WAFL delivers record-setting state game win over TasmaniaSaturday, June 11, 2016 - 7:54 PM - by Chris Pike

WESTERN Australia has romped to a record-setting 134-point state game victory over Tasmania at Steel Blue Oval giving the WAFL team a fourth straight victory in interstate battles.

The game was the 23rd meeting between the two states with WA having now won 18 of those but Saturday's 134-point win was the biggest in history eclipsing the 122-point triumph at North Hobart in 1964.

It is also a fourth straight state game win for WA following victories over the VFL, NEAFL and SANFL the previous three years.

After Tasmania kicked the opening goal of the game, WA took control with the next 10 of the first half and then the first of the second.

Tasmania managed three third quarter goals before WA again took over with the final 13 goals of the contest to end up winning 25.14 (164) to 4.6 (30).

Claremont's Jye Bolton was awarded the Simpson Medal for his remarkable effort in his first game for WA. Having only arrived in the WAFL at the start of the season, the VFL recruit was outstanding with 46 possessions, 12 marks, seven clearances and two goals.

That saw him the standout choice for the Simpson Medal but WA wasn’t without plenty more superb performers.

West Perth's Shane Nelson was again tremendous in the midfield continuing his form after missing the opening five games of the season, racking up 32 disposals to go with three clearances.

The Simpson Medallist from the 2014 state game Ashton Hams was another strong performer for the WAFL team with 29 touches while Subiaco's Leigh Kitchin compiled 26 possessions, Claremont's Ryan Neates 25 and West Perth's Jay van Berlo 23 (seven clearances, six tackles).

Swan Districts' Matt Riggio also finished with 22 possessions, Clint Jones 20 and Aaron Black 19.

Captain and ruckman Paul Johnson was a dominant presence for WA with 17 disposals, 29 hit outs, four clearances and two goals.

Luke Meadows was another state debutant to grab his chance racking up 25 possessions of half-back with Andrew Strijk also having 19 disposals and Josh Bootsma 15 out of the back half.

The ball came inside-50 on 61 occasions giving those in the attacking half plenty of opportunities and Brett Peake made the most of them kicking seven goals in what remarkably was his first game for WA following a long and distinguished career.

Dual Bernie Naylor Medallist Ben Saunders from South Fremantle also booted six majors while Claremont big man Darcy Cameron chipped in with three.

It wasn’t a day to remember for Tasmania but the visitors did have some players who worked tirelessly against the odds.

Jake Cox was awarded the Lefroy Medal as his state's best player following 33 possessions and four clearances.

Jobi Harper also had 34 possessions, 13 marks, six tackles and five clearances for Tasmania, Harry Walters 26 disposals and 15 marks, Taylor Whitford 26 touches and seven marks, and Rhys Mott 23 possessions.

Veteran Ian Callinan came to Perth for a second straight year for a state game having played with South Australia last year. He worked hard in the midfield and at half-forward for two goals, 29 possessions, seven marks, five clearances and four tackles.

Cameron missed an early shot on goal for the first scoring shot of the game and then Tasmania immediately went down the other end to score the opening goal courtesy of Callinan.

It was another veteran who got WA's first goal when Peake kicked truly at the nine-minute mark.

It took six more minutes for the next goal to Saunders following a 50m penalty. Johnson then proved too big for Tasmania's defence and kicked WA's third of the day before debutant Tim Kelly marked just before the siren and goaled after it to see the Black Swans lead by 20 points at quarter-time.

WA took further control in the second quarter with Peake kicking a good crumbing goal at the six-minute mark.

Cameron then booted the next two for WA as the young big man settled into his state debut and when prolific ball winners Bolton and Hams got in on the goal scoring, WA's lead was out to 55 points.

Tasmania stopped the flow for almost 10 minutes and had a couple of shots on goal that missed before WA finished the half with Saunders kicking his second with the home side leading by 60 points at the break.

WA started the second half ominously with an early goal to Saunders but to Tasmania's credit the visitors managed two quick goals to Trent Standen and Whitford to bring the margin back to 54 points.

But the WAFL side responded with the a fourth to Saunders before Callinan managed a second for Tasmania.

WA took over the rest of the third term, though, with Peake adding his third, fourth and fifth goals, Saunders his fifth, and Cameron his third as the lead blew out to 85 points at the last change.

Tasmania managed just the two behinds for the last quarter with WA's fitness level coming to the fore as the home got to enjoy themselves.

Ryan Cook got the opening goal of the last quarter before Johnson added his second of the day and Tony Notte got on the board on his home field.

Peake then added a sixth, Saunders his sixth and Peake his seventh to match his father Brian's performance for WA. He couldn’t quite get his eighth despite being isolated in the forward 50 late in the game, but goals to Claremont pair Neates and Bolton capped WA's record 134-point win.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA            4.3    10.10    17.11    25.14    (164)
TASMANIA                1.1    1.4    4.4    4.6    (30)

WESTERN AUSTRALIA – Goals: Peake 7; Saunders 6; Cameron 3; Bolton, Johnson 2; Kelly, Hams, Cook, Notte, Neates.
Best: Bolton, Peake, van Berlo, Pickett, Johnson, Saunders, Neates, Cameron, Kitchin.
TASMANIA – Goals: Callinan 2; Whitford, Standen.
Best: Cox, Harper, Callinan, H Walters, Riley, Cleary.

SIMPSON MEDAL (WA): Jye Bolton (Claremont).
LEFROY MEDAL (TAS): Jake Cox (Clarence).

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