Tigers Too Good For Sharks

Claremont (Reserves) have survived a second-half fightback by East Fremantle at the Show Grounds to record a 21-point win and claim their seventh victory for the season.

After a dominant first half which saw the Tigers hold a 44-point lead at half-time, the Sharks kicked six goals to three after the long break but were unable to stop the Tigers from prevailing 12.9 (81) to 8.12 (60).

The win sees Claremont remain in sixth position on the ladder while East Fremantle remain in eighth.

The win was one of the Tigers’ best for the season despite Harrison Court and Harrison McCracken both suffering second-half injuries and being stretchered off the ground.

Tom Willett was a strong performer in defence alongside Ben Higgs, while Morgan Davies, Chaz Flint and Steven Edwards all won their fair share of the ball and Keegan Knott and Jack Richardson each kicked two goals.

The Sharks were best served by Jayden Schofield, Dion Anthony, Barry Barone and Dylan Coulthard, while Tom Bowey kicked three goals and Jake Solomon and Jack Fletcher performed well in the ruck.

With Aaron Holt lining up in his first game since round 10 after returning from a foot injury and Bronson Harry debuting for the Tigers, acting captain Isaac Baum led the hosts as they kicked to the northern end of the ground in the opening term.

With Kaiden Gilbert taking ruck duties and Harry lining up at full-forward, it would be a dream start for the debutant as he kicked truly in just the second minute to give the hosts an ideal start and an early six-point lead.

A goal to Bowey following an errant kick in defence by Baum then handed the Sharks their first major and saw the visitors take a one-point lead, before goals to Knott and Richardson (two) saw the Tigers take a 17-point lead at quarter-time on a splendid day for football.

Despite the hosts’ promising start, a reoccurrence of the same foot injury which had sidelined Holt leading up to the game dampened the hosts’ mood and saw the popular Tiger take no further part in the game.

Although the Tigers were in a promising position in regards to the scoreboard, coach Brad Trpchev implored his players to lower their eyes when going forward and encouraged the side to tighten up on the Sharks and their short kicking.

A second goal to Knott resulted from a free kick and gave the hosts a 25-point buffer at the nine-minute mark of the second term as Edwards began to exert his influence on the contest, before McCracken kicked truly to see the Tigers out to a commanding lead.

With the Sharks in danger of being blown away and in desperate need of a goal to stay in the game, up stepped Anthony to trim the Tigers’ lead to 27 points.

However, late goals to Lawrence Evans, Matt Goyder and Davies saw the hosts hit straight back and take a 44-point lead at half-time.

Goals to Bowey (second) and Coulthard had the Sharks within 29 points early in the third term, before Gilbert kick a steadying major for the Tigers.

In what would be a bizarre and lengthy quarter from here on in, Court was then taken from the field after a heavy collision involving Higgs, before Josh Hall benefited from a pinpoint pass from Coulthard to kick the Sharks’ fifth major and reduce the Tigers’ lead to 30 points.

With the Tigers already two players down on the interchange, the sight of McCracken lying motionless on the ground after hitting his head in a tackle left the hosts three players short and those in attendance both stunned and concerned.

A third goal to Bowey saw the Sharks close to within 24 points, before Arana O’Byrne kicked truly and Peadar Burke layed a brilliant smother in defence for the Tigers.

The result was a 32-point lead to the hosts at three-quarter time, as Trpchev implored his players to improve their work at stoppages and dig deep for their wounded teammates.

A high-flying mark by Schofield lit up the opening stages of the final term before Barone kicked truly for the Sharks and saw the visitors close to within 25 points.

The sight of Jack McPhee leaving the field for Claremont after backing in to a pack left those watching in disbelief as the injury toll continued to rise, however, the Tiger would soon return to the field.

A goal to Tim Bristow saw the Sharks trailing by just 19 points after going coast-to-coast and registering consecutive majors, before Edwards responded for the Tigers following a free kick.

Ultimately, that would be enough for the Tigers to register the points in their final home game for 2015, with the side now turning its attention to Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval in round 22.

CLAREMONT 4.1 9.6 11.8 12.9 (81)

EAST FREMANTLE 1.2 2.4 6.6 8.12 (60)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 2 J. RICHARDSON, K. KNOTT, 1 B. HARRY, H. MCCRACKEN, M. DAVIES, L. EVANS, K. GILBERT, S. EDWARDS, M. GOYDER, A. O’BYRNE

EAST FREMANTLE: 3 T. BOWEY, 1 B. BARONE, D. COULTHARD, T. BRISTOW, J. HALL, D. ANTHONY

BEST

CLAREMONT: M. DAVIES, B. HIGGS, C. FLINT, T. WILLETT, S. EDWARDS

EAST FREMANTLE: J. SCHOFIELD, D. ANTHONY, D. COULTHARD, B. BARONE, T.BOWEY