GALLANT TIGERS FALL JUST SHORT

BY DAN SCAMOZZI

The mighty Claremont Tigers suffered a five-point loss against traditional rivals Subiaco in one of the games of the season at Revo Fitness Stadium in round 18.

Despite leading from the six-minute mark of the opening term until time-on in the final term, the Tigers were overrun by the Lions, who prevailed 14.9 (93) to 13.10 (88).

The Tigers, who will need to find a way past the Lions if they are to go one better than last year and win the premiership, burst out of the blocks and recorded the first nine scoring shots to open up a 34-point lead in the opening term, before the Lions clawed their way back into the contest and punished Claremont for their turnovers.

The Tigers then took a 13-point lead in the final term after powerful forward Timm House (team-high seven marks) kicked his third goal, before the Lions kicked the final three goals to prevail in a classic game which had a finals-like feel to it.

Ruckman Steve Miller (18 disposals, game-high 28 hit-outs, eight clearances, game-high eight inside 50s, one goal) was one of four inclusions for the Tigers and produced a herculean performance as he starred around the ground and sent the team forward on his way to winning the players’ player award, while emerging inside midfielder Max Spyvee (20 disposals, six inside 50s, one goal) continues to improve with every game he plays.

Defender Dec Hardisty had an enthralling duel with Subiaco forward Ben Sokol (game-high six goals), whose first three goals resulted from Claremont turnovers, while forwards Cal England (two goals), Jake Patmore (two) and Alex Manuel (three) all hit the scoreboard for the Tigers.

Defender Jacob Blight made an impressive debut and won his duel with Subiaco man mountain Michael Braut, while half-forward Logan Guelfi also impressed in his first game.

Champion midfielder Kane Mitchell (26 disposals, team-high 11 tackles, game-high nine clearances, five inside 50s) was recalled for his first game since round 12 and set the tone with his appetite for the contest, while luckless defender Lachlan Martinis sustained an ankle injury in the first five minutes and took no further part in the game.

Captain Dec Mountford elected to kick to the Claremont end of the ground in the opening term with the aid of the breeze as he lined up on an opposite wing to Ben Edwards, before Mitchell laid a smother in midfield inside the opening minute.

Martinis then hobbled from the ground, leaving the Tigers one rotation short on the interchange, before midfielder Jye Bolton, who was tagged by Subiaco’s Liam Hickmott, delivered a spearing pass inside 50 onto the chest of Manuel, who split the middle for the first goal of the game.

Bolton then went from goal provider to scorer when he kicked the Tigers’ second, before Mitchell won a clearance and House took a strong contested mark and kicked the hosts’ third major.

Spyvee then won a centre clearance and England split the middle from 50m, before a free kick and 50m penalty gifted the latter his second goal as the Tigers raced to a 34-point lead on the back of some of the best football played under coach Ash Prescott.

A shell-shocked Subiaco then kicked their first goal after Max Walters found himself unmarked at the back of a stoppage, before Miller won a centre clearance and delivered a spearing pass onto the chest of Manuel, who split the middle from 50m for his second goal.

However, Sokol then made the Tigers pay for a turnover in midfield when he kicked Subiaco’s second goal to trim Claremont’s lead to 29 points at quarter-time.

Prescott urged the Tigers to stay desperate and bold but lamented the Lions’ two soft goals, before Sokol made the hosts pay for another turnover in midfield in the second term.

Miller then displayed his courage as he took two marks, with the second earning him a 50m penalty and resulting in Claremont’s seventh goal, before groundhog day struck again and Sokol kicked his third goal after another turnover in midfield.

House replied for the Tigers with a thumping finish from 50m before Mitchell laid and was rewarded for a desperate tackle in defensive 50, before consecutive goals pulled the Lions to within 15 points.

England then set up Patmore for his first goal with a clever squaring pass, before Subiaco captain Leigh Kitchin felled Mitchell off the ball and the latter returned serve with a ferocious tackle on the wing, sparking a fracas between the two rival teams and sending the passionate crowd into a frenzy.

A resulting 50m penalty saw forward Nick Martin kick his second goal and again pulled the Lions to within 15 points of the Tigers at half-time.

The Lions then closed to within nine points when Wil Hickmott kicked truly early in the second half, before the Tigers steadied through goals to Manuel (third) and Patmore (second).

The previously unsighted Braut then kicked Subiaco’s ninth goal before Spyvee replied with his first of the season, before a second to Braut made it a 17-point game at the final change.

A passionate Prescott stressed the importance of the Tigers working hard both ways, before the Lions dominated the first 10 minutes of the final term but kicked four behinds.

Sokol then bobbed up with his fourth goal before House took another strong contested mark and steadied for the tiring Tigers, before Martin kicked his third major.

Sokol then kicked his fifth goal in the 21^st minute of the final term to make it a one-point game, before the sharpshooter gave the Lions the lead for the first time when he added his sixth to ice the absorbing contest.

The Tigers will regroup before facing Perth at Mineral Resources Park in round 19.

CLAREMONT 6.6 9.6 12.9 13.10 (88)

SUBIACO 2.1 7.3 10.4 14.9 (93)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 3 T. House, A. Manuel, 2 C. England, J. Patmore, 1 J. Bolton, M. Spyvee, S. Miller.

SUBIACO: 6 B. Sokol, 3 N. Martin, 2 M. Braut, 1 M. Walters, W. Hickmott, B. Matera.

BEST

CLAREMONT: S. Miller, M. Spyvee, D. Hardisty, T. House, C. England.

SUBIACO: A. Heal, L. Kitchin, G. Clark, C. Harris, B. Sokol.