League: Tigers simply sensational

By Ken Casellas

Claremont, simply irresistible, stormed to a glorious victory over the much-vaunted East Perth side at Leederville Oval on Saturday to make a magnificent start to the 2016 season, leaving the Royals bedraggled and dispirited.

East Perth, bolstered by the inclusion of 14 West Coast Eagles AFL-listed players, were brushed aside and left rattled, disorganised and in disarray by a finely-tuned and fiercely determined Tigers outfit.

The runaway 76-point victory over premiership favourites East Perth was a just reward for disciplined teamwork and sheer hard work. Indeed, the 16.14 to 5.4 drubbing was a triumph for the tactical planning that preceded the contest, viewed pre-match by 99 per cent of football pundits and aficionados as just a romp in the park for the talent-laden East Perth combination.

However, faithful Tigers supporters travelled to Leederville Oval with confidence after an outstanding and most impressive pre-season training schedule and congratulations are extended to senior coach Michael Broadbridge and his lieutenants Damien McMahon, Chris Bolton, Pat Litherland and Kepler Bradley, football manager Darcy Coffey, chairman of selectors Ryan Lasscock and the entire strength and conditioning and support staff.

Claremont ambushed East Perth with a scintillating start as their players attacked the ball in all contests with such ferocity that left club supporters gasping in awe.

The Tigers completely demoralised East Perth as they suffocated the opposition and clogged up their play, which forced them to rely on an ineffective stop-start, short-passing style.

The 76-point triumph was Claremont’s sixth biggest round-one success in 91 years in the WAFL competition, coming in behind the round-one wins over South Fremantle (by a massive 147 points in 1986), over Perth (by 88 points in 1996), over Perth (by 83 points in 2000), over Peel Thunder (by 110 points in 2010) and over Peel (by 81 points in 2011).

Claremont also beat Peel, 17.15 (117) to 0.0 in a round-one fixture at Rushton Park on March 20, 2004. But Peel scored 10.10 and had their score erased from the record books because they played an unregistered player, former Fitzroy and Subiaco rover Peter Bird.

Big round-one wins certainly are no guarantee for continuing successes and for appearances in the finals. Captain Jake Murphy and his men have no false illusions and are not getting carried away. The players are fully aware that they must maintain their standards and their focus over the next five and a half months to have any chance of gaining the right to contest finals football.

Football is a fickle game. Diehard Claremont supporters well remember the ecstasy at Leederville Oval on March 3, 1980 when the Tigers thrashed East Perth by 102 points in a round-one Escort Cup match with a 22.10 to 4.16 scoreline. Graham Moss and Wayne Blackwell starred in that demolition and they were delighted spectators at the same ground on Saturday afternoon. But a month after that Escort Cup runaway they were in the Claremont side which was beaten by East Perth by eight points in a round-one WAFL fixture.

The Tigers have a round-two bye next Saturday before clashing with Perth at Lathlain Park the following Saturday. It is well worth remembering that the unfancied Perth Demons beat the Tigers in early season WAFL matches in 2014 and 2015.

There were dozens of positives for Claremont on Saturday, and among them were wonderful WAFL debuts from Jared Hardisty and Werribee Tigers recruit Jye Bolton, Ian Richardson’s superb performance as a defensive forward, a splendid return to the club by defender Dylan Ross after five years with South Fremantle and a sensational effort from the fearless Hugo Breakey, who set the example for total commitment.

The 22-year-old Breakey, laid low by serious injuries and restricted to three league appearances in 2015, had dedicated himself over the past three months to regain peak fitness and he excelled on Saturday with his skill, application and determination opposed to some experienced AFL performers, including former Brisbane Lions star Jack Redden.

Not only did Breakey blunt the effectiveness of his opponents, he also sent the Tigers inside their attacking 50m zone seven times, a tally equalled by powerful, dashing half-back flanker Matt Davies. Lively wingers Ryan Neates, Tom Ledger (each with four inside 50s) and Ryan Lim (three) also provided the Claremont forwards with many opportunities. For good measure ruckman/forward Darcy Cameron had four inside 50s to complement his four goals.

Ruckman Mitch Andrews was a marvellous contributor who worked grandly at the bounce-downs and boundary throw-ins. He also laid five tackles and had five clearances from stoppages. Others who excelled at the stoppages were Hardisty (eight), Murphy (seven) and Bolton (five).

Claremont’s explosive start stunned East Perth and it was Hardisty, 12 days after celebrating his 20^th birthday, who was at the forefront with three clearances in the opening seven minutes.

Andrews gained the knock at the opening bounce and Hardisty sent the ball deep into attack. But the sortie was held up by a strong mark from full-back and former Claremont colts captain Tom Barrass.

Five minutes later East Perth’s Luke Partington went for a switch kick across goal. But Matt Palfrey cleverly anticipated the move and he intercepted Partington’s kick before running in to notch the first of Claremont’s six goals for the quarter, in which the Royals were held scoreless.

Hardisty drove the Tigers into attack from the resultant centre bounce. This enabled Breakey to gain possession and his pass found Beau Maister, who snapped truly.

At the nine-minute mark Richardson passed accurately to Andrews, who booted the ball long forward where Neates gained possession and took two bounces before booting Claremont’s third major.

The writing was well and truly on the wall. The Royals were wilting under the immense pressure applied by Claremont and turnovers abounded. Much of the East Perth fumbling was in strong contrast to Claremont’s cool, calculated efficiency.

Twelve minutes into the quarter the busy Ledger cleared the ball from the half-back line and Andrews was awarded a free-kick for interference in the centre of the ground. Richardson pounced to take the advantage kick which he delivered to the irrepressible Breakey, whose pass was marked by Maister for the big man’s second.

Murphy was also making his presence felt and he gained a free-kick after being tackled high. He delivered to Cameron, who soared to pull in the first of his eight marks for the afternoon. His goal extended Claremont’s lead to 30 points and soon after that East Perth’s muddle was magnified when three of their defenders flew in an attempt to spoil Maister in a marking duel.

Meanwhile Claremont’s defence held firm, with a great spoil by Ross a highlight. The unflappable Brandon Franz was in command at full-back and fellow defenders Davies, Ross, Keifer Yu, Jack Beeck, Bailey Rogers and Anton Hamp were providing grand assistance.

Late in the quarter Beeck ventured downfield and when Maister’s marking attempt was spoilt he dashed in to seize the crumbs and boot his fourth goal in 17 league appearances.      

Finally, at the 28-minute mark East Perth looked like opening their scoring with veteran Craig Wulff, in his record-breaking 270^th league appearance for the Royals, taking a long shot. But the ball landed in the arms of the unattended Ledger in the goalsquare, leaving the Tigers to go into the quarter-time break, leading 6.1 to 0.0.

East Perth finally got on the board four minutes into the second term --- in unconvincing fashion. Partington was unmarked in the goalsquare where he fumbled before he gained possession and drilled the ball home from point blank range.

A mark followed by a 50m penalty enabled Dom Sheed to get East Perth’s second major. Claremont replied several minutes later, with Maister notching his third goal, with an accurate snap after a forward move involving Hardisty and Richardson.

Claremont continued to stifle East Perth and the Tigers led, 7.4 to 2.2 at half-time.

It took the Tigers 79 seconds of the third term to notch their eighth goal after Haydn Busher accepted a pass from the hard-working Jack Bradshaw. Claremont were kicking into a stiff breeze, but they got the second goal of the quarter at the seven-minute mark when Cameron drove his side forward and Bradshaw received a free-kick after interference from Kyle Anderson.

Seven minutes later Franz earned joyous applause after being awarded a free-kick following his vice-like tackle on Sheed. East Perth looked totally ineffective and managed just two behinds (to Tom Lamb and Pat McGinnity) for the quarter. Hardisty was continuing to play strongly, opposed to the experienced Mark Hutchings.

Adding to East Perth’s woes were goals late in the term to Cameron and Lim. Cameron’s goal came after marking in the goalsquare a kick from Palfrey, who had gained possession after some good work from Davies, Richardson and Yu.

Two minutes later Yu delivered to Maister, whose kick was marked by Lim for Claremont’s 11^th goal and a three-quarter time lead of 59 points.

Bolton continued his fine work in the midfield and his pass to Cameron resulted in Claremont’s 12^th major 83 seconds into the final quarter. Then a clever pass from energetic defender Rogers found Richardson, who notched full points with a typical long bomb.

Neates passed to Cameron for his fourth goal and 11 minutes later Yu brought up a behind. The kick-in from goal was marked by Breakey, whose goal stretched Claremont’s lead to 80 points.

Much of the heat had gone from the contest when Redden scrambled through a much-wanted East Perth major which was followed by another (from Jonathon Giles) four minutes later. Claremont replied with a goal to Hardisty, wearing the No. 25 jumper made famous by the great Graham Moss. This goal followed a good passage of play involving Davies, and Yu.

Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls marked in the dying moments, but his goal gave East Perth little to enthuse over.

Details:

Claremont 16.14 (110) beat East Perth 5.4 (34).

Scorers

CLAREMONT: D. Cameron 4.0; S. Maister 3.0; M. Palfrey, I. Richardson, K. Yu 1.2; H. Breakey, J. Hardisty 1.1; J. Beeck, H. Busher, R. Lim, R. Neates 1.0; M. Davies, T. Ledger, O. Tate 0.1; 3pts forced.

EAST PERTH: J. Giles, J. Oakley-Nicholls, L. Partington, J. Redden, D. Sheed 1.0; T. Lamb, P. McGinnity, F. McInnes 0.1; 1pt forced.

Best

CLAREMONT: H. Breakey, I. Richardson, D. Cameron, B. Rogers, M. Davies, J. Hardisty, R. Lim, R. Neates, A. Hamp, T. Ledger, K. Yu.

EAST PERTH: M. Fraser, S. Payne, T. Barrass, F. McInnes, T. Cole, K. Anderson, J. Redden.