Tigers Claw Past Bulldogs

Claremont have registered consecutive wins after holding off a wasteful South Fremantle by four points at the Show Grounds in NAIDOC Round.

In one of the most scrappy and error-riddled contests in recent memory, the Tigers produced a scintillating seven-goal opening term, before kicking just two majors after quarter-time to prevail 9.10 (64) to 8.12 (60).

After producing a near flawless display in the opening term, the Tigers were held goalless in the second and fourth quarters, and were fortunate to hold on for the win, with the Bulldogs incapable of taking their opportunities in crucial moments.

Despite the perfect conditions and a great crowd on hand, the match descended in to a turnover fest the longer it went, with the final siren a welcome relief for those supporting the navy and gold and leaving some in need of a stiff drink.

The victory sees Claremont move to fourth position with a 7-6 record - trailing third-placed Peel Thunder by just one win with a game in hand and a superior percentage.

Jack Bradshaw kicked four goals to take his season tally to 29, while Kepler Bradley and Beau Maister each kicked two majors and benefited from some fine work in midfield by Ryan Neates, Corey Yeo and Tom Ledger.

Meanwhile, Matt Davies and Francis Watson provided plenty of run and rebound from half-back to go alongside the composure of Oliver Tate, with the Tigers’ defence at its miserly best.

Haydn Busher celebrated his 50^th game with a win, while Jack Beeck did an outstanding job on the dangerous Cory Dell-Olio and Mitchell Andrews worked tirelessly in the ruck and around the ground.

South Fremantle were best served by Ashton Hams, Tim Kelly and Brendan Verrier, while Haiden Schloithe threatened to be a match winner with three goals after being close to non-existent in the first half, and Ryan Cook tried hard to will his side over the line.

Kiefer Yu led the Tigers as acting captain, with Hams marking Ian Richardson before the first bounce and Davies lining up on Schloithe.

A searching pass by Richardson saw Bradley kick the opening goal of the game following a great passage of play which was started by Watson in defence, as the Tigers took an early six-point lead.

An uncontested mark deep inside 50m then saw Traye Bennell kick the visitors’ first goal and level the scores, before Bradley kicked his second major two minutes later to re-establish the Tigers’ six-point buffer.

A spirited chase and tackle by Yu earned the Tiger a free kick and highlighted the Tigers’ ferocious attack on the contest, while Neates was beginning to stamp his imprint on the game through hard running and a fierce work rate.

Goals to Bradshaw and Maister saw the Tigers out to a 19-point lead following some great work by Bradley and Tate respectively, with the entire team in sync with one another.

A goal-saving effort by Andrews was another example of the Tigers’ will and determination, as Maister kicked his second major following a pinpoint pass by Tate after a brilliant gather and handball by Richardson.

With the Tigers now out to a 24-point lead, a blowout appeared on the cards as a shell-shocked South Fremantle pondered how it could work its way back in to the contest.

A second goal to Bradshaw resulted from the forward snapping truly from a front-and-centre position after some great contested work by Maister, with the hosts out to a 30-point lead on the back of some of the finest football played under Michael Broadbridge’s coaching reign.

Adam McIntosh provided the Bulldogs with a badly-needed response at the 27-minute mark and saw the visitors trim the deficit to 24 points, before Isaac Baum kicked truly just moments before the quarter-time siren after some fine second and efforts by Bradley, as the Tigers led by 29 points at the first change.

Broadbridge paid tribute to his side’s performance but at the same time encouraged the Tigers not to be satisfied with their efforts after just one term, as a four-quarter performance was something the team had struggled to put together all season.

If the first term was poetry emotion, then the second provided those in navy and gold with a stark reminder that you cannot pick and choose when to perform, and simply drop off in terms of work rate and application.

Jacob Martinez kicked the term’s sole goal at the five-minute mark and saw the Bulldogs close to within 23 points at half-time on the back of some sloppy and indecisive play from both sides and an inability from the Tigers to convert their chances in attack.

Although the Tigers’ hard work had not been undone in terms of the scoreboard, a big second-half was required following a disappointing lapse which was similar to the second-quarter effort against East Fremantle a fortnight earlier.

A major to Ben Sokol at the four-minute mark of the third term saw the Bulldogs close to within 17 points as poor ball use and turnovers were starting to hurt the Tigers, while a reluctance to take the game on was beginning to creep in to the hosts’ style of play.

A third goal to Bradshaw gave the hosts a 23-point lead and provided a timely boost after a dire 40 minutes of play, before Schloithe kicked his first major after a 50m penalty to see the visitors hit back three minutes later.

A great snap then gave Bradshaw his fourth major after a neat handball by Bradley and restored the Tigers’ 23-point lead, however, it would be the hosts’ final goal for the game.

A second goal to Schloithe saw the Bulldogs trailing by 17 points at the final change, with the game now a war of attrition and a win beckoning for the team who could hold their nerve and commit the least amount of errors.

Goals to Schloithe (third) and the rarely sighted Dell-Olio saw the Bulldogs trailing by just six points at the 18-minute mark of the final term, and although the visitors added two more behinds, they were unable to take advantage of several chances forward of centre, as the Tigers somehow held on for a tense victory which took “winning ugly” to a whole new level.

In promising news for the Tigers, captain Jake Murphy made his return from injury in the Reserves and got through unscathed in what was his first game since round three.

The Tigers will now look to record their third win in a row when they welcome Peel Thunder to the Show Grounds in round 17.

CLAREMONT 7.1 7.3 9.7 9.10 (64)

SOUTH FREMANTLE 2.2 3.4 6.8 8.12 (60)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 4 J. BRADSHAW, 2 K. BRADLEY, B. MAISTER, 1 I. BAUM

SOUTH FREMANTLE: 3 H. SCHLOITHE, 1 A. MCINTOSH, J. MARTINEZ, B. SOKOL, C. DELL-OLIO, T. BENNELL

BEST

CLAREMONT: R. NEATES, M. DAVIES, M. ANDREWS, J. BRADSHAW, K. BRADLEY, O. TATE, C. YEO

SOUTH FREMANTLE: A. HAMS, H. SCHLOITHE, B. VERRIER, T. KELLY