Wounded Tigers Stand Tall | Colts Preliminary Final Match Report

Dedicated defenders Harry McCracken and Matt Palfrey shrugged off leg injuries and emerged as heroes in Claremont’s thrilling one-point triumph over South Fremantle in a tense, hard-fought preliminary final at Leederville Oval on Sunday morning.

Claremont led throughout the contest and held on grimly to deny the Bulldogs the opportunity to appear in the grand final for the fourth year in a row.

Magnificent individual efforts by McCracken and Palfrey when the game was hanging in the balance were extremely significant contributions to the victory which guaranteed the Tigers a spot in the grand final against the high-flying Swan Districts side at Subiaco Oval next Sunday morning.

McCracken, hampered by a badly bruised ankle, provided a great chase after South Fremantle’s dynamic Jarrod Garlett 16 minutes into the final term. He caught Garlett and tackled him in possession to earn a free-kick and to deny the Bulldogs from a scoring opportunity when the Tigers were clinging doggedly to a six-point lead.

Two minutes later without any change on the scoreboard Garlett was taking a shot at goal when a bruised and battered Palfrey smothered the ball off the boot and enabled it to be delivered to the centre of the ground where Francis Watson took the mark before being awarded a 50m penalty. Watson’s goal gave the Tigers vital breathing space with a two-goal advantage.

And earlier in the quarter half-back flanker Harry Taylor continued his grand form and a couple of timely marks foiled the Bulldogs.

Now the stage is set for what should be a tremendous battle between Swans and Claremont next Sunday, after Swans had snatched the lead with 73 seconds remaining to beat the Tigers by five points in the second semi-final at East Fremantle Oval the previous Sunday when the lead changed hands five times.

Claremont are now aiming to repeat the performance of last year when the side lost the second semi-final (by 23 points to South Fremantle) and won the preliminary final (by 60 points over Subiaco) before beating the Bulldogs by six points in a wonderful grand final.

McCracken and Palfrey will be doing all in their power to prove their fitness at training this week, with a couple of others, including key forward Alex Manuel (damaged ankle) desperate to be fit to play.

Claremont led throughout Sunday’s match after posting the first goal after just 25 seconds. Alec Waterman gained the clearance at the opening bounce and got the ball to defender Nick Reid, whose pass was marked by centre-half-forward Sam Bevan. Then it was on to Tom Gajewski, who handballed to winger Jack Prendiville for a glorious goal.

Bevan was moving up the ground to provide a strong target and he booted Claremont’s next two goals, the first of which came at the ten-minute mark when Watson capitalised on a Bulldogs fumble on the right wing to get the ball to Sam Humphry, whose excellent pass was marked by Bevan for the first of his three goals for the morning.

There was no score from either side for the next seven minutes until Eddie Simpson gained the knock at a stoppage at half-forward and robust midfielder Jared Hardisty delivered to winger Ryan Lim, who passed accurately to Bevan. The resultant major had Claremont supporters in a happy frame of mind with the Tigers leading the Bulldogs 3.1 to 0.1.

Waterman gained the next centre clearance, but the attacking move initiated by Sam Seton resulted in only a behind from Gajewski. Souths hit back and scored 2.1 in the final four minutes of the quarter, with the goals following marks taken by Jarrod Pickett and Cameron Loersch.

Again it was the Tigers who were first into stride in the second term, with big ruckman Jake Jones revealing surprising agility after a stoppage with a delightful snapped goal off his non-preferred left boot. Then Isaac Baum drove the ball forward where Bevan took a fine contested mark against Noah Strom at right half-forward, 40m out. But only a behind resulted.

South Fremantle kept in contact with a goal to centre-half-forward Alex Robinson, but the Tigers hit back three minutes later when Reid fired a precise pinpoint pass to Hardisty, who drove the ball forward where Bevan soccered a major. The Bulldogs replied with a goal to Jake Florenca.

Then the Tigers boosted their total with behinds to Seton and Trickey before Trickey marked a South Fremantle clearing kick 45m out on the left flank. His shot sailed through the tall timbers.

Three minutes later and only two minutes before the half-time siren South Fremantle got their fifth goal off the boot of Jacob Dragovich. Claremont went straight into attack from the centre bounce and Bailey Rogers handpassed to Trickey, who snapped a goal as the siren was sounding. The half-time lead was a handy 14 points.

The Tigers started the third term with three successive behinds before the Bulldogs replied with a goal to Pickett. Taylor was in grand form and he took a mark deep in defence to thwart the Bulldogs yet again. A Gajewski handpass to Waterman resulted in another Claremont behind. Souths then reduced the margin to five points with a major to Kade Stewart.

A couple of good Claremont attacking sorties fell down with frustrating turnovers. A slick move involving Jacob Delaporte, Harry Court, Hardisty, Matt Cairns and Gajewski ended with a behind to the hard-working Lim.

Four minutes later Hardisty, Seton, Humphry, Waterman and Bevan combined to work the ball forward where Trickey fought determinedly on the ground against a couple of opponents. Waterman then pounced on a loose ball to boot Claremont’s eighth goal.

But the Tigers were unable to keep the Bulldogs at bay, with a goal to Corey Salmon just 40 seconds before the three-quarter time siren reducing Claremont’s advantage to four points.

It took the Tigers only 48 seconds to get the first goal of the final quarter, a snap from Gajewski after Claremont forged forward from the opening centre bounce. Just over two minutes later Claremont moved 16 points clear of their rivals when Hardisty brushed aside a couple of opponents  before passing to Lim, who handpassed to Trickey for the diminutive left-footer’s third major.

However, the Tigers managed only one more goal in the final 22 minutes of the contest, while the Bulldogs added another three goals. Taylor, McCracken, Palfrey and Reid were shining lights in Claremont’s defence which was boosted by Rogers, moving from the midfield to a back pocket, allowing Watson to be switched to full-forward.

After Watson’s goal at the 18-minute mark and a couple of behinds the Bulldogs hit back with a goal to Stewart four minutes later. Desperate defence kept the Bulldogs scoreless for the next two minutes before they drew within a point of Claremont with a scrambled goal from a milling goalmouth pack (kicked by Callum Ah Chee) with 24min. 20sec. on the clock.

The ball went back to the centre. The Bulldogs were penalised when Brad McPhail entered the centre square to give them five inside that restricted area. Simpson was awarded the free-kick and he was driving Claremont forward as the final siren blared to end a wonderful battle.

Details:

Claremont 11.14 (80) beat South Fremantle 11.13 (79)

Scorers---CLAREMONT: S. Bevan 3.3; S. Trickey 3.2; A. Waterman 1.3; T. Gajewski 1.1; J. Jones, J. Prendiville, F. Watson 1.0; J. Barty, R, Lim, J. Hardisty, S. Seton 0.1; 1pt forced. SOUTH FREMANTLE: A. Robinson 2.3; J. Pickett, K. Stewart 2.0; C. Ah Chee, J. Florenca, C. Loersch 1.2; J. Dragovich, C. Salmon 1.0; J. Garlett, B. Matera 0.1; 2pts forced.

Best---CLAREMONT: R. Lim, S. Bevan, H. Taylor, A. Waterman, J. Hardisty, N. Reid, S. Trickey, S. Seton, J. Prendiville, H. McCracken. SOUTH FREMANTLE: J. Pickett, A. Robinson, B. Matera, J. Garlett, W. Frampton, J. Florenca, B. Collier, M. Ah Siu, B. Fimmano, K. Stewart.