Round 21 Colts WrapTuesday, August 28, 2018 - 2:22 PM - by Chris Pike

THE teams taking part in finals in the WAFL Colts for 2018 might have been determined heading into Round 21 but the positions inside the top five certainly weren’t setting the stage for some fascinating results.

Coming into the last round of the home and away season, it was already confirmed that Subiaco, Peel Thunder, Swan Districts, East Fremantle and South Fremantle would be the teams taking part in the finals series for 2018.

While Claremont, West Perth, East Perth and Perth were out of finals contention, it had been a strongly competitive colts season with even the bottom three teams all recording three victories and being largely competitive throughout 2018.

The first match in the final round took place on Saturday morning at Steel Blue Oval and it was a crucial game for Swan Districts to hold on to third position and a finals double chance. The black-and-whites did so by beating Claremont 10.8 (68) to 5.7 (37).

The other three matches all took place on Sunday in a full day's action at Subiaco Oval starting with a derby between South Fremantle and East Fremantle. 

It was the Bulldogs who ended up beating the Sharks 13.9 (87) to 10.9 (69) and while South Fremantle was always going to finish fifth no matter what, it was costly for East Fremantle who slipped to fourth as a result of the loss to miss a finals double chance.

Peel Thunder then geared up for its finals campaign from second position with an 11.15 (81) to 9.8 (62) victory against East Perth before Subiaco ensured Perth would claim the wooden spoon on the back of a 17.15 (117) to 4.4 (28) victory.

The results mean that Subiaco finishes on top of the WAFL Colts ladder with a 15-3 record to earn the week off in the first week of the finals awaiting the winner of the qualifying final.

That qualifying final will take place between Peel Thunder and Swan Districts at Claremont Oval on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the elimination final between East Fremantle and South Fremantle will take place at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on 

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SWAN DISTRICTS v CLAREMONT

The only colts game in Round 21 to take place in the traditional Saturday morning time slot to kick start the usual day's action took place at Steel Blue Oval between Swan Districts and Claremont.

Swan Districts came into the round in fourth position with the knowledge that a victory would leave the prospect of them snatching third alive while Claremont was out of the finals race for a rare occasion in the colts.

Swan Districts started strongly kicking the only two goals of the first quarter but Claremont had closed the deficit to just seven points by half-time.

Swans again held the Tigers goalless in the third quarter to lead by 19 points at three quarter-time and then extended the advantage in the last term to come away with the 10.8 (68) to 5.7 (37) victory.

The result meant that Swan Districts did improve to third position on the ladder but whether they stayed there or not would depend on what happened with East Fremantle the next day at Subiaco Oval.

When East Fremantle lost to South Fremantle, and the Sharks' percentage slipped below that of Swans, it meant Swan Districts remained in third position with a 10-8 record to set up a qualifying final contest with Peel Thunder and earn a finals double chance.

The loss sees Claremont finish the season in sixth position and out of the finals having played in the past five colts grand finals.

Atem Deng was tremendous for Swan Districts with 24 possessions and three goals with Patrick Farrant also kicking two goals as did Nathan Ireland.

Riley Garcia racked up 31 possessions for Swans, Blake Pescud 25, Graydon Wilson 23, Joel Curtis 22, Kade Wallrodt 22, Farrant 20 and Seb Bright 17.

Matthew Germs had 40 hit outs in the ruck.

Liam Henry kicked two goals for Claremont to go with 18 possessions, six inside-50 entries and four marks.

Lewis Henry gathered 21 possessions for the Tigers, Max Grant 20, Joel Western 19 and Nicholas Crump 17.

 

EAST FREMANTLE v SOUTH FREMANTLE

There was plenty at stake to begin the big day of WAFL Colts action at Subiaco Oval on Sunday with a derby where East Fremantle and South Fremantle were gearing up for the finals campaigns.

Both the Sharks and Bulldogs were guaranteed of playing finals no matter the result on Sunday morning at Subiaco Oval, but while South Fremantle couldn’t move from fifth spot, there was plenty on the line for East Fremantle.

East Fremantle needed to win the game to secure third position on the ladder and to earn a finals double chance. 

It wasn’t to be, though, with South Fremantle winning the game by 18 points and that was enough to tip East Fremantle's percentage below that of Swan Districts so the Sharks slipped to fourth position with a 10-8 record on the season.

That means that East Fremantle and South Fremantle will meet again on Saturday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval in an elimination final.

East Fremantle started the game well at Subiaco Oval with three goals to two in the first quarter but by half-time South Fremantle had assumed a six-point advantage kicking four goals to two in the second term.

The Bulldogs kicked further away in the third quarter with five goals to two and that was enough to secure the 13.9 (87) to 10.9 (69) victory.

Luke Moore kicked four goals for South Fremantle from 10 disposals and five marks with Lachlan Johnson booting two goals as well.

Kyle Hamersley collected 23 possessions for the Bulldogs, Tom Blechynden 19, Ira Jetta 18, James Russell 17, Matthew Ward 16 and Jack Redman 16.

Dylan Curley kicked three goals for East Fremantle from five kicks with Jai Jackson kicking two goals along with 23 possessions and five tackles.

Corey Robinson amassed 30 disposals for the Sharks, Milan Murdock 28 (11 tackles), Trent Rivers 19, Cameron Davidson 19, Jake Diggle 17 and Luke Jackson 17 along with 25 hit outs.

 

PEEL THUNDER v EAST PERTH

Peel Thunder might not have been able to move from second position on the colts ladder no matter the result against East Perth at Subiaco Oval on Sunday, but still ended up with a solid 19-point victory.

Peel dominated the opening quarter in just about every area except the scoreboard with East Perth able to head into quarter-time leading by six points after the Thunder kicked 1.8.

Peel found some accuracy in the second quarter to kick four goals to two from East Perth to head into half-time leading by a goal and then six more goals to two in the third saw the Thunder open a match-winning advantage.

Peel might have gone goalless in the last quarter but still ended up beating East Perth 11.15 (81) to 9.8 (62).

Following the win on Sunday, Peel finishes the season in second potion on the colts ladder with a 12-6 record to set up a qualifying final against Swan Districts at Claremont Oval on Sunday.

East Perth finishes the season having just avoided the wooden spoon but it was a season with plenty of encouraging signs and six wins for the Royals.

Tyrone Thorne kicked three goals Peel, Jake Howes two and Jack Sears two.

Michael Randall picked up 18 possessions for the Thunder, Thorne 18, Howes 16 and Bailey Taylor 14.

Jarrod Hamer-Mathew kicked two goals from seven kicks for East Perth.

Thomas Baulch finished with 24 possessions for the Royals, Damon Greaves 22, Louis Miller 19 and Liam Martin 17 to go with 18 hit outs and five marks.

 

SUBIACO v PERTH

It ended up being top against bottom to close the Colts Super Round at Subiaco Oval on Sunday with Subiaco beating Perth by 89 points.

Perth came into the game with the possibility of finishing in sixth position with a win against the ladder-leading Subiaco, but it wasn’t to be with the minor premiers proving too strong.

Subiaco dominated the opening quarter with nine scoring shots to two and four goals to one to lead by 22 points at quarter-time.

The Lions kicked another five goals to nil in the second quarter to lead by 55 points at half-time.

It was another five goals to two in the third quarter and three to one in the last with Subiaco running out 17.15 (117) to 4.4 (28) winners.

The result sees Subiaco finish the season with a 15-3 record to be three games and percentage clear on top of the ladder as the Lions earn the break in the first week of the finals ahead of hosting a second semi-final against either Peel Thunder or Swan Districts.

Jordan Faraone kicked three goals for Subiaco, Nathan French two, Jack Mayo two, Jacob Peletier two and Trey Kennedy two.

Tristan Hobley collected 32 possessions for the Lions, Peletier 24, Taj Schofield 23, Wil Hickmott 21, Mayo 20, Liam Hickmott 20, Abraham Clinch 20, French 19, Nick Martin 18 and Ben Golding 18.

Blair Sewell, Logan McDonald, Brodie Gray and Deven Robertson kicked Perth's goals.

Robertson also racked up 36 possessions for the Demons, Nathan O'Driscoll 27, Zac Casey 16 and Nyika John 15.