TIGERS OVERRUN BY FALCONS

BY DAN SCAMOZZI 

The mighty Claremont Tigers suffered their first defeat since round six after being overrun by 14 points by West Perth at Provident Financial Oval in round 12.

The Falcons kicked the final three goals in a low-scoring encounter to prevail 10.10 (70) to 8.8 (56), however, the Tigers remain on top of the ladder.

In-form ruckman Oliver Eastland (22 disposals, game-high 39 hit-outs) continued his outstanding form as he dominated his duel with former Tiger Ben Delaporte, while Bailey Rogers (equal game-high six inside 50s, equal game-high three goals) started in midfield before going forward and hitting the scoreboard in another prolific performance.

Jared Hardisty (25 disposals) and acting captain Jye Bolton, (29, equal game-high six inside 50s) in his 100^th game, gave the team solid service in midfield, while Dec Mountford started the game in defence before moving into the engine room and was instrumental in Claremont’s turnaround in the middle.

However, the Tigers ran out of legs in a feisty final term, with Rudy Riddoch kicking two goals for the Falcons.

West Perth captain Aaron Black led the way for the hosts, while key forward Tyler Keitel kicked three goals in the opening term but was rarely sighted thereafter.

Anthony Treacy, Anthony Davis, Tyron Smallwood and Jacob van Rooyen all came into the Claremont team that defeated Peel Thunder in round 10, as Bolton elected to kick to the southern end of the ground in the opening term.

Team-lifting smothers from tenacious defender Tom Baldwin and Rogers, and a tackle from Smallwood in defensive 50 epitomised the Tigers’ appetite for the contest in the early stages, before forward Alex Manuel pounced on a loose ball in the forward pocket and kicked the first of his two goals.

Keitel replied for the Falcons before Treacy laid a crunching an inspirational tackle in midfield, before the former kicked his second major and Tom O’Donnell increased West Perth’s lead.

The recalled Van Rooyen then kicked truly after being set up by fellow forward Isaac Barton, before Keitel kicked his third goal to give the Falcons a 10-point lead at quarter-time.

With West Perth in control and taking too many uncontested marks, coach Ash Prescott urged Claremont’s midfield to improve their work rate, before goals to Mitchell Peirce and former Tiger Keegan Knott increased the Falcons’ lead to 23 points.

Rogers then hauled in a contested mark and kicked truly before a dashing Barton split the middle to give the Tigers a strong finish to the first half and pull them to within 12 points of the Falcons at half-time.

Tom Boyes kicked the opening goal of the second half to extend West Perth’s lead to 18 points before Jack Buller, Manuel (second) and Rogers (second) kicked truly to give the Tigers a one-point lead at the final break.

The smooth-moving and creative Jake Patmore was instrumental in Claremont’s strong finish to the third term with his unmatched ability to glide through traffic, as Prescott urged the Tigers to be bold in the final term.

Repeat efforts and a smother from Van Rooyen, another tackle from Treacy (free kick) and a courageous contest from Baldwin, who continues to put his body on the line for the betterment of the team and won the players’ player award, were all team-lifting acts in the early stages of the final term, before Rogers snapped his third goal to give the Tigers a seven-point lead.

However, a costly turnover across half-back gifted Riddoch the first of his two goals as the Falcons finished the stronger of the teams and recorded their sixth win of the season.

The Tigers will aim to return to winning ways when they host Swan Districts at Revo Fitness Stadium in round 13.

CLAREMONT 2.3 4.5 7.7 8.8 (56)

WEST PERTH 4.1 6.5 7.6 10.10 (70)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 3 B. Rogers, 2 A. Manuel, 1 J. Buller, I. Barton, J. Van Rooyen.

WEST PERTH: 3 T. Keitel, 2 R. Riddoch, 1 K. Knott, D. Munns, T. O’Donnell, M. Peirce, T. Boyes.

BEST

CLAREMONT: O. Eastland, B. Rogers, J. Hardisty, J. Bolton, D. Mountford.

WEST PERTH: A. Black, D. Munns, M. Hamilton, Z. Guadagnin, M. Peirce.

CROWD: 2, 193 at Provident Financial Oval.