MITCHELL LEADS FROM THE FRONT

BY DAN SCAMOZZI

A best-on-ground performance from champion midfielder Kane Mitchell (game-high 32 disposals, equal team-high five tackles, equal game-high six inside 50s) set the tone for Claremont’s Reserves’ 51-point demolition of East Perth in atrocious conditions at Leederville Oval in round 17.

Mitchell also won the players’ player award and set up several goals in the 14.6 (90) to 6.3 (39) victory – the Tigers’ 12th consecutive win stemming from the visitors recording 20 more inside 50s than the Royals and kicking 12 goals to four after quarter-time.

Wingman Sam Alvarez (24 disposals) continued his fine season with another prominent performance, while key forward Max Minear (three goals) continues to impress with his marking and conversion.

Hardworking and speedy forward Zac Mainwaring kicked a game-high four goals and continues to bang down the door in regards to League selection, while key defender Jacob Blight made a fine return from a knee injury.

Forwards Isaiah Butters and Kai Harwood both kicked two goals, while key forward Dylan Mulligan made a fine debut and kicked a goal with his first kick in the opening term.

On a sour note, defender Francis Watson injured his hamstring in the final term.

With defender Jack Beeck captaining the team, the Tigers elected to kick to the northern end of the ground in the opening term with the aid of a howling breeze, with Ben Rushforth and Alvarez occupying the wings.

East Perth struck first when an unmarked Sebit Kuek marked and goaled, before Mitchell sent a kick to full-forward where Mulligan marked strongly and kicked the Tigers’ first goal.

Minear then marked and converted after Harwood sent the ball forward, before Spider Lockitt pulled the Royals to within three points of the Tigers at quarter-time.

With the Tigers dominating inside 50s but not converting as many chances as they would have liked, coach Darren Harper urged the team to improve its communication in the difficult conditions, before an arm-wrestle engulfed the opening 14 minutes of the second term.

Wingman Dec Carruthers then split the middle before Harwood converted a brilliant squaring pass from Minear, as the Tigers kicked the only two goals of the term to extend their lead to 15 points at half-time.

East Perth’s Cooper Sparks replied in the early stages of the second half before goals to Butters, Ben Schuhkraft and Harwood (second) gave the Tigers a handy buffer halfway through the third term.

A ferocious tackle from defender Marc Boyatzis denied the Royals and won the Tiger a free kick at half-back, before a kick inside 50 from Logan Guelfi to the advantage of Mainwaring was converted for the Tigers’ eighth goal.

Mainwaring then added his second goal after gathering the crumbs from a throw-in, before Minear split the middle from 50m after Mitchell won a centre clearance and delivered a spearing kick inside 50.

This gave the Tigers a 44-point lead at the final change after a dominant six-goals-to-one quarter, before the heavens opened and delivered a brief storm.

Minear kicked his third goal in the early stages of the final term to give the Tigers seven consecutive majors, before the Royals replied with consecutive goals.

Second-game defender Louis Passera then produced and was rewarded for a ferocious tackle in defence, before Butters kicked his second goal and Watson pulled up lame on the wing.

East Perth antagonist Ciaran Allsop then kicked the Royals’ sixth and final goal, before the final five minutes of the contest belonged to Mainwaring.

The in-form No.57 kicked his third goal before gathering the crumbs at full-forward and kicking the ball over his head for his fourth major to seal a dominant win for the top-of-the-table Tigers, who host Subiaco at Revo Fitness Stadium in round 18.

Meanwhile, Claremont’s Colts recorded their eighth consecutive win after defeating East Perth by 17 points, 6.6 (42) to 3.7 (25).

CLAREMONT 2.3 4.5 10.5 14.6 (90)

EAST PERTH 2.0 2.2 3.3 6.3 (39)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 4 Z. Mainwaring, 3 M. Minear, 2 I. Butters, K Harwood, 1 D. Mulligan, B. Schuhkraft, D. Carruthers.

EAST PERTH: 1 C. Allsop, S. Kuek, R. Cox, L. Furlong, C. Sparks, S. Lockitt.

BEST

CLAREMONT: K. Mitchell, S. Alvarez, M. Minear, Z. Mainwaring, J. Blight.

EAST PERTH: S. Wright, C. Sparks, B. McGuire, S. Van Diemen, R. Cox.