Tigers Storm into Grand Final

By Dan Scamozzi

Claremont’s Colts are one win away from back-to-back premierships after smashing Perth by 64 points in the second semifinal at HBF Arena last Sunday.

The Tigers won every quarter and led at every change in their 16.11 (107) to 6.7 (43) demolition, as the team booked its place in a fourth consecutive grand final.

Slick ball movement, outstanding intensity and a will to apply pressure all over the ground were hallmarks of Claremont’s win, as the Tigers recorded 15 more inside 50s and 14 more scoring shots.

A miserly defence, led by players such as Lucas Baker, Shaquille Morton and Declan Hardisty, ensured Claremont kept its opposition to under 10 goals for the 21^st time this season.

Ball-winning machines Matt Guelfi (33 disposals, one goal), Bailey Banfield (31 disposals, seven inside 50s, one goal) and Sam Petrevski-Seton (25 disposals) capitalised on Jeremy Goddard’s dominance (36 hit outs) in the ruck to lead a hungry Tigers’ midfield and send the ball forward, while Jack Blaauw and Jake Patmore were other key performers.

Jake Waterman provided Perth’s defence with a constant headache to finish with 10 marks and 4.3, as the key forward worked tirelessly both up the ground and inside 50, while Jacob Sideris got better as the game wore on to finish with eight marks and two majors and was one of 10 Claremont goal kickers.

Sam Perkusich was Perth’s leading disposal winner with 19, while Blake Johnson kicked two goals and Trent Simpson laid eight tackles, however, the Demons were held goalless in the second term and had no answer to Claremont’s dominance from start to finish.

Claremont will face either Perth or East Perth on the last Sunday in September.

Petrevski-Seton won the coin toss and elected to kick to the northern end of the ground with the aid of a breeze, however, Perth were first to strike through Cody Ninyette.

Chris Oakley replied for Claremont almost immediately courtesy of a free-kick, before Guelfi made Perth pay for an errant kick in defence with a booming finish from 50m.

Ben Rushforth benefited from some fine composure and a neat pass by Banfield to give Claremont three consecutive goals, before Johnson made the Tigers pay for their own errant kick in defence to grab Perth’s second major.

Waterman then perfectly judged the breeze from 50m to grab Claremont’s fourth goal with Banfield involved once again, before another major from long-range, this time by James Egan, gave the Tigers an 18-point lead at quarter-time after a term which produced no blemish on the scoreboard from either team.

A second goal to Waterman gave Claremont a quick and ideal start to the second term, before Blaauw extended the lead some 12 minutes later.

Quick ball movement from half-back then allowed Waterman to kick his third major and give the Tigers five consecutive goals and a 40-point lead at half-time.

A perfect tap by Goddard, booming centre clearance by Guelfi and goal to Callan England saw Claremont kick their ninth to start the second half, before Joseph Ugle grabbed Perth’s first major since the 15-minute mark of the opening term.

A second to Johnson gave Perth consecutive goals for the first time in the match, before Waterman kicked his fourth after being found by Oakley.

Sideris then grabbed his first goal after some neat work by Bailey Bennett, before Banfield snapped truly after wrenching the ball from an opponents’ clutches to give Claremont a 52-point lead at the final change.

Another dominant term for Claremont resulted from the Tigers winning the clearances 12-3, before Egan left the field at the start of the final term after laying a desperate smother.

Simpson then kicked Perth’s fifth goal, before Josh Bennett replied for Claremont.

With the hard-working Egan now back on the field, and kicking his second goal in just his second game after being found by Tom Lawrence, the Tigers raced to a 58-point lead, before Jayden Johnstone replied for Perth.

A chain of handballs and pass by Petrevski-Seton then saw Sideris kick his second, before a free-kick and 50m penalty allowed England to kick his second and Claremont’s 16^th major in the team’s 17^th win for the season.

The Tigers will now cool their heels before attempting to win their third premiership in four years.

CLAREMONT 5.0 8.6 12.8 16.11 (107)

PERTH 2.0 2.2 4.4 6.7 (43)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 4 J. WATERMAN, 2 J. EGAN, J. SIDERIS, C. ENGLAND, 1 C. OAKLEY, J. BLAAUW, B. BANFIELD, J. BENNETT, B. RUSHFORTH, M. GUELFI.

PERTH: 2 B. JOHNSON, 1 J. UGLE, T. SIMPSON, C. NINYETTE, J. JOHNSTONE.

BEST

CLAREMONT: M. GUELFI, B. BANFIELD, J. WATERMAN, J. PATMORE, J. BLAAUW, J. GODDARD.

PERTH: S. PERKUSICH, B. JOHNSON, T. SIMPSON, C. NINYETTE.