Tigers roar in Fremantle mud

By Ken Casellas

Claremont 11.3 (69) beat South Fremantle 5.8 (38)

Claremont, more desperate, determined and disciplined, destroyed South Fremantle to the tune of 31 points at Fremantle Oval on Saturday to keep alive hopes of qualifying for the finals in September.

The Tigers refused to be distracted by the driving rain, freezing winds, occasional hail and the extremely slushy conditions as they outmuscled the Bulldogs, who went into the contest as warm favourites.

The attributes of desperation, determination and discipline were clearly visible in the opening quarter when for the first time in living memory the first four goals of a WAFL match were scored from soccered kicks --- all from Claremont players from close range.

Claremont adapted much better to the abominable conditions, with the players hellbent on forcing the ball forward by any means, which resulted in soccer becoming a key component and a highly-effective method of driving the ball forward. There was no dangerous switch kicking or short passing. It was just a matter of forging forward at all costs and stifling any threat from the Bulldogs by weight of numbers.

It was a marvellous and highly-commendable victory when every Claremont player came to the party. Spirits were high before the match, with the Tigers on a mission to return to the winning list and to make amends for so many narrow defeats.

Now, after a bye in round 17 next Saturday, the Claremont players will be aiming to win their final six qualifying-round matches in a bid to contest the finals series in September.

This is not just a pipe dream. Claremont have the will and the ability to defeat East Perth, Peel (twice), Swan Districts, West Perth and East Fremantle to finish with 40 points from ten wins and ten losses.

I predict that Subiaco will finish on top with 64 points, followed by South Fremantle (60), West Perth (52), Claremont and East Fremantle (each 40), Perth (36), East Perth (32), Peel (28) and Swan Districts (8).

Thirty-year-old Beau Maister, the oldest man on the field, was the star of the show. He inspired his teammates with his ferocious attack on the ball, right from the opening minutes to the final siren.

Not only did he provide a major focal point at centre-half-forward, but he covered a great deal of ground to contest the ball on the wings and in defence. He also helped out most effectively in the ruck, particularly after Mitch Andrews received a heavy knock to the ribs in the first quarter.

Twenty-year-old Alex Manuel made a splendid league debut, playing with skill and poise on a half-forward flank, while vice-captain Ian Richardson was a lively contributor on a centre wing.

Much of the reserves match was played in a downpour, but the rain held off for the first 19 minutes of the opening quarter in the league contest which quickly developed into a congested scramble, during which the umpires stopped play 42 times for a throw-up and the ball went out of bounds 68 times.

Quite remarkably Claremont scored such an impressive victory despite South Fremantle taking more marks (39 to 27), having more kicks (244 to 206), making more handpasses (107 to 102) and applying more tackles (108 to 93). And what was even more astonishing was the fact that the Bulldogs got the ball into their 50m attacking zone 53 times to Claremont’s tally of just 30 entries.

A telling factor was that the Tigers showed a far greater desire and that the players abandoned any thought of playing “pretty” football. They gave the Bulldogs a lesson in how to get the best results by playing a superior brand of wet-weather football.

Claremont had first use of a stiff breeze, but South Fremantle attacked strongly in the opening five minutes. However, the Bulldogs were thwarted by some sturdy defensive work from the Tigers, particularly from Andrews and Bailey Rogers.

It was Maister to the fore after six minutes as he drove the ball forward where Gerrick Weedon soccered a goal from point blank range. Three minutes later Murphy gained the clearance from a boundary throw-in at right half-forward and his kick went to Ryan Lim, who got the ball to the goalsquare where Weedon again soccered effectively from just one metre out.

It was all Claremont and at the 11-minute mark Maister passed to Richardson, who got the ball to the goalsquare where, this time, it was Justin Speed’s turn to soccer a major from a metre out.

Heavy rain began to tumble down after 19 minutes of play and there was no score from either side for a 14-minute period until Manuel soccered the ball forward, enabling Harry McCracken, two days after celebrating his 21^st birthday, soccered Claremont’s fourth goal from close range.

It took the Bulldogs 27 minutes to opening their scoring (a behind from Brendan Verrier). Moments later Maister excited the fans with a great mark at centre-half-forward and at the 30-minute mark Richardson posted Claremont’s fifth goal with a powerful long kick. The quarter was still in progress after 35 minutes when Darcy Cameron received a free-kick and scored Claremont’s sixth straight goal from 40m out.

South Fremantle began the second term with a flourish, but indiscreet tackling in attack saw them give away four free-kicks in the opening seven minutes. It took 12 minutes for the first score of the second quarter, when Weedon gained possession at left half-forward before booting the ball to the goalsquare where Maister took a fine chest mark and kicked the first of his three goals for the afternoon.

The scoreboard then showed the Tigers in front, 7.0 to 0.2. Haydn Busher, Lim and Maister combined to get the ball to Rowen Powell, but his shot grazed the bottom of the goal post to register Claremont’s first point.

A left-foot snap from South Fremantle full-forward Ben Saunders struck the base of the right goal post to give the home side its third behind. Then it was Rogers to Manuel to Lim for Claremont’s second minor score.

A shot at goal from South’s Jacob Dragovich was smothered off the boot by Jared Hardisty and then a free-kick to Blaine Johnson looked likely to produce the home side’s first goal. The siren sounded and Johnson went back to take his shot. But the ball slewed off the side off his boot and fell well short, leaving Claremont in front 7.2 to 0.3 at half-time.

It took 14 minutes into the third quarter for the Bulldogs to open their goalscoring, with Tyson Pickett on target from the left pocket. Three minutes later Powell took a mark and he handpassed to Keifer Yu, who sent a long bomb through for Claremont’s eighth major. This stretched Claremont’s lead to 38 points.

The Bulldogs rallied and closed the gap to 20 points after goals to Ryan Cook, Saunders and Adam Guglielmana in the space of nine minutes. But the Tigers hit back in the dying moments of the quarter with goals to Maister and Richardson.

It was a long left-foot shot from Maister which bounced and rolled through, despite a desperate dive from Steven Verrier. Then a long kick from Yu found the ever-present Maister, who handpassed to Richardson, whose snap sailed through for a goal as the siren was sounding.

South had the breeze in the final term. The ground was a quagmire. Saunders took a mark in the opening minute and his goal gave the home side a glimmer of hope. But that was to be South’s only goal for the quarter as the Claremont players, showing superior discipline and adapting better to the conditions continued to stifle the opposition by applying tremendous pressure. The Tigers also concentrated on thwarting the Bulldogs by confining the ball to the dead scoreboard flank.

Tom Ledger stood out with his sound work as a loose man in defence and the Bulldogs simply were unable to penetrate a formidable defensive unit. Claremont managed just 1.1 for the quarter, an early behind to Manuel and a goal at the 24-minute mark to Maister, who put the icing on the cake after Lim had sent the ball forward.

Maister put the finishing touches on a wonderful individual performance by taking a spectacular diving mark, which he completed as he skidded along the sodden turf.

It was a bitterly cold, wet and miserable afternoon. But Claremont supporters left the ground and wended their respective ways home with extremely warm hearts.

Details:

Claremont 11.3 (69) beat South Fremantle 5.8 (38)

Scorers

CLAREMONT: B. Maister 3.0; I. Richardson, G. Weedon 2.0; D. Cameron, H. McCracken, J. Speed, K. Yu, R. Lim, A. Manuel, R. Powell 0.1.

SOUTH FREMANTLE: B. Saunders 2.1; R. Cook 1.1; A. Guglielmana, T. Pickett 1.0; T. Stewart 0.2; S. Edwards, T. Kelly, J. Martinez, B. Verrier 0.1.

Best

CLAREMONT: B. Maister, J. Bolton, R. Lim, J. Murphy, I. Richardson, A. Manuel, K. Yu, A. Hamp.

SOUTH FREMANTLE: S. Hockey, S. Bewick, J. Dragovich, J. Martinez, T. Kelly, Z. Strom, B. Verrier, S. Edwards.