Round 5 – East Fremantle v Swan Districts Match ReportSunday, April 16, 2017 - 5:17 PM - by Chris Pike

EAST Fremantle did put in its most encouraging performance of the 2017 season but it wasn’t enough for a first victory with the unbeaten Swan Districts winning by 32 points.

It was the standalone game on Saturday in Round 5 of the WAFL and the last match of the weekend's action with the winless Sharks hosting the unbeaten Swans at East Fremantle Oval.

After Swans did threaten to blow the game open during the second quarter leading by 25 points after four quick goals, the Sharks showed some strong fight the rest of the afternoon.

Coming off losses to start the season to Claremont, Peel Thunder and Perth, East Fremantle needed to show some more fight and they certainly did.

The Sharks just didn’t have the firepower to kick enough goals and to match it with Swans.

The black-and-whites led by only a point at three quarter-time but had the breeze in the final term and kicked five goals to one to end up winning 13.12 (90) to 8.10 (58).

The win means that Swans remain unbeaten this season with wins over Perth, South Fremantle, East Perth and now East Fremantle.

The Sharks remain winless but there were at least some more encouraging signs for coach Rob Wiley to take out of it.

Ryan Crowley showed all of his quality and experience in the midfield for Swan Districts ending the afternoon with 26 possessions and a good late goal right in front of black-and-whites supporters in the forward pocket.

He had plenty of help too with Adam Faulkner gathering 25 disposals for Swans, Freddie Clutterbuck 25, David Ellard 23, Jarrad Blight 22 and Matt Riggio 18.

Jesse Turner delivered a tenacious performance with 29 possessions and 13 tackles.

Corey Gault had a good impact both when forward and in the ruck for 22 disposals, five marks, 19 hit outs and a goal. Warrick Wilson also kicked two goals from 20 possessions with Taryce Stewart chiming in with two.

Ricky Cary proved the best forward on the ground too ending up with 12 touches, eight marks and three goals. He easily could have kicked six or seven as well.

Tallan Ames was his typical miserly self holding Jesse Mirco goalless in his 250th appearance for Swan Districts.

Cameron Eardley could not possibly have done any more for East Fremantle finishing with 32 possessions, 12 tackles and two goals.

Jonathon Marsh also worked into the game nicely in the midfield for 30 disposals, seven marks, five inside-50 entries and a goal.

Jayden Schofield (32 possessions, 13 marks) and Ryan Lester-Smith (25 touches, six marks) again provided great drive out of the back-line for the Sharks as well.

Tom Marshall was another to work hard all afternoon to end up with 20 disposals and 14 tackles while Tyler Sorrell showed some good signs on debut with a goal from nine touches.

George Hampson played his first game of the season and spent the day forward for 20 disposals and a goal. Brock O'Brien was playing his second game back and had 17 touches and two goals.

Matthew Watson had his best impact when in the ruck and ended up with 21 possessions, six marks, 18 hit outs and a goal.

It was an even opening quarter with both teams going goal for goal with Swans going into quarter-time leading by just a point.

The black-and-whites then had the breeze to start the second quarter and threatened to blow the game wide open with four goals in the opening 11 minutes. Cary kicked the first two before Stewart and Riggio added the others.

That saw Swans get out to a 25-point advantage but the Sharks showed great fighting spirit to stop the run. 

East Fremantle then fired back with three goals in time-on into the breeze from Eardley, Marsh and O'Brien to be within 10 points at the long break.

The Sharks continued that momentum to start the second half with a clever snap from Hampson to close the margin to four points.

Swans did steady with an answering goal to Brayden Noble but the Sharks had the breeze and the momentum and continued to push hard. Their accuracy deserted them with five consecutive behinds but eventually Watson kicked truly to put them in front by a point.

Swans regained a narrow one-point lead to go into three quarter-time and then they had the aid of the breeze for the final term.

They ended up kicking the last four goals of the game and the day was capped off with Crowley bringing one back in on the breeze for the pocket as Swans won by 32 points.

Swan Districts puts its undefeated start on the line on Saturday up against West Perth at HBF Arena.

East Fremantle has a big task to get its first win on the board taking on the league-leading South Fremantle on Anzac Day at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.
    
SWAN DISTRICTS        2.4    6.8    7.11    12.18    (90)
EAST FREMANTLE        2.3    5.4    7.10    8.10    (58)

SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Cary 3; Wilson, Stewart 2; Noble, Riggio, Crowley, Gault, Blight.
Best: Crowley, Turner, Cary, Gault, Ellard, Wilson, Faulkner, Blight.
EAST FREMANTLE – Goals: Eardley, O'Brien 2; Sorrell, Watson, Hampson, Marsh.
Best: Eardley, Schofield, Lester-Smith, Marsh, Hampson, Marshall.