Claremont Lose Top Five Spot After Swans Thriller

by John Townsend

It is not the first time that the final siren went with Claremont down by one point after an exhilarating contest against Swan Districts.

Watched by half the Swans team that triumphed over the Tigers by the smallest margin in the unforgettable 2010 grand final, Claremont’s five-match streak came to an end on Saturday when they fell at the last hurdle at Steel Blue Oval.

The eventual margin was seven points, with Aidan Clarke’s kick a split-second before the siren bouncing through to leave the scoreboard at 12.10 (82) to 10.15 (75), but it felt like a one-pointer.

Scores were level with three minutes to go after Alec Waterman drilled an ice-cold set shot but the composure that coach Ashley Prescott sought at the last break could not be maintained in the frenetic final quarter.

Several set shots were squandered, another attempt drifted out on the full and long kicks into attack were picked off by the Swans defenders who intercepted seven entries in the term.

The loss dropped Claremont out of the top five but their fate remains in their own hands with at least four finals contenders pitted against each other in every round of the last month of the season.

The Tigers have their last bye this week then take on top two teams East Perth and Peel in the following two weeks that could decide whether their season extends into September.

The match marked Swans veteran Tony Notte equalling Bill Walker’s club record of 305 matches and it was evident that the home team called on every reserve of emotion in the last quarter which Claremont started 10 points in front.

And the game maintained the pattern Claremont have produced in their recent streak with a strong first-half effort giving way to desperate defence to hang onto a narrow lead.

The Tigers led by 27 points at one point but have lost their past five third quarters and did so again when Swans changed their approach at half-time after trailing at the long break.

Ruckman Ollie Eastland dominated the early period, midfield stars Jye Bolton and Callan England were prolific contributors and Declan Hardisty blanketed Tom Edwards to reduce Swans’ impact in attack.

And wingman Sam Alvarez had a profound influence with his excellent kicking on either foot providing Claremont with a sure and precise avenue forward.

Alvarez kicked a splendid goal on the run late in the first term to cap Claremont’s sharp movement from defence then equalled his career-high return against Swans last year with a clinical finish midway through the third.

But Swans spearhead Leigh Kohlmann got away from Jack Maibaum as their midfielders ran the ball with greater purpose – with 16 second-half bounces to one in the first underlining the changed approach – and Eastland’s aerial control was negated on the ground.

In another remarkable performance that could help him become the first ruckman to win the Sandover Medal since Lachlan Delahunty in 2019, Eastland had 49 hit-outs, 16 to advantage, and nine clearances from his 19 disposals.

It was not enough though. Swans had 46 clearances to 33, won the centre bounce clearances by 16 to five and scored 4.5 to 1.0 from the middle, and 8.7 to 4.5 from all stoppages.

CLAREMONT 4.3 7.8 9.10 10.15 75

SWAN DISTRICTS 2.2 5.5 8.6 12.10 82

GOALS – CLAREMONT: Waterman 3; Alvarez 2; Mountford, Bolton, England, Delacey, Frederick.

SWAN DISTRICTS: Kohlmann 4; Clarke, Edwards, Turner 2; Collins, Caporn.

BEST – CLAREMONT: Alvarez, Hardisty, Eastland, England, Bolton, Waterman.

SWAN DISTRICTS: Chalcraft, Kohlmann, Collins, Clarke, Turner, Pina.