Tigers Tame Lions | Round 21 Colts Match Report

Claremont (Colts) has won its sixth consecutive game after dismantling Subiaco by 49 points at Medibank Stadium.

A fast start was once again the catalyst for the Tigers, as they prevailed 13.16 (94) to 6.9 (45) on a perfect day for football.

The win was Claremont’s 12th for the season, and sees the Tigers move one game clear of third-placed South Fremantle on the ladder.

With both sides cancelling each other out in the opening minutes, the Tigers kicked the game’s first goal through Lawrence Evans after a sublime pass by Alec Waterman.

With morning dew resulting in a slippery surface and tricky ball-handling, the Lions worked their way into the game as Jeremy Woodley got the hosts on the board at the 11-minute mark of the opening term.

The Tigers, however, hit back almost immediately when Alex Manuel kicked truly after a set-shot at goal by Jake Jones landed in the goal square, as Claremont took a five-point lead at the 13-minute mark.

The contest was then lit up after Russell Wynne embarked on a dashing run, which included two bounces, however, his attempt on goal was wide of the mark, as the Tigers extended their narrow lead.

When Evans worked his opponent under the football and ran into an open goal to kick his second major, the Tigers took a 16-point lead into quarter-time.

Scott Trickey was having an impact in the forward line with his pressure and second efforts at the contest, while the Tigers also had six more inside 50m entries, however, six more scoring shots should have resulted in a greater lead.

Coach Ross McQueen was happy with his side’s commitment, although he instructed his players to improve their delivery into the forward line, with the Lions playing a spare man in defence.

Subiaco would enjoy the better start to the second quarter, as goals to Woodley (second) and Aaron Summers saw Claremont’s lead trimmed to just three points at the six-minute mark.

The Tigers responded through a fantastic goal by William McSweeney, after a clever snap from deep in the left-forward pocket gave the visitors a nine-point lead.

After two fantastic spoils by Francis Watson, the defender then prevented a certain goal to the Lions by touching a ball on the goal line, as the Tigers maintained their lead in a low-scoring contest.

A second goal to Manuel resulted from a brilliant pass by Bailey Rogers, with the Tigers taking an 11-point lead into half-time.

The Tigers would need to step it up a gear in the second half, despite having 56 more disposals, and five more inside 50m entries than the hosts.

A quick clearance by Ryan Lim resulted in Eddie Simpson handing the Tigers a great start to the third term, with his goal extending the lead to 17 points.

A goal to the hard-working Sam Petrevski-Seton was then set up by a squaring-pass from Waterman, and suddenly the Tigers were out to a 23-point lead after bursting out of the blocks.

After consecutive games in the Reserves, Isaac Baum marked his return with a goal, handing the Tigers five consecutive majors, and a 29-point lead at the eight-minute mark.

The Lions hit back through a third goal to Woodley, with the dangerous forward keeping the hosts in the game.

The Tigers responded with a goal to Rogers, after a quick snap at goal resulted from the Lions’ inability to clear the ball from defence.

A soaring mark to Watson lit up the contest at the 19-minute mark, however, the Lions would have the final say of the third term, with a fourth goal to Woodley reducing Claremont’s lead to 25 points at the final change.

Despite kicking four-goals-to-two for the term, McQueen implored the Tigers to maintain the basics and improve their skill-level in the final quarter.

When Sam Humphry set up Manuel for his third goal of the game at the six-minute mark of the final term, the Tigers had established a commanding 32-point lead.

That lead was extended to 37 points when Jacob Delaporte pounced on a miscued kick by Waterman to run into an open goal at the nine-minute mark.

A string of handballs enabled Humphry to kick a goal of his own at the 18-minute mark, and suddenly the Tigers were out to a thumping 48-point lead.

A goal to Ryan Vermeersch restored some parity for the Lions on the scoreboard, however, a second goal to Humphry saw the Tigers have the final say, on the way to a convincing victory.

Jared Hardisty continued his rich vein of form, while Humphry, Lim, Baum, and Waterman all won plenty of the football.

On a day where the Tigers had several winners across the board, Watson, Petrevski-Seton, Trickey, Manuel, and Sam Bevan were outstanding with their repeat efforts at the contest.

The win sees the Tigers needing just one more victory to be guaranteed a top-two finish, with West Perth awaiting in round 22.

The game will also be the Tigers final home fixture at the Show Grounds for the regular season.

CLAREMONT 3.5 5.6 9.9 13.16 (94)

SUBIACO 1.1 3.7 5.8 6.9 (45)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 3 A. MANUEL, 2 L. EVANS, S. HUMPHRY, 1 E. SIMPSON, B. ROGERS, J. DELAPORTE, W. MCSWEENEY, I. BAUM, S. PETREVSKI-SETON

SUBIACO: 4 J. WOODLEY, 1 R. VERMEERSCH, A. SUMMERS

BEST

CLAREMONT: R. LIM, J. HARDISTY, J. JONES, A. MANUEL, A. WATERMAN, J. DELAPORTE, S. BEVAN, F. WATSON

SUBIACO: J. WOODLEY, G. CLARK, C. WILKINSON