Tigers Pounce on Wasteful Swans

Claremont’s Reserves’ third and final pre-season match took place at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday, with the Tigers recording a 13-point win against an inaccurate Swan Districts.

With Jye Bolton (41 disposals, 12 marks, six inside 50s, three goals) best afield in his first match of the pre-season, the Tigers prevailed 10.8 (68) to 6.19 (55).

The win was also set up by a three-goal-to-nil second term and the ability to capitalise in front of goal.

Jacob Orr, Brett Wilson, Josh Bennett (acting captain) and Jake Stergiou all impressed, while Nick Yarran laid a team-high six tackles and kicked one goal.

Ben Higgs continues to show his versatility at both ends of the ground, with the utility taking nine marks, kicking two goals and also contributing to several others.

In further good news, Jack Beeck lined up in his first game at any level since round 23, 2016, as he works his way back to full match fitness following a knee reconstruction, with the popular and fierce Tiger impressing in defence with his reading of the play and attack on the ball.

Charles Le Fanu and Nick Bucknall were also among the inclusions, however, the Tigers lost Jesse Laurie (calf) to injury in the first term.

A goal to Swans’ Levi Ridley gave the hosts an early lead in overcast conditions, before Bolton snapped truly to draw the Tigers level.

Consecutive majors to Swans gave the hosts a 12-point lead at the 13-minute mark of the opening term, before a booming kick from Higgs allowed Kaiden Gilbert to kick the Tigers’ second goal and trim the deficit to seven points at the first change.

With Bolton prominent but the Tigers one man down, coach Steven Armstrong praised the team’s great effort, before another long kick from Higgs resulted in another ground-level goal early in the second term, this time to Yarran, and followed Armstrong’s quarter-time message to get the ball deep in the forward line.

Higgs then went from goal provider to scorer, as the Tiger strongly marked a booming kick from Bolton and kicked truly to give the team a six-point lead.

James Egan quickly added the Tigers’ fifth major and gave the team a nine-point lead at half-time, with Swans restricted to just four behinds for the term.

A second goal to Higgs, resulting from some great ball movement, gave the Tigers five consecutive majors and a 15-point lead early in the third term, before Bolton snapped his second following some great efforts from Bailey Bennett.

With Bolton now playing deep and putting on a show, the 2016 Sandover Medallist quickly added his third as the Tigers took a 27-point lead on the back of seven consecutive goals, before two majors to a wasteful Swans briefly halted the momentum and pulled the hosts to within six points at the final change.

A goal to Rhett Lloyd extended the Tigers’ lead to 12 points and gave the team some breathing space in the final term, before Swans hit back through a second goal to Tom O’Brien.

However, a goal to Tre Kelton followed some great transition from defence and saw the Tigers prevail, as they now turn their attention to round one of the McDonald’s WAFL Premiership Season and West Perth at HBF Arena on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Claremont’s Colts defeated Swan Districts by 36 points, 16.2 (98) to 9.8 (62).

CLAREMONT 2.2 5.4 8.4 10.8 (68)

SWAN DISTRICTS 3.3 3.7 5.16 6.19 (55)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 3 J. Bolton, 2 B. Higgs, 1 J. Egan, R. Lloyd, K. Gilbert, N. Yarran, T. Kelton.

SWAN DISTRICTS: 2 T. O'brien, 1 G. Ottaviano, C. Garcia, L. Ridley, Z. Pethybridge.

By Dan Scamozzi