Tigers Mauled by Lions

Claremont has suffered its first loss since round six after Subiaco claimed a 37-point win at the Showgrounds and ended the Tigers’ five-match winning streak.

The defeat sees the Tigers drop to eighth position on the ladder, while the Lions have now won eight straight matches courtesy of their 10.15 (75) to 5.8 (38) victory.

Poor ball-use and decision-making by the Tigers contributed to their defeat, while an inability to hit the scoreboard and stop the Lions from scoring on the rebound were telling factors in the loss.

In similar fashion to their match in round one, the Tigers were in the game at three-quarter time, however, the Lions showed once again that they are the team to beat in 2015 after kicking three goals to nil in the final term.

The Tigers’ full-time score was their lowest since round 20, 2008, while the Lions are conceding an average of just 56 points per game so far this season.

Shane McAdam has been a revelation since debuting for the Tigers in round one, however, the electric forward fell ill early in the game and was unable to return.

Tom Ledger, Corey Yeo, Ryan Neates, Kiefer Yu and Matt Davies were all prolific ball winners for the hosts, while Mark Seaby and the returning Mitchell Andrews shared ruck duties.

John Williams was handed the job of containing the league’s leading goal kicker in Shane Yarran, and despite the Lion kicking three goals, the Tiger took home the players’ player award for his stellar efforts.

Subiaco were best served by boom-recruit Sam Menegola, Chris Phelan and returning captain Kyal Horsley, while Clancy Wheeler was prominent and Michael Wood kicked two goals.

From the Tigers’ team who defeated Perth just six days earlier, Andrews and Jordan McAllister lined up in place of Darcy Cameron and Francis Watson.

On a wet and blustery day where both clubs lined up in their heritage guernsey’s, the Tigers won the toss and elected to kick to the southern end of the ground in the opening term with the aid of a healthy breeze.

A tough and even start to the match saw neither side able to break free and gather momentum, until Beau Maister kicked the opening goal after winning a free-kick at the 10-minute mark.

A great chase and tackle by McAdam three minutes later saw the silky Tiger win a free-kick and provided a reminder to everyone at the ground of his terrific work-rate and speed, before Menegola kicked the first of his two goals to give the Lions a one-point lead.

Ian Richardson then kicked truly after marking a long kick by Yu to restore the Tigers’ lead, before the first of Yarran’s three majors saw the two most dominant teams in the last decade head into the first change level at 2.3 (15).

Tigers’ coach Michael Broadbridge encouraged his players to switch the play and not go “into their shells”, while the team needed to place a greater emphasis on tackling and not letting their opponents break free.

Despite a promising start to the second term in general play, an inability to apply scoreboard pressure let the Tigers down, and when Lachlan Delahunty kicked truly eight minutes in, the Lions took a five-point lead.

Further goals to Yarran (second), Kyle Halligan and Leigh Kitchin saw the visitors out to a threatening 25-point lead with the Tigers now being outplayed and outworked around the ground.

An incredible goal from Anton Hamp then provided the Tigers with a badly-needed response after the forward-turned-defender kicked truly from deep in the right-forward pocket at the northern end, as the hosts went into the long break trailing the visitors by 19 points.

Ledger, Yu and Oliver Tate were all proving prominent for the Tigers, although the Lions’ class and big bodies in and around the contest was starting to take a hold on the game.

In similar fashion to when he kicked two goals in a minute against Perth in round 12, Jack Bradshaw gave the Tigers an ideal start to the third term when he kicked truly after being awarded a free-kick off the ball as the Tigers reduced the margin to 13 points.

Despite another period of dominance in general play, the Tigers were unable to hit the scoreboard, as Menegola kicked his second major and gave the Lions a 19-point lead at the 16-minute mark.

Yu then kicked his first goal after a squaring-pass by Richardson which saw the Tigers close to within 17 points at the final change, as Broadbridge implored his charges to run out the game and not give up.

The Tigers’ cause was not helped when rain began to pour down at the start of the final term, as consecutive goals to Wood and a third to Yarran saw the reigning premiers run out comfortable winners and maintain their three-match buffer at the top of the ladder.

The Tigers will now turn their attention to round 14 when they travel to ATOM Stadium to face East Fremantle.

CLAREMONT 2.3 3.4 5.6 5.8 (38)

SUBIACO 2.3 6.5 7.11 10.15 (75)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 1 J. BRADSHAW, B. MAISTER, K. YU, I. RICHARDSON, A. HAMP

SUBIACO: 3 S. YARRAN, 2 M. WOOD, S. MENEGOLA, 1 L. DELAHUNTY, L. KITCHIN, K. HALLIGAN         

BEST

CLAREMONT: C. YEO, J. WILLIAMS, K. YU, R. NEATES, M. DAVIES, T. LEDGER

SUBIACO: S. MENEGOLA, C. PHELAN, S. YARRAN, C. WHEELER