Tigers stunned by Thunder

By Dan Scamozzi

Claremont’s Reserves face South Fremantle in the qualifying final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Saturday despite suffering a 12-point loss to Peel Thunder at the Showgrounds in Round 23.

The 9.11 (65) to 12.5 (77) defeat saw the Tigers lose consecutive games for the first time this season, but meant the team finished in second position on the ladder with a 15-5 record.

Goalless second and final terms hurt Claremont, despite the Tigers recording 12 more inside 50s and three more scoring shots.

Chris Oakley kicked four goals and provided Claremont with endless energy in the forward line, while Tom Shanahan finished with 34 disposals and seven inside 50s.

Jack Beeck (27 disposals, seven inside 50s), Toby Plant (22 disposals, seven tackles) and Matthew Palfrey were others to impress, while Mason Whitehead chipped in with two goals.

Meanwhile, Dylan Ross returned from a knee injury to finish with 14 disposals and five marks.

Peel was best served by Brett Milward (four goals) - who kicked the only three majors of the final term - Keegan Power (28 disposals, one goal) and Brad Walsh (28 disposals), as the visitors claimed consecutive wins and recorded just their third victory for the season.

Milward gave Peel first blood at the seven-minute mark of the opening term, before Claremont hit back through goals to Oakley, Harry Sinclair and Whitehead to establish a 13-point lead.

Goals to Jakob Janzekovic, Noah Hura and Chris Wrigley saw Peel reply and reclaim the lead, with the Tigers unable to clear the ball from defence and let down by poor decision making and disposal.

A late goal to Oakley (second) gave Claremont a two-point lead at quarter-time, however, coach Kepler Bradley was unimpressed with the Tigers’ effort and implored the team to improve its tackling.

A goal to Nathan Fahey gave Peel a quick start to the second term and saw the lead change hands once again, before majors to Nick Merritt, Luke Shepherd, Power and Corey Morris meant the visitors kicked five for the term to take a 27-point lead into half-time.

With Claremont needing to lift after a disappointing second term, a goal to Harrison Court was the perfect start to the second half for the Tigers and trimmed the deficit to 19 points.

Oakley then lit up the contest with two quick goals in the space of as many minutes, before Jack Richardson gave Claremont four goals in a row and pulled the Tigers to within one point.

A second to Whitehead then saw Claremont reclaim the lead and take a five-point buffer into three-quarter time on the back of a five-goal-to-nil third term and a scoreless quarter by Peel.

However, a disappointing final term saw the Tigers add just three behinds, as Milward proved too good for Claremont’s defence and almost single-handedly powered Peel home.

CLAREMONT 4.3 4.6 9.8 9.11 (65)

PEEL THUNDER 4.1 9.3 9.3 12.5 (77)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 4 C. OAKLEY, 2 M. WHITEHEAD, 1 J. RICHARDSON, H. SINCLAIR, H. COURT.

PEEL THUNDER: 4 B. MILWARD, 1 K. POWER, N. MERRITT, L. SHEPHERD, N. HURA, N. FAHEY, C. WRIGLEY, J. JANZEKOVIC, C. MORRIS.

BEST

CLAREMONT: C. OAKLEY, M. PALFREY, T. SHANAHAN, T. PLANT, J. BEECK, I. ROWE.

PEEL THUNDER: B. MILWARD, K. POWER, C. MORRIS, B. WALSH, B. MCGOWAN, A. LEROY.