Tigers Pounce on Inaccurate Swans

Claremont (Colts) has defeated Swan Districts by 14 points at the Show Grounds to move one game clear on top of the ladder.

On the back of a five-goal-to-nil opening term, the Tigers were able to hold off a woefully-inaccurate Swans, 10.13 (73) to 6.23 (59) and rebound from their round-seven loss to West Perth.

Bronson Harry was the beneficiary of some fine work further up the ground as the imposing forward hauled in seven marks and kicked five goals, with Jacob Sideris, Ryan Murphy and Tom Gajewski all winning their fair share of the football.

Eddie Simpson was outstanding as he worked tirelessly in the ruck and covered the ground, while the Tigers’ defence was responsible for pressuring Swans’ players into some hurried efforts on goal and applied solid pressure throughout the win.

On a glorious day for football, the Tigers kicked to the northern end of the ground in the opening term, and had their first goal at the five-minute mark when Harry kicked truly after being awarded a free kick to give the hosts an early seven-point lead.

Five minutes later and Harry had his and the Tigers’ second major after he was found by a long kick from Matthew Ehlers resulting from a quick transition out of defence, as the hosts extended their lead to 11 points.

Louis Hogan Wilson was next to get in on the act when he kicked truly after capitalising on an errant handball in Swans’ defence, as the Tigers pushed their lead out to 18 points at the 15-minute mark.

A goal to Sam McPhee two minutes later saw the lead extended to 24 points, before the Tigers set up the hard-working Murphy for his first major, as the hosts took a commanding 29-point lead into quarter-time.

With the Tigers dominating across the ground and forcing Swans into several turnovers through excellent pressure, Coach Ross McQueen was delighted with the eight tackles laid IN50.

However, if the first term was all about the Tigers, then the second term would belong to Swans, as the side kicked the opening four goals through Taryce Stewart, Brody Sutton, Robert Mostert and Rohan Armstrong to trim the Tigers’ lead to just five points at the 14-minute mark.

A goal to Regan Smith seven minutes later saw the Tigers take a 10-point lead into the long break, however, the visitors had well and truly worked their way back into the contest.

When Gajewski side-stepped his opponent and kicked truly on the run after being found by Murphy at the five-minute mark of the third term the Tigers were out to a 15-point lead, before Vincent Adams hit back for Swans to make the margin nine points.

A third goal to Harry resulted from a strong mark and gave the Tigers a 15-point lead once again at the 18-minute mark, before a booming effort from 55m saw the forward register his fourth goal five minutes later and hand the hosts a 17-point lead at the final change.

Despite the Tigers wrestling back momentum, an animated McQueen demanded his players lift their effort and intensity in order to secure victory.

A fifth goal to Harry pushed the margin to 23 points in the second minute of the final term following a slick handball from Shaquille Morton, and despite a major to John Grimson in the moments before the final siren for Swans, the Tigers held on to record their sixth win for the season.

The Tigers will look to make it consecutive wins when they welcome East Perth to the Show Grounds in round nine.

CLAREMONT 5.2 6.6 9.8 10.13 (73)

SWAN DISTRICTS 0.3 4.8 5.15 6.23 (59)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 5 B. HARRY, 1 T. GAJEWSKI, L. HOGAN WILSON, R. SMITH, R. MURPHY, S. MCPHEE

SWAN DISTRICTS: 1 V. ADAMS, J. GRIMSON, B. SUTTON, T. STEWART, R. MOSTERT, R. ARMSTRONG

BEST

CLAREMONT: B. HARRY, R. MURPHY, T. GAJEWSKI, E. SIMPSON, J. SIDERIS, S. MCPHEE

SWAN DISTRICTS: J. SHORTER, B. GILLARD, B. SUTTON, B. FULLGRABE