TIGERS MAUL EAGLES

BY DAN SCAMOZZI

The mighty Claremont Tigers roared into third position on the ladder after mauling a woeful West Coast by 96 points at Revo Fitness Stadium in round 21.

The 19.15 (129) to 4.9 (33) demolition is Claremont’s biggest win of the season and was set up in a blistering opening term when the Tigers kicked eight unanswered goals to end the game as a contest by quarter-time.

105 more disposals, 54 more marks, 18 more inside 50s and 21 more scoring shots highlighted Claremont’s superiority, with a number of Tigers playing starring roles.

Powerful utility and the best player in the WAFL right now - Bailey Rogers (36 disposals, game-high 16 marks, game-high nine inside 50s, three goals) produced another best-on-ground performance as he dominated in both the forward line and midfield on the back of his appetite for the contest, relentless work rate, strong marking, and crumbing at ground level, with the in-form No.3 winning the players’ player award.

Outstanding and reliable defender Dec Hardisty (six marks) continues to read the play, position himself and spoil the ball with aplomb as he denied West Coast on several occasions in another fine performance, while co-captain and wingman Dec Mountford (28 disposals) repelled the visitors as a sweeper in defence and gave the Tigers solid rebound.

Hardworking and speedy forward Isaac Barton (20 disposals, nine marks, career-high five goals) terrorised West Coast inside 50, with fellow forwards Cal England (25 disposals, 10 marks) and Alex Manuel (six marks, four goals) also producing prominent performances.

On a sour note, half-forward Jake Patmore sustained a hamstring injury in the opening term and took no further part in the game.

Co-captain Jared Hardisty and defender Dylan Smallwood came into the team as the Tigers kicked to the Claremont end of the ground in the opening term, with defender Jack Lewsey lining up in his 50^th game and coach Ash Prescott operating at ground level.

An unmarked Jared Hardisty, returning from a hamstring injury sustained in round 15, split the middle from 40m for the opening goal and was mobbed by his jubilant teammates, with a spearing pass from Manuel setting up fellow forward Timm House (two goals) who doubled the Tigers’ advantage.

An intelligent kick to full-forward from Manuel was then brilliantly marked and converted by Rogers before a dejected Patmore limped from the field in the 12^th minute.

Manuel, who specialises in kicking goals on both sides of his body, then dribbled through Claremont’s fourth from the pocket before setting up Jack Buller (three goals) for his first.

Vice-captain and brilliant midfielder Jye Bolton (game-high 41 disposals, nine marks, team-high seven clearances, seven inside 50s) then snapped truly from a stoppage before goals to Manuel (second) and Barton extended the lead to 51 points.

A trademark smother from Jared Hardisty then denied West Coast as the Tigers took a 49-point lead at quarter-time on the back of their 30-minute blitz, with seven players kicking goals and Manuel directly involved in five of them.

Prescott urged Claremont to keep being bold, with a smother from Bolton denying West Coast early in the second term and reaffirming the Tigers’ commitment to the cause.

House then took an intercept mark and produced a thumping finish for his second goal, Kieran Hug kicking West Coast’s first after being awarded a free kick.

Nothing of note came from the next 15 minutes of play as the Tigers increased their lead to 53 points at half-time, before sharpshooter and former Tiger Cooper Nitschke finished brilliantly from the pocket early in the second half to give West Coast consecutive goals for the first time.

Rogers then hauled in a pair of contested marks as he further stamped his authority on the contest, with second goals to Buller, Barton and Rogers extending the lead to 66 points.

Buller then kicked his third goal before Bolton won a centre clearance and drove the ball inside 50 where Barton took a strong and spectacular mark and kicked truly.

West Coast’s Zane Sumich kicked the visitors’ third goal to trim Claremont’s lead to 72 points at the final change, with Prescott urging the Tigers to hunt and tackle their opponents.

Ben Johnson kicked West Coast’s fourth and final goal early in the final term, before Rogers crumbed and snapped truly to seal his best-afield display.

Manuel then produced a thumping finish as he converted a searching kick inside 50 from Jared Hardisty, with Barton soon adding his fourth goal.

A courageous mark at half-forward from Jared Hardisty resulted in Manuel kicking his fourth goal before a fifth from Barton capped off a dominant performance from the Tigers, who were led from the field by milestone man Lewsey.

Claremont will be aiming for their third consecutive win when they host rivals Swan Districts at the same venue in the final round of the season.

CLAREMONT 8.5 9.11 14.14 19.15 (129)

WEST COAST 0.4 1.6 3.8 4.9 (33)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 5 I. Barton, 4 A. Manuel, 3 B. Rogers, J. Buller, 2 T. House, 1 J. Bolton, J. Hardisty.

WEST COAST: 1 B. Johnson, K. Hug, C. Nitschke, Z. Sumich.

BEST

CLAREMONT: B. Rogers, D. Hardisty, D. Mountford, I. Barton, C. England.

WEST COAST: L. Marlin, Z. Sumich, X. O’Neill, B. Johnson, H. Brayshaw.