Reserves: Tigers too Good for Royals

By Daniel Scamozzi

A four-goals-to-one opening term helped Claremont’s Reserves record a nine-point win against East Perth in terrible conditions at Claremont Oval in round 16.

Jordan Clark (17 disposals, seven tackles), Tyron Smallwood (19 disposals, seven tackles, three goals) and Rylie Morgan (21 disposals, 10 tackles) all made promising debuts in the 7.8 (50) to 6.5 (41) triumph as the Tigers recorded their 10^th win of the season and returned to the top of the ladder.

The Tigers laid 111 tackles in the wet and heavy conditions, with the prominent Jacob Sideris (team-high 27 disposals, one goal) laying a game-high 15 as both teams tried to move the waterlogged ball forward by any means.

Bailey Bennett was Claremont’s best player and won the players’ player award for his outstanding performance which included 23 disposals (21 contested), nine tackles and one goal.

Morgan’s terrific debut included 16 contested disposals while fellow debutant Smallwood kicked two goals during the Tigers’ dominant opening term.

Meanwhile, acting captain Jesse Laurie marshalled the Tigers’ defence and continues to lead the team superbly.

Matt Young kicked two goals for East Perth as the Royals suffered their sixth loss of the season.

The Tigers kicked to the southern end of the ground in the opening term and grabbed an early lead after a quick kick out of the pack from James Egan resulted in the opening goal of the game.

Smallwood then doubled the advantage after repeat efforts from Nick Bucknall, before the debutant quickly snapped his second goal from a similar position in quick succession to give the Tigers a terrific start.

Young responded for East Perth with his and the team’s first major, before Ben Rushforth soccered through the Tigers’ fourth goal to give the hosts a 19-point lead at quarter-time.

Clark provided a glimpse of his class in the final minute of the opening term when the versatile 17-year-old, who was named Western Australia’s most valuable player and named in the All-Australian team following the recent under-18s Championships, bravely ran with the flight of the ball to haul in a courageous mark.

Just five behinds were scored in the second term as the Tigers took a 16-point lead at half-time before two of the first three goals in the second half saw East Perth close to within 10 points nearing the midway point of the third term.

However, in between those goals was a third to Smallwood, who evaded an opponent before finishing with aplomb from the right-forward pocket.

Goals to Bennett and Sideris then extended the Tigers’ lead to 24 points at the final change before Clark laid a great tackle in defence and earned himself a free kick in the final term.

Despite East Perth kicking the final three goals, the Tigers held on to record their third consecutive win.

The Tigers will aim to record their fourth consecutive win when they host Subiaco at Claremont Oval in round 17.

Meanwhile, Claremont’s Colts recorded their first win since round 11 after defeating East Perth by 45 points, 13.12 (90) to 7.3 (45).

CLAREMONT 4.2 4.3 7.5 7.8 (50)

EAST PERTH 1.1 1.5 3.5 6.5 (41)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 3 T. Smallwood, 1 B. Bennett, J. Sideris, B. Rushforth, J. Egan.

EAST PERTH: 2 M. Young, 1 B. Miller, N. Eaton, M. Karpany, M. Gupanis.

BEST

CLAREMONT: B. Bennett, R. Morgan, T. Smallwood, J. Laurie, J. Sideris.

EAST PERTH: B. Miller, H. Stack, M. Young, C. Hart.