Tigers and Falcons Draw

Claremont (Reserves) have drawn with West Perth at HBF Arena in a result which sees the Tigers finish the season with seven-and-a-half wins.

The 7.10 (52) to 6.16 (52) score line means Claremont finished in sixth position on the ladder, while the Falcons finish in fourth with 10 wins and two draws and will host East Perth in the first week of finals.

Lachlan Davey, Ben Higgs, Steven Edwards, Sam Bevan and Keegan Knott all worked hard for the Tigers, while Darcy Cameron was dominant in the ruck and Bronson Harry kicked two goals.

The Falcons were best served by Jesse Kirwen, Marc Crisp, Brayden Antonio and Mitchell Peirce, while Max Alexander took 11 marks and Dean Munns layed 12 tackles.

With Tom Willett (League) going out of the side from round 22, Harrison McCracken returned after a week off with concussion, while Sam Skinner and Brent and Jake Luckman made their debuts for Claremont.

On an overcast day, acting captain Higgs elected to kick to the southern end of the ground in the opening term with the aid of a healthy breeze.

A scrappy 10 minutes of play engulfed the opening stages of the match before Arana O’Byrne kicked truly from a free kick to give the Tigers an eight-point lead.

A goal to Jack McPhee followed five minutes later after a raking kick by Alex Manuel and the Tigers were out to a 13-point lead, before a booming effort from outside 50m to Davey resulted from an excellent tackle and great pressure by Manuel and had the visitors leading by 20 points at the first change.

Mark Hamilton kicked truly early in the second term to give the Falcons their first major, before Harry responded for Claremont after a comedy of errors, and when the promising Tiger kicked his second late in the term following a coast-to-coast move which was started by Knott at half-back, the visitors had their fifth and maintained their 20-point lead at the long break.

Sam Money gave West Perth an ideal start to the second half when he kicked truly, before Kaiden Gilbert responded for the Tigers and pushed the lead out to 21 points.

Goals to Alexander and Callum Papertalk had the inaccurate Falcons trailing by eight points midway through the third term, before a great smother by Isaac Baum in defence highlighted the Tigers’ will to work for one another.

The result was an eight-point lead to the Tigers at the final change, as coach Brad Trpchev encouraged his side to improve defensively and “run and carry” in the fourth quarter.

A second goal to Hamilton had the Falcons trailing by just two points as the hosts began to make their move, before Edwards responded for the Tigers after being found by Knott.

A second goal to Papertalk at the 26-minute mark of the final term saw the hosts draw level, and despite some nervous moments for the Tigers in the closing stages, the side held firm to take home two points.

CLAREMONT 3.3 5.4 6.7 7.10 (52)

WEST PERTH 0.1 1.8 4.11 6.16 (52)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 2 B. HARRY, 1 S. EDWARDS, L. DAVEY, J. MCPHEE, A. O’BYRNE, K. GILBERT

WEST PERTH: 2 M. HAMILTON, C. PAPERTALK, 1 S. MONEY, M. ALEXANDER

BEST

CLAREMONT: L. DAVEY, B. HIGGS, S. EDWARDS, S. BEVAN

WEST PERTH: J. KIRWEN, D. MUNNS, M. ALEXANDER, M. CRISP