Williams Shows the Way | Reserves Round 19

By Ken Casellas

Redoubtable defender Sean Williams is a constant in the Claremont reserves side, an unsung hero who gets the job done week in and week out with the minimum of fuss.

His outstanding work in the first quarter of the match against West Perth at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday set the tone for the Tigers who overcame an early spirited challenge from the Falcons before producing a powerful performance to beat the bottom side in the competition by 87 points.

The Tigers, coached by Darren Harper, have won 14 of their 15 matches and are on song to maintain their wonderful form in the finals next month.

West Perth threw everything at Claremont on Saturday with the hope of unsettling the home side with their aggression and constant attacking moves in the first quarter.

However, Williams, at centre-half-back, thwarted the Falcons with his fearless play, strong marking and tackling and effective spoiling tactics. And he was supported in fine style by his half-back flankers Sam Gilbey and Joe Matthews, and the last line of full-back George Graham (playing his first game for the season after recovering from knee surgery), Ed Greenaway and Jett Sibosado (on debut), as well as Zane Verbruggen and Tristan Ballard, who began on the interchange bench.

It took 13 minutes before the first goal was scored, and it was fitting that it was a splendid intercept mark by Williams that led to this major. His long clearing kick found Tyron Smallwood, who received a free-kick for interference and kicked truly.

Also under notice in the first quarter was midfielder Bailey Banfield, who took a superb contested mark on the left wing before delivering a faultless pass to ruckman Max Rohr, and he later handpassed to Gilbey for the side’s second goal at the 24-minute mark of the quarter.

Banfield had nine disposals and laid three tackles in the opening term, during which fellow midfielders Ashton Bryant (11 disposals) and Kai Dehavilland (ten) were extremely active, along with left-footer Felix Rogers (nine) on the right wing.

The Tigers asserted their authority in the second quarter during which they added a wasteful 3.6 to go into the half-time break with 5.13 on the board to West Perth’s two behinds. Claremont finished the quarter on a bright note with a splendid passage of play involving Sullivan Moody, Greenaway, Dylan Mulligan and Banfield ending with a goal to Riley Disisto.

It was all one-way traffic in the second half, with Claremont winning, 13.22 to 1.7.

“We expected West Perth to come out hard,” said Williams. “They had nothing to lose at this stage of the season. Our defenders worked well together and there were some great individual efforts by some of the guys.”

Saturday was a significant day for Williams, who scored his first goal in his 32ND appearance for the reserves side. It came after the siren at the end of the third quarter after Williams had received a free-kick on a wing for a strong tackle on an opponent, who dropped the ball.

Delaying tactics by a West Perth player earned Williams a 50m penalty, and the defender’s shot from just inside the 50m arc sailed through for his second goal for Claremont.

His only goal as a colts player came in the round 22 match against Swan Districts at Revo Fitness Stadium in 2021. “It was a similar thing,” said Williams. “I got a free-kick for holding the ball from a tackle, and it was the first goal of the match.”

Later that season Williams had the honour as Claremont’s captain in the colts grand final against Swans at Optus Stadium. “We lost by just over two goals and, hopefully, we can go one better this year,” he said.

While playing all his football with Claremont as a defender, Williams also enjoyed playing as a midfielder and a forward for the Broome Towns, and once booted six majors in a country week fixture in Perth.

Born in Karratha and moving to Broome with his family when he was four, Williams is in his third year at Curtin University, studying for a physiotherapy degree.

Details: Claremont 13.22 (100) beat West Perth 1.7 (13)

Scorers---CLAREMONT: D. Mulligan 2.3; R. Disisto, B. Evans 2.2; K. Kantilla 1.3; T. Smallwood, Z. Sumich 1.1; A. Bryant, S. Gilbey, L. Guelfi, S. Williams 1.0; M. Inverarity, S. Moody 0.2; F. Rogers 0.1; 5pts forced. WEST PERTH: N. Dimanlig 1.0; M. Connell 0.2; M. Mallard, Z. Robis, B. Thompson 0.1; 2pts forced.

Best---CLAREMONT: A. Bryant, B. Banfield, T. Smallwood, F. Rogers, M. Inverarity, S. Williams, D. Mulligan, S. Moody, K. Dehavilland, Z. Verbruggen. WEST PERTH: L. Reilly, N. Dimanlig, R. Scurria, B. Sherwood, M. Mallard, B. Thompson.