Tigers Return to Top Five

Claremont have reclaimed fifth position on the ladder after defeating Swan Districts by 15 points at the Show Grounds.

Despite Swans hitting the front in the final term and another late fadeout seemingly on the cards, the Tigers kicked the final three goals of the game to run out winners, 13.11 (89) to 10.14 (74).

The win comes as a huge relief for the Tigers and ends a two-game losing streak, with the side now trailing fourth-placed East Perth by just one win with a game in hand.

Four-quarter performances have been rare for the Tigers in 2015, however, the side produced some of their best football for the season at times, and responded when challenged.

Beau Maister was the match winner for Claremont with 10 marks and four goals, while Jack Bradshaw kicked three second-half majors to take his season tally to 33.

Ryan Neates, Corey Yeo and captain Jake Murphy all won plenty of the football, while Mitchell Andrews was a colossus in the ruck and around the ground.

Brandon Franz was as reliable as ever in defence and the returning Lachlan Davey fought out an intriguing dual with the dangerous Matthew Jukes, while Ian Richardson worked hard despite his return of 0.3.

Swans were well served by Aaron Elari, Adam Faulkner and Matt Riggio, while Ricky Cary and the popular Rudy Riddoch combined for five goals.

With Mark Seaby, Francis Watson and Haydn Busher out through injury, Davey, Jack Beeck and Andrews came in to the side who lost to West Perth seven days earlier, as the Tigers kicked to the northern end of the ground in the opening term with a healthy breeze.

A long-range goal to Murphy followed earlier behinds from Richardson, Bradshaw and Kepler Bradley as the Tigers took a nine-point lead after some promising play.

A pinpoint pass by Matthew Palfrey following some fine efforts by Andrews and Beeck at half-back allowed Maister to kick his first and the Tigers’ second goal, as the hosts took a 15-point lead over a sluggish Swans outfit.

A second major to Maister saw the lead stretched to 20 points after the forward was found by Bradshaw, with Murphy and Yeo both prominent in midfield.

A 19-point lead at the first change was the result of a fine opening term by the Tigers, however, it was now Swans’ turn to kick with the breeze.

Despite their advantage, a third goal to Maister saw the Tigers extend the lead to 25 points, before Cary kicked the visitors’ first major at the seven-minute mark of the second term following some indecisive play by Tom Swift.

Three minutes later and Cary had his and Swans’ second goal after some bewildering decisions by a number of Tigers to play on and handball to teammates who were under pressure, with the visitors now trailing the hosts by just 13 points.

When an unmarked Alex Howard ran from defence and kicked truly on the run, Swans found themselves trailing by just five points, and when Jarrad Blight benefited from a 50m penalty, the visitors hit the front for the first time and took a two-point lead in to half-time.

A disappointing second term left the Tigers in need of a strong response, and when Palfrey kicked truly just two minutes in to the third term following a handball by Richardson, the hosts were back in front.

A clever pass by Cary then allowed Jukes to kick truly as Swans reclaimed the lead, before a second major to Palfrey following some good work and a neat pass by Darcy Cameron saw the Tigers respond.

Bradshaw then kicked the first of his three majors after the small forward was quickest to react at the base of the pack, before an outstanding chase and tackle by Kiefer Yu served as a moment of inspiration for those in navy and gold.

The bullocking midfielder then added his name to the goal kicking list after being found by Palfrey following a great tackle by Cameron as the Tigers made it three goals in a row and took a 19-point lead.

Bradley was next to get in on the act after a strong mark and goal from a long kick by Yu, before Bradshaw grabbed his second major to increase the Tigers’ lead to 31 points.

With the Tigers now threatening to run away with the match, the sight of Yu leaving the field under the assistance of trainers was not what the hosts wanted, as Nathan Broad grabbed a badly needed goal for Swans.

Tim Geappen then kicked his first major and suddenly the Tigers’ lead was trimmed to 20 points, before Swift had his number taken for a laughable incident involving Faulkner, with the contact between the two barely warranting a free kick.

A six-goal-to-three term saw the Tigers take a 19-point lead in to the final change, as Michael Broadbridge encouraged his side to control the ball and produce gut running in order to secure the four points.

Early goals to Riddoch and Cary had Swans trailing by only six points just four minutes in to the final term as the travelling fans found their voice and those in navy and gold felt as though history was repeating from the previous two weeks.

When Riddoch kicked truly on the run four minutes later, Swans found themselves in front as the Tigers had lost momentum and control of the match, while their finals chances were hanging by a thread.

However, unlike the losses against Peel Thunder and West Perth, there would be no surrender and the side would dig deep when they most needed to.

A fourth goal to Maister followed a short pass by Neates and saw the hosts take back the lead, before goals to Yeo and Bradshaw (third) iced the result and saw the Tigers record their eighth and without doubt, most important win for the season.

The side will now turn its attention to a round-20 clash with East Perth at Medibank Stadium.

CLAREMONT 3.4 4.5 10.9 13.11 (89)

SWAN DISTRICTS 0.3 4.7 7.8 10.14 (74)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 4 B. MAISTER, 3 J. BRADSHAW, 2 M. PALFREY, 1 K. YU, C. YEO, J. MURPHY, K. BRADLEY

SWAN DISTRICTS: 3 R. CARY, 2 R. RIDDOCH, 1 J. BLIGHT, M. JUKES, N. BROAD, A. HOWARD, T. GEAPPEN

BEST

CLAREMONT: B. MAISTER, R. NEATES, C. YEO, J. MURPHY, M. ANDREWS, B. FRANZ

SWAN DISTRICTS: A. ELARI, A. FAULKNER, R. CARY, J. SIMPSON