Handley Returns In Style

Claremont continued their powerful march into the finals with an emphatic 59-point demolition of Swan Districts at Claremont Oval on Saturday when the Tigers restricted the Swans to just 9.11 in fine conditions.

There were numerous reasons for this modest total. One was the return to action of Trinity Handley, who excelled in his battle against dangerous Swans key forward Tim Geappen, restricting him to just one goal, a snap early in the third quarter.

Other reasons included a dominant midfield, which not only provided the Claremont forwards with a feast of opportunities, but also restricted the opposition’s attacking sorties. And another was the general efficiency of the entire Claremont defence, in which Jesse Laurie was outstanding.

It was a grand return to league action by Handley, who was making only his sixth league appearance for the season, and his first since he fractured a bone in a leg late in the round-six match against West Perth on April 20. The Tigers also welcomed the return of centre-half-forward Anton Hamp, who was injured in the match against Subiaco on July 27.

The only disheartening aspect of the day was the injury received by captain Andrew Browne, who damaged his left shoulder late in the opening quarter and is unlikely to be unfit for the next two matches. Browne, who received a quadriceps injury in Claremont’s previous match against Swans, on July 13, should be fit for the second semi-final.

Swans were desperate for victory on Saturday to enhance their prospects of appearing in the finals, but apart from a strong opening quarter, they were outplayed and outgeneralled by the Tigers. This was only the second time in 18 matches this year that Swans had been restricted to a score of fewer than ten goals. Their lowest total was the 9.10 they managed against the Tigers in round three on March 30.

The outstanding midfield trio of vice-captains Luke Blackwell and Jake Murphy and Andrew Foster excelled and finished with a combined total of 94 disposals --- 48 kicks and 46 handpasses, while Ryan Neates sparkled on a wing with 18 kicks and five effective handpasses.

The irrepressible Blackwell finished with 18 kicks, 12 effective handpasses, four tackles, eight clearances from stoppages and a match-high tally of eight inside 50s. Foster had ten kicks, 18 effective handpasses, five tackles, five clearances and three inside 50s, while the tireless Murphy had 20 kicks, nine effective handpasses, five tackles, nine clearances and five inside 50s.                                        

Mark Seaby again dominated the ruck contests as well as taking six marks, having nine kicks and making seven effective handpasses. For good measure he booted two goals and made five effective spoils, a tally exceeded only by Handley’s seven.

Laurie was robust and highly dependable in a back pocket and on a half-back flank and he finished with 12 marks, 15 kicks and seven effective handpasses. Tom Taylor, Aaron Holt, Sam Fong, John Williams and James Thomson (who restricted Tony Notte to only one goal) all weighed in with stout0-hearted efforts in defence.

The forward line functioned smoothly, with Ian Richardson and Paul Medhurst each kicking four goals, Hamp three and Chad Jones two. Jack Bradshaw was extremely lively and his 27-disposal effort included five clearances and four inside 50s. Special mention also must go to the disciplined Hugo Breakey, who had the task of tagging dangerous midfielder Matt Riggio. It was a job very well done.

Claremont made a tardy start and Swans, after kicking the first two goals, led by eight points at quarter-time. Following handpasses from Blackwell and Mitch Andrews, in his 50^th league appearance for the Tigers, Fong booted the first of Claremont’s 19 goals. The second came two minutes later after Bradshaw handpassed to Jones, who handballed on to Medhurst for a clever snap from the right pocket.

Richardson scored Claremont’s third goal after a forward thrust involving Foster, Handley and Fong.

The scores were level twice and the lead changed hands twice early in the second term, which saw Bradshaw bring up a poster after only 56 seconds. Two minutes later a Hamp pass found Jones for Claremont’s fourth goal. This was the first of five consecutive Claremont goals before Swans replied with their only goal for the quarter, when Dayle Garlett took a mark in the goalsquare at the 26-minute mark.

Claremont’s second goal for the quarter came after busy wingman Nick Winmar passed to Hamp just inside the boundary line a long way out at right half-forward. Then Richardson fought hard for the ball on the ground and got it by hand to Foster for the next goal, from the left flank. Richardson got the next goal from a free-kick 55m out after Blackwell had sent the ball forward.

The ball went back to the centre where Murphy met with interference and received a free-kick. Blackwell accepted the mark and used his left foot to deliver a splendid pass to Hamp for the next major.

Once again it was all Claremont in the third term when the home side added 6.2 to 2.1. The first of these goals was posted after 55 seconds after Jones had marked a pass from Seaby and then a forward thrust initiated by John Williams resulted in the next goal to Matt Davies.

It was then Seaby’s turn as he moved forward, taking a spell from ruck duties. Handpasses from Winmar and Fong ended with A Murphy pass being marked by Seaby in the goalsquare. Just over five minutes later a long Murphy kick from left half-forward saw Seaby take another mark for his second major.              

Andrews joined the party with a wonderful shot from the boundary line in the left pocket after he had received a free-kick for interference at a boundary throw-in, following a forward move involving Murphy, Richardson and Winmar.

Late in the quarter Neates took an advantage free-kick and passed to Hamp for his third goal. And then it was the mercurial Medhurst’s turn to grab the limelight in the final quarter as he booted three goals in the space of nine minutes.

The first of those goals came after Medhurst marked a Blackwell pass. Then Davies drove the ball forward for Richardson to snap a goal. Medhurst got the next two, the first a splendid kick from the right pocket after receiving from Bradshaw. Exactly two minutes later a strong attack on the ball by Fong ended with Richardson gaining possession and booting the ball to Medhurst, who marked and played on to notch his fourth for the afternoon.

Late in the quarter a Blackwell pass found Williams, whose shot grazed a goalpost to register a behind. An errant kick-in saw Richardson pounce and boot his fourth to end a fine day for the Tigers.

By Ken Casellas

Details:

Claremont 19.10 (124) beat Swan Districts 9.11 (65).

Scorers---CLAREMONT: P. Medhurst 4.3; I. Richardson 4.0; A. Hamp 3.1; C. Jones, M. Seaby 2.0; S. Fong 1.1; M. Andrews, M. Davies, A. Foster 1.0; J. Bradshaw 0.2; J. Murphy, J. Williams 0.1; 1pt forced. SWAN DISTRICTS: R. Davis 2.1; K. Ugle 2.0; T. Geappen 1.2; D. Garlett, T. Notte, T. Roach, M. Rogers 1.0; C. Cameron, B. Robinson 0.2; N. Blakely, W. Twomey 0.1; 1ptr forced.

Best---CLAREMONT: L. Blackwell, J. Laurie, J. Murphy, A. Foster, R. Neates, M. Seaby, P. Medhurst, T. Handley, S. Fong, T. Taylor, J. Bradshaw. SWAN DISTRICTS: S. Hildebrandt, W. Twomey, N. Broad, G. Jetta, K. Hams, R. Davis.