Latest News
Sharks claim colts premiership with big win over TigersSunday, September 24, 2017 - 11:16 AM - by Chris Pike
EAST Fremantle has capitalised on a standout WAFL Colts season by winning the premiership and ending Claremont's quest for a third straight flag with a 54-point win at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.
In the last ever Colts Grand Final to be held at Subiaco Oval, it was the minor premier East Fremantle who proved too strong.
The Sharks kicked the first six goals of the game to set up the eventual 12.5 (77) to 2.11 (23) victory.
It is East Fremantle's first colts premiership since 2010 and 11th overall.
Claremont was playing in its fifth successive Grand Final having previously beaten South Fremantle in 2013, lost to Swan Districts in 2014 and then winning premierships in 2015 and 2016. But the Tigers couldn’t quite pull off the hat-trick on Sunday against the Sharks.
There wasn’t actually a whole lot between the two teams with East Fremantle having just the 20 more disposals than Claremont and 11 more marks.
The Tigers had 10 more entries inside-50 but it was conversion that let them down with the Sharks winning by 54 points despite just four more scoring shots.
East Fremantle's Chris Scott was presented with the Mel Whinnen Medal after the game by the chamipon himself after being named best afield for having 21 possessions and 10 marks.
There were plenty of standout contributors for the Sharks with Thomas Joyce finishing with 24 disposals and six marks, Zachary Jackson 24 touches and nine marks, and Dylan Williams 21 possessions and seven tackles.
Ambrose Ryan gathered 20 disposals for East Fremantle while kicking two goals with Tim Bockman booting three majors, Josh Ritchie two, Brandon Collard two and Dillon O'Reilly two.
Samuel Lewis had 17 possessions for the Sharks, Jayden Quill 17, Milan Murdock 17 and Dylan Campbell 16 to go with six tackles.
Isaac Barton and Jack Buller were Claremont's goal kickers in the game.
Lewis Davis had a big performance in the ruck for the Tigers with 22 possessions, eight marks, six tackles, 19 hit outs and nine inside-50 entries.
Jake Patmore picked up 25 disposals for Claremont, Callan England 20, Lewis Daisley 19 and Shaquille Morton 16 along with six inside 50s, five marks and four tackles.
East Fremantle made the fast start with a goal in the opening minute of the Grand Final through Brandon Collard. Dillon O'Reilly and Josh Ritchie also kicked truly in the opening term with the Sharks leading by 18 points at quarter-time.
It took seven minutes for the opening goal of the second term and it again went to East Fremantle through Ambrose Ryan. Dwayne Nevill added another just two minutes later and then O'Reilly kicked his second 16 minutes in to stretch the Sharks' lead to 37 points.
Claremont, however, did kick its first goal of the game and the last of the first half at the 24-minute mark courtesy of Isaac Barton to bring the deficit at the main break back to 32 points.
The Tigers then completely dominated the third term in every area except putting goals on the board. In fact they didn’t kick a single goal adding just the six behinds to miss the chance to get back in touch.
East Fremantle ended up kicking the only goal of the third term to Ryan and that saw the Sharks in control by 33 points at three quarter-time.
A couple of early last quarter goals for the Sharks to Tim Bockman meant it soon became celebration time. Collard also added his second through the last term, Ritchie his second and then Bockman a third.
Claremont got its second goal in between all that thanks to Buller but it was East Fremantle's day on the way to the 54-point victory in the last ever Colts Grand Final at Subiaco Oval.
EAST FREMANTLE 3.1 6.4 7.5 12.5 (77)
CLAREMONT 0.1 1.2 1.8 2.11 (23)
EAST FREMANTLE Goals: Bockman 3; Ritchie, Ryan, Collard, O'Reilly 2; Nevill.
Best: Scott, Jackson, Joyce, Ryan, Williams, Quill, Campbell.
CLAREMONT Goals: Barton, Buller.
Best: Patmore, Davis, England, Daisley, McNamara, Morton.
MEL WHINNEN MEDAL: Chris Scott (East Fremantle)
Join Our Newsletter
Subscribe Now!
Join our WA Footy family to receive all the latest news and results.