Round 8 | WALFW | Claremont vs East Perth

By Sebastian Hasluck

Match Day Reporter

In their most comprehensive win of the season, the Claremont Tigers held bottom-of-the-ladder team East Perth scoreless and to their lowest score of the year.

The Tigers were relentless in their pursuit of victory, making it their unofficial mission to prevent East Perth from scoring a single point.

With ease, Claremont cut their way through the Royals' squad, scoring at will and enjoying a scoring frenzy, with nine different players adding goals to their tally for the day.

This impressive display resulted in East Perth's second biggest defeat of the 2023 season.

This was a complete team effort as so many players were able to shine, putting the best of their abilities and talent on display, utilising this matchup to show-off clean yet gritty ball winning capabilities.

The key takeaway from this match was Claremont's impressive pressure and their relentless ability to put their opposition under duress. Despite facing a winless side in East Perth, the Tigers displayed their toughest effort in terms of running, chasing, and pressuring their opponents this season. This display highlighted the reigning premiers' strong and physical mindset as they strive for ultimate glory in their quest to go back-to-back this season.

The Claremont Tigers recorded a convincing victory over the East Perth Royals, but their inaccuracy in front of goal spared the Royals from a worse defeat. The final score line read 12.13 (85) to 0.0 (0), in favour of the Tigers.

The match started with Adele Arnup kicking a goal in the first two minutes of the match and didn’t really stop from there. The majority of the play occurred in the Tigers' forward half, with Claremont dominating the inside-50 count, leading 44 to 7.

Arnup took full advantage of the ball residing in the Tigers' forward line, scoring two more goals and ending the day as the leading goal scorer with three goals. Arnup’s best goal came at the start of the fourth quarter where she picked up the ball on the run, sold the candy and then stepped around two players to walk into goals and boot it towards the train line.

Other notable goal scorers from today’s match would be Matilda Sergeant, Matilda Dyke and Brooke Whyte.

Matilda Sergeant's dominant performance today cannot go unnoticed as she provided expert vision and finesse to punish the Royals offensively.

Even under pressure in the pocket, Sergeant was able to spot Whyte, who was free in the forward line, by slicing her kick back inboard into the corridor. Whyte then went on to score her second goal of the day and who also was super impressive all match, racking up 23 disposals, 7 marks, 3 tackles and 4 inside-50’s as well.

Additionally, Sergeant managed to take an impressive pack mark amidst six other players and then went back to slot another goal, adding to the team's impressive tally. Sergeant finished up with 20 possessions going at 85% disposal efficiency to alongside her 1 goal.

Matilda Dyke's endurance and work rate were pivotal to Claremont's success, as she covered an impressive amount of ground throughout the match. Dyke's superior fitness allowed her to outrun her ruck opponent and play a significant role in the team's transition play through the midfield. Dyke ended up with 10 disposals, 17 hit outs and 3 inside-50’s.

In one notable play, Dyke tapped it down to her Tigers midfield before pushing forward, anticipating that she might receive the clearance that she created herself. Her prediction proved to be accurate, and Dyke scored a goal generated from the center bounce, showcasing her ability to read the game.

Once again, Charlotte Tompkin proved that size doesn't matter, as she displayed exceptional skill both with and without the ball for the second week in a row.

Tompkin's relentless pursuit to pressure every opposition disposal is just one aspect of what makes Claremont a tough opponent. Her impressive pressure acts were a major contributing factor to the team's success, and she should be proud of that aspect of her game.

Tompkin filled her stat line with 14 disposals, 3 marks, 3 inside-50’s and 1 goal.

Numerous players shone in today's match, but it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the other main ball winners on the ground, who made significant contributions towards the team's outstanding victory.

Jayme Harken (22), Sarah Viney (20), Kate Orme (19), Jacinta Valentini (17), Emily Elkington (17), Sarah Garstone (16), Kobi Nichols (16), Adele Arnup (13), Andie Payne (13).

On Saturday at 5:00pm, Claremont will face off against East Fremantle at the WACA in what will be the first game of the year at this venue. It will be interesting to see which team will be better suited to the wider ground. Despite coming off two losses, East Fremantle will not be an easy opponent, and will likely be motivated to defeat the reigning premiers, the Claremont Tigers, in their first true home game of the season.

Claremont Goal Scorers:

Adele Arnup (3), Brooke Whyte (2), Matilda Sergeant, Jayme Harken, Emily Elkington, Matilda Husband, Sarah Viney, Matilda Dyke, Charlotte Tompkin,

Claremont Best:

Brooke Whyte, Matilda Sergeant, Jayme Harken, Adele Arnup, Matilda Dyke, Sarah Viney