Match Report – Royals deliver another stunning upsetSunday, August 1, 2021 - 7:49 PM - by Alex Ventouras

EAST Perth continues to rise for the occasion against the top teams in 2021 dealing with the challenging conditions at Leederville Oval the better on Sunday to knock of the ladder-leading contending Claremont by seven points.

Claremont had a golden chance to knock off the eighth placed Royals to join Subiaco on 11 wins for the setting up a battle over top spot next week with the Lions, but now the Tigers will go into that game a percentage and a game behind the league-leaders.

It's not the first time the Royals have pulled off a shock result this season either. Back in Round 10, East Perth was able to overrun the reigning premiers South Fremantle to win by five points.

The Royals then worked their way on top of the Tigers on Sunday in the wet and wild conditions at Leederville Oval in the second and third quarters. They went on to lead by 20 points with Jackson Ramsay's second goal at the 18-minute mark of the last quarter.

That appeared to be the sealer but Claremont made one last run at it with goals to Bailey Rogers and Alex Manuel. 

The Tigers kept pressing but when they needed two more straight kicks to pull out the win, they only managed behinds to Jake Patmore and Ben Edwards with East Perth holding on for the 12.6 (78) to 10.11 (71) victory in the last game of Round 17.

The win keeps East Perth's ever so slight finals hopes alive and it was skipper Jackson Ramsay leading from the front with 31 possessions, eight tackles and two goals.

Angus Schumacher (25 disposals, six marks) providing plenty of grunt through the midfield and Kye Willcocks (20 disposals, five marks) having a superb afternoon running off a half-back flank.

Nick Merritt stood tall in attack too kicking three goals with Eddie Simpson adding two.

For the Tigers, dual Sandover Medallist Jye Bolton was a class above finishing with a whopping 41 disposals while Bailey Rogers (29 disposals, two goals) and Ben Edwards (27) also found plenty of the football.

Jake Patmore was impressive in attack too with three goals while Alex Manuel kicked two goals but also four behinds.

East Perth made the most of two early free kicks from the first bounce and the following inside 50 as Eddie Simpson slotted an outstanding shot from 50m out to draw first blood.

The Tigers fought back with accurate kicking into a ridiculously difficult breeze as Bailey Rogers and Jake Patmore both converted set shots to take a five-point buffer into the first break.

The Royals really looked up for the fight surviving a barrage of repeat forward 50 entries and pressure from the Tigers to keep them to one goal with the wind advantage as well as kicking two themselves to trail by just two points at half-time.  

Due to the windy conditions neither side were able to play their natural game and this certainly favoured the Royals as the Tigers were unable to use their usual clean skills and fast ball movement that has seen them be so dominant this season. 

After a congested first half, the game opened up in the third and it was the Royals doing the majority of the attacking looking to bring the ball fast and long through the middle.

The Tigers struggled to contain the Royals surge giving up five goals to two this quarter, as East Perth took a 15-point lead to set up an enthralling final quarter.

It was goal for goal for the first five majors of an entertaining last quarter but with two consecutive goals and a couple of gettable behinds for the Tigers the margin was brough back to seven points.

However, the Royals held strong the survive Claremont’s late momentum swing to keep their finals hopes alive. 

RAMPANT RAMSAY RUNS RIOT
The Royals skipper and former Collingwood-listed player had one of his most complete games this season after returning from injury, inspiring East Perth to the dramatic win. The two-time fairest and best winner stuffed the stats sheets to finishing with 31 disposals, eight tackles and two goals. Both his goals came in the last quarter when the game was up for grabs, showing his class. He went head-to-head with dual Sandover Medallist and four-time Simpson Medal winner Jye Bolton who himself fished with 41 disposals and eight inside 50s. 

BULLER ADDS STRING TO HIS BOW
This season’s breakout full-forward Jack Buller found himself battling it out in defence this afternoon with full-back Dylan Smallwood going out with injury. With veteran Anton Hamp and reserves full-back Bill O’Reilly unavailable with injury, Buller was thrown into defence as former Geelong-listed forward Timm House came in for his league debut after returning to WAFL football in the reserves last week to take his spot up forward. Buller looked strong in the air with a couple of big spoils, however a couple of shaky one on one moments in the second half resulted in Nick Merritt goals. 

UPSET CAUSES LADDER SHAKE UP
Sunday's victory means East Perth are still a chance to play finals sitting in seventh spot on the ladder with five wins only behind on percentage from sixth placed East Fremantle. They’re three wins away from the fifth placed Swan Districts with four games remaining. The Tigers, however, now find themselves a win and 20 percentage points away from Subiaco in top spot and coughed up second spot with the loss after South Fremantle thumped Peel by 116 points on Saturday.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 17

EAST PERTH            2.2    4.2    9.5    12.6 (78)
CLAREMONT            3.1    4.4    6.8    10.11 (71)

EAST PERTH: Goals – Merritt 3; Ramsay, Simpson 2; Hille, Young, Ameduri, Kerr, Sparks.
Best – Ramsay, Schumacher, Merritt, Kerr, Blee, Willcocks, Lynch, Robertson.
CLAREMONT: Goals – Patmore 3; Rogers, Manuel 2; Edwards, England, Barton.
Best – Rogers, Bolton, Patmore, Edwards, Lim, Spyvee, Baldwin, Elliott.