Tigers Return to Top Five

A match-winning haul of six goals from Beau Maister has seen Claremont stage a stirring second-half fightback to defeat a gallant East Fremantle by 35 points at the Showgrounds.

Despite a sluggish first half and 25-point deficit at half-time, the Tigers kicked 14 goals to four after the long break in a rampant display to run out winners, 18.7 (115) to 12.8 (80) and hand the Sharks their 11^th consecutive defeat.

The result, coupled with West Perth’s win over Swan Districts, sees Claremont rise to fifth position on the ladder ahead of a pivotal clash against the sixth-placed Black Ducks in round 22, while East Fremantle remain in eighth.

In further positive news for the Tigers, the team had 10 individual goal kickers while their tally of 9.1 in the final quarter equalled their best scoring term for the season.

In the absence of Kepler Bradley (hamstring), Maister was the star of the show as his contested marking and precise kicking (6.0) were the difference between the two sides, while Tom Ledger and Corey Yeo won plenty of the football and Matt Davies continued his fine run of form across half-back.

Mitchell Andrews was a tireless worker in the ruck and also around the ground, while the Tigers welcomed back Mark Seaby from a knee injury and gave a debut to the impressive Bailey Rogers.

Rory O’Brien once again led the Sharks and was ably assisted by Jacob Green, while Brandon Ellis kicked four goals and James Bristow added 2.3.

With Ryan Neates leading the Tigers, Andrews took first ruck duties as Darcy Cameron and Seaby both lined up in the forward line on a splendid afternoon.

In a sign of things to come, it would be Maister who would kick the opening goal of the game in the first minute as the Tigers burst out of the blocks and took a quick lead.

A major to Bristow resulting from a free kick saw the Sharks draw level before Ellis kicked truly to hand the visitors consecutive goals and a six-point buffer.

Neates then left the field after coming off second best in a bone-jarring bump, before a second major to Bristow saw the Sharks out to a 12-point lead with the visitors being afforded too much space in the Tigers’ defence.

Along with Andrews’ best efforts around the ground, a goal to Yeo following some excellent pressure across half-forward from the Tigers saw the team respond, before Maister added his second following a centre clearance and long kick by Ryan Lim.

Not even a dislocated finger could stop Maister from exerting his dominance on the contest as the burly forward had it popped back in and continued on his merry way, as a great tackle from Brandon Franz and prolific work both in and around the contest by Lim highlighted the Tigers’ efforts.

With scores level at quarter-time after an absorbing term, coach Michael Broadbridge lamented the Sharks’ amount of marks and ability to spread harder than the hosts, while he encouraged his forwards to stay deep and make the visitors’ defenders accountable, particularly Ryan Lester-Smith who was playing as a loose man in defence and operating as a sweeper.

In what was becoming a constant theme for the day, Kiefer Yu was then forced to leave the field after copping a heavy knock, before Ian Richardson made a courageous spoil from an East Fremantle kick-in.

A failure to clear the ball from defence and the inability to hit targets by foot then saw Matthew Bannister kick truly and hand the Sharks a six-point lead after some sloppy play by the Tigers, before the visitors made it consecutive goals and doubled their advantage.

A goal to Cameron from a tight angle saw the Tigers hit back, however, consecutive majors to Ellis (three) and a second to Bannister saw the Sharks take a 25-point lead in to half-time on the back of a disappointing term by the hosts.

With Claremont needing to win in order to stay alive in the race for finals and East Fremantle playing for nothing but pride, the upcoming half was, without doubt, the biggest of the Tigers’ season so far.

An early goal to Neates proved the ideal start to the third term as the hosts closed to within 19 points, before Mitchell Boyle and Brock O’Brien responded for the Sharks.

With the Tigers now 29 points down and facing the prospect of being spectators in September, no one at the ground could’ve imagined what was about to transpire.

With Maister kicking his third goal after some promising play which was started by Rogers in defence, it would be the first of nine straight majors for the hosts in a display which would turn the game on its head.

Oliver Tate added his name to the goal kicking list and in the process registered his first major for the club, before further goals to Maister (five) saw the Tigers trailing by just four points at the final change after a dominant five-goal-to-two quarter.

With Broadbridge looking no further ahead than the next 30 minutes, the second-year coach implored his players to give everything they had in the final term, and when Ledger kicked truly on the back of a 50m penalty, the Tigers had suddenly hit the front.

A sixth major to Maister quickly followed after the dominant Tiger was found by the hard-working Jack Beeck, before the 13^th-gamer went from goal provider to scorer after a brilliant intercept and cool finish.

With the Tigers now full of momentum and the Sharks on the ropes, further goals to Davies and Jack Bradshaw pushed the margin out to 24 points, before Ellis responded for the visitors with his fourth.

A goal to Rob Young quickly followed and served as a reminder to the Tigers that their work was far from done, before a second to Bradshaw saw the hosts respond.

Seaby then kicked truly to put the result beyond doubt, before second goals to Yeo and Cameron put the icing on the cake and delivered the Tigers their third-highest score for the season.

The team will now turn its attention to a massive clash against Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval in round 22, with a win to secure a finals berth.

CLAREMONT 3.1 4.2 9.6 18.7 (115)

EAST FREMANTLE 3.1 8.3 10.4 12.8 (80)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 6 B. MAISTER, 2 C. YEO, D. CAMERON, J. BRADSHAW, 1 T. LEDGER, J. BEECK, O. TATE, M. DAVIES, R. NEATES, M. SEABY

EAST FREMANTLE: 4 B. ELLIS, 2 M. BANNISTER, J. BRISTOW, 1 M. FRANKLIN, M. BOYLE, R. YOUNG, B. O’BRIEN     

BEST

CLAREMONT: B. MAISTER, C. YEO, M. DAVIES, T. LEDGER, M. ANDREWS, J. BEECK

EAST FREMANTLE: R. O’BRIEN, B. ELLIS, J. BRISTOW