League: Tigers Suffer Heartbreaking Loss

Football can be a cruel game.

It can also be decided by fine margins and split-second moments.

Claremont suffered the cruellest of defeats after Perth’s Clint Jones snapped a behind fractionally before the final siren to give the Demons a thrilling one-point win, 15.9 (99) to 14.14 (98) at Claremont Oval on Saturday.

The brave Tigers, who held 28 and 22-point leads in the second and fourth terms respectively, lost returning defender Fraser Gilbert to a knee injury in the opening minute of the game and forward Beau Maister to concussion in the final term, leaving them with two rotations as the Demons relentlessly pushed for victory.

It proved too much for the Tigers, who now have a 1-5 record after their fourth consecutive loss.

Despite recording their highest score since round 22, 2017, after some of their best attacking play of the season on the back of slick ball movement and improved foot skills, the Tigers couldn’t hold off the fast-finishing Demons, who kicked three goals to one in the final term to record their second win of the season.

The Tigers were also left to rue inaccuracy, while the efficient Demons, who kicked 12.2 up until three-quarter-time, too often got out the back to kick easy goals against the run of play.

After starring for Western Australia against South Australia at Adelaide Oval seven days earlier, midfielders Kane Mitchell (40 disposals, one goal) and Jye Bolton (34 disposals, two goals) were the most prolific ball-winners on the ground, with Bolton recording a game-high 11 inside 50s.

Bailey Rogers (20 disposals, six marks) starred in defence and provided one of the highlights of the game when he ran down and prevented the zippy Cody Ninyette from kicking a goal at the 17-minute mark of the final term, while Haydn Busher (23 disposals), who mostly played on a wing, was another strong contributor.

Forward Tom Lee (seven marks) starred with his exquisite kicking for goal (4.0) and won the players’ player award, while Maister (six marks) backed up his four-goal haul against Peel Thunder.

The returning Oliver Eastland (46 hit-outs) dominated the ruck, while Isaac Wallace (five tackles) and Declan McNamara (13 disposals, four tackles) made promising debuts, with Keifer Yu also among the inclusions.

Blake Johnson kicked a team-high four goals for the Demons, while Brant Colledge kicked three and Jones recorded a team-high 31 disposals.

On a splendid day for football, the Tigers kicked to the northern end of the ground in the opening term as they wore black armbands in memory of dual premiership player and former captain Tony Beers, and former assistant coach Wayne Orsi.

However, a goal to Jones gave the Demons a quick start after a collision in front of the interchange ended Gilbert’s game before it had barely began.

A fierce tackle from Yu, who started the game forward, earned the Tiger a free-kick and saw him kick truly, before a thumping goal from Lee gave the hosts a six-point lead.

A desperate spoil from Anton Hamp at full-back briefly denied the Demons, before Colledge kicked their second.

Lee responded with his second after a long kick from the busy Bolton, before Colledge added his second via a free-kick in an entertaining start to the game.

A team-lifting chase and tackle from second-gamer James Egan was followed by a thumping goal from Bolton, before the prolific midfielder set up Maister as the Tigers took a 17-point lead into quarter-time.

Coach Darren Harris lauded the team’s pressing and contribution across the board, with the Tigers laying seven tackles inside 50, +31 in disposals, with Bolton (11) leading the way, and +16 in contested possession.

A great snap from Mitchell and second to Maister, with the latter set up by a mark and pass from first-gamer McNamara, extended the lead to a game-high 28 points early in the second term, before the Demons slammed on three goals during a poor eight minutes of play from the Tigers.

A spearing left-foot pass from Ledger set up Maister for his third and saw the Tigers respond, before two goals either side of a second to Bolton, saw the Demons close to within 13 points.

A major to Cody Leggett after the half-time siren saw the Demon cut the Tigers’ lead to just seven points at the main break, despite the hosts being well on top in inside 50s and recording seven more scoring shots.

A second goal to Kristian Cary saw the Demons trailing by just two points early in the third term, before Lee responded with his third major after a pinpoint pass from Tigers captain Ian Richardson.

Lee then went from goal scorer to provider when he set up fellow forward Maister for his fourth, before the Demons responded with two quick majors.

However, goals to Lee and Richardson saw the Tigers finish the term strongly and take a 15-point lead at the final change, with Harris imploring the team to get the ball forward and maintain territory, while also emphasising the importance of kicking the first goal in the final term.

Rogers put his body on the line to take a crucial mark as both teams began the term fiercely, before the flashpoint of the game occurred inside the Tigers’ 50.

Maister took a mark 25m from goal and would’ve lined up for his fifth major had he not been felled by a late Kasey Nicholas, with the Demon reported for striking and Maister forced from the field with concussion.

Inexplicably, the umpire failed to pay a 50m penalty, however, Egan kicked truly to give the Tigers a 22-point lead.

Now down two players, the Tigers were unable to prevent the Demons from kicking the final three goals, before a late pair of behinds saw the visitors prevail.

The Tigers will aim to end their losing streak when they face South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval in round eight.

CLAREMONT 5.5 9.8 13.11 14.14 (98)

PERTH 3.0 9.1 12.2 15.9 (99)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 4 T. Lee, B. Maister, 2 J. Bolton, 1 K. Mitchell, K. Yu, I. Richardson, J. Egan.

PERTH: 4 B. Johnson, 3 B. Colledge, 2 C. Ninyette, K. Cary, 1 C. Byrne, C. Jones, C. Leggett, L. Dennis.

BEST

CLAREMONT: K. Mitchell, J. Bolton, B Rogers, H Busher.

PERTH: C. Leggett, C. Jones, J. Levien, C. Yeo, Z. Hill.

By Dan Scamozzi.