By Daniel Scamozzi

A ruthless, dominant and clinical performance from Claremont’s Reserves saw the Tigers crush Swan Districts by 68 points in glorious conditions in the first semifinal at Joondalup Arena.

The 22.3 (135) to 10.7 (67) mauling is the Tigers’ highest score of the season and sets up a preliminary final showdown with Subiaco at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

A blistering, 13-goals-to-two first half set up an enormous 67-point lead at half-time, and despite Swans responding in the third term, the Tigers slammed on six more goals in the final term to record an emphatic victory.

The Tigers took 18 more marks, laid 19 more tackles and recorded eight more scoring shots than their beaten opponents, and kicked 16.0 after quarter-time.

11 goal-kickers also highlighted the team’s evenness and many avenues to goal.

Tough-as-nails defender Isaac Wallace set the tone with his unwavering attack on the ball and blanketed Swans’ Taryce Stewart (two disposals, one goal) to finish as Claremont’s best player and deservedly win the players’ player award, while Shaquille Morton laid six tackles and kicked two goals in a starring role across the half-forward line.

The high-leaping Matt Palfrey returned from concussion to kick a game-high five goals, including four in the Tigers’ first-half blitz, while ruckman Jeremy Goddard (37 hit-outs) continued his great form and regularly gave the midfield first use.

Midfielder Tom Curren (28 disposals) laid six tackles for the second week running, while Alec Waterman and Brett Wilson each kicked three goals.

Meanwhile, clearance and tackling machine Rylie Morgan laid a game-high nine tackles.

Steven Wityk kicked a team-high four goals for Swans, however, the black-and-whites had no answers to the Tigers’ early onslaught and saw their season come to an end.

Ryan Murphy, Palfrey, Cameron Quenby and James Egan came into the team as the Tigers kicked to the southern end of the ground in the opening term, with a booming pass from Waterman setting up Palfrey for the opening goal of the game.

The dangerous forward quickly doubled his and the team’s tally after some outstanding composure from Jacob Orr at full-back, before goals from Morgan Davies and Morgan saw the Tigers race to a 24-point lead at the midway point of the opening term.

Chad Daniels then kicked Swans’ first major before Egan added the Tigers’ fifth.

A smother from Josh Bennett and a great tackle and pass from Morton set up Waterman for the Tigers’ sixth goal and a 32-point lead at quarter-time, with the team recording seven more contested disposals, four more clearances and 14 more handball receives than Swans.

Coach Steven Armstrong paid tribute to the fantastic work from the midfield and lauded the team’s spread and pressing, before a ferocious tackle from Wilson at half-back earned the Tiger a free kick in the early stages of the second term and reiterated the team’s appetite for the contest.

Ben Rushforth then extended the lead to 38 points after kicking the Tigers’ seventh goal, before big man Eddie Simpson made Swans pay from a 50m penalty.

A third goal to Palfrey gave the Tigers five consecutive goals and stretched the advantage to 50 points, before Wityk kicked the first of his four majors for Swans.

However, a second goal from Waterman and major to Wilson, with the latter resulting from repeat efforts from Murphy in midfield, regained control for the Tigers, before Waterman added his third and Palfrey his fourth after some sweeping play from defence.

The result was a 67-point lead to the Tigers at half-time following a breathtaking first half that included eight goal-kickers.

Goals from Freddie Clutterbuck and Josh Cipro gave Swans consecutive goals for the first time and trimmed the Tigers’ lead to 53 points early in the second half, before a penetrating finish from 50m gave Wilson his second goal.

The previously unsighted Stewart then kicked Swans’ fifth goal, before the dashing Nic Bucknall and Wilson (third) replied for the Tigers.

A second to Wityk saw Swans win the term and trim the Tigers’ lead to 58 points at the final change, with Armstrong imploring the team to kick the ball long to the forwards.

A third to Wityk gave Swans the first goal of the final term, before Palfrey kicked his fifth and Bucknall his second.

Wityk then hit back with his fourth for Swans, before a strong tackle from Rushforth resulted in a free kick and Morton kicking the Tigers’ 19^th major.

Nicholas Allan was next to get in on the act after splitting the middle from a tight angle, before Morton wobbled through his second goal from a similar position to his first.

Two of the last three goals, either side of a second to Davies, from Swans proved little more than consolation on a day that belonged to the Tigers and saw the team move one step closer to the grand final.

CLAREMONT 6.3 13.3 16.3 22.3 (135)

SWAN DISTRICTS 1.1 2.2 6.5 10.7 (67)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 5 M. Palfrey, 3 A. Waterman, B. Wilson, 2 M. Davies, S. Morton, N. Bucknall, 1 E. Simpson, B. Rushforth, R. Morgan, N. Allan, J. Egan.

SWAN DISTRICTS: 4 S. Wityk, 2 F. Clutterbuck, 1 T. Stewart, J. Cipro, B. Erceg, C. Daniels.

BEST

CLAREMONT: I. Wallace, S. Morton, M. Palfrey, J. Goddard, T. Curren.

SWAN DISTRICTS: J. Cipro, J. O'Sullivan, S. Wityk, F. Clutterbuck.