bradshaw, the latter from deep in the forward pocket, saw the Tigers extend their lead to 52 points.

Waterman then lit up the contest with a pair of strong marks and goals either side of a third to Cameron, before the previously unsighted Apeness replied for Peel with two late majors.

This resulted in a 61-point lead to the Tigers at three-quarter time.

Three more goals to Apeness in the final term meant the Docker kicked five consecutive majors either side of three-quarter time.

Blakely then gave Peel six goals in a row and reminded Claremont that its work was far from complete, before Richardson snapped truly to briefly halt Peel’s momentum.

Morabito then kicked his third goal, before a second major to Langdon after two bounces and a fifth to Waterman capped off a fantastic win for Claremont.

The Tigers will now turn their attention to Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval in Round 20 and attempt to record consecutive wins for the first time this season.

CLAREMONT 6.2 8.6 14.9 17.10 (112)

PEEL THUNDER 0.1 3.1 5.2 10.7 (67)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 5 J. WATERMAN, 3 D. CAMERON, 2 J. HARDISTY, Z. LANGDON, 1 A. MANUEL, B. MAISTER, T. LEDGER, J. BRADSHAW, I. RICHARDSON.

PEEL THUNDER: 5 M. APENESS, 3 A. MORABITO, 1 C. BLAKELY, C. PEARCE.

BEST

CLAREMONT: J. WATERMAN, J. BOLTON, J. HARDISTY, M. ANDREWS, T. SHANAHAN, R. LIM.

PEEL THUNDER: C. BLAKELY, C. PEARCE, M. APENESS, J. DELUCA.