Round 20 League: Tigers Primed For Finals

By Dan Scamozzi

A dominant and accurate Claremont thumped Swan Districts by 106 points at Revo Fitness Stadium in the final round of the home-and-away season.

The Tigers jumped the Swans in the opening term, kicking five goals to one, but saved their best football for the third term, when they slammed on a remarkable 12.0 on their way to recording an emphatic win, 23.6 (144) to 5.8 (38).

The final score and winning margin are the biggest the Tigers have recorded this season, and came at the perfect time as the hosts ended a two-game losing streak.

The triumph saw Claremont finish in third position on the ladder, one win behind second-placed South Fremantle, who the Tigers will face in the qualifying final on Saturday afternoon at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

118 more disposals, 24 more marks, 28 more tackles, 32 more hit-outs, 37 more inside 50s and 16 more scoring shots reflected the Tigers’ dominance, which also featured a number of brilliant individual performances and 10 goal kickers.

Brilliant midfielder Jye Bolton (two goals), who has made a habit of feasting on Swans, recorded game-high tallies of 46 disposals and nine inside 50s in his best-afield performance to win best player and the players’ player award, while powerful teammate and fellow midfielder Dec Mountford (36 disposals, game-high 12 tackles, seven inside 50s) provided fine support.

Co-captain and star forward Ian Richardson hauled in a game-high 13 marks and kicked a game-high six goals, including four during the Tigers’ third-term blitz, while the hardworking Jordan Law (eight inside 50s, one goal), who was recalled to the team after strong form in the Reserves, was another solid contributor.

Consistent defender Dec Hardisty continued his strong run of form, while ruckman Jeremy Goddard (six tackles) won a game-high 51 hit-outs and gave the Tigers’ midfield first use.

Meanwhile, forwards Jack Bradshaw (four goals), Alec Waterman (three), Matt Palfrey (two) and Anthony Treacy (two) helped cap off the fine work done further up the field as they made the most of the Tigers’ forward entries.

In further good news, defenders Lachie Martinis and Anton Hamp returned from their respective ankle injuries.

Callan England was a late inclusion for Tyron Smallwood (concussion), as the Tigers elected to kick to the northern end of the renamed ground in the opening term.

A centre clearance from Mountford and a hard-ball-get and handball from Richardson allowed Treacy to kick truly inside the opening 20 seconds, before Bolton snapped accurately from the pocket.

Jesse Glass-McCasker replied for Swans before repeat efforts from D. Hardisty at half-back and a spearing pass from Waterman set up Palfrey for the Tigers’ third goal, before Richardson kicked the hosts’ fourth major.

Wingman Haydn Busher then handballed to an unmarked Waterman who set sail from 55m for the Tigers’ fifth goal, before a courageous spoil from Bolton epitomised the Tiger’s work rate and the team’s appetite for the contest as they took a 26-point lead at quarter-time.

With Mountford already up to five clearances, the Tigers +9 in contested disposals, +7 in tackles and +11 in inside 50s, coach Darren Harris praised the team’s pressing and connection, before Palfrey kicked his second goal early in the second term after receiving a brilliant pass from Bolton.

A brilliant kick to full-forward from Busher then allowed Richardson to kick his second goal before Swans kicked consecutive majors to trim the Tigers’ lead to 25 points at half-time.

What came next was some of the Tigers’ most scintillating football under Harris, as the hosts sliced through Swans and put on a third-term clinic, slamming on 12 goals for the quarter, including four from Richardson as the sharpshooter wound back the clock to his glory days as he tore the visitors to shreds with his immaculate finishing.

The result was an 87-point lead at the final change, before the Tigers booted four more goals in the final term to emphatically record their 12^th win of the regular season.

CLAREMONT 5.3 7.4 19.4 23.6 (144)

SWAN DISTRICTS 1.1 3.3 4.7 5.8 (38)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 6 I. Richardson, 4 J. Bradshaw, 3 A. Waterman, 2 J. Bolton, M. Palfrey, A. Treacy, 1 K. Mitchell, C. England, O. Eastland, J. Law.

SWAN DISTRICTS: 2 A. Clarke, 1 J. Glass-McCasker, J. Turner, M. Howlett.

BEST

CLAREMONT: J. Bolton, D. Mountford, I. Richardson, J. Law, D. Hardisty.

SWAN DISTRICTS: A. Howard, M. Howlett, B. Noble