WAFL First-Semi Final PreviewFriday, September 17, 2021 - 8:14 PM - by Chris Pike

ONE of Claremont or West Perth is going to be devastated at a missed potential opportunity in 2021 following Sunday's cut-throat first semi-final battle at Revo Fitness Stadium.

The two teams put their seasons on the line when they meet at the Claremont venue on Sunday afternoon with the winner to advance to a preliminary final against either Subiaco or South Fremantle while the season will be over for the loser.

Claremont comes into the clash fresh off a heart breaking one-point loss to South Fremantle last Saturday while West Perth came from behind to win virtually on the siren against Swan Districts.

Having both started their finals campaigns with a thriller last weekend, all signs are pointing to a similar outcome this Sunday at Revo Fitness Stadium with two teams with quite the rivalry that has built up with a fascinating history against one another.

WAFL TEAM OF THE YEAR 2021

ELIMINATION FINAL REACTION – WEST PERTH

QUALIFYING FINAL REACTION – CLAREMONT

ELIMINATION FINAL MATCH REPORT

QUALIFYING FINAL MATCH REPORT

FINALS ANALYSIS – CLAREMONT

FINALS ANALYSIS – WEST PERTH

The last finals meeting between Claremont and West Perth was back in 2018 with the Falcons beating the Tigers by 53 points at Joondalup on the way to a Grand Final appearance that year where they would lose to Subiaco.

Home and away matches between the two teams have been fascinating now for a long time, though, including the two meetings of 2021. 

Claremont won the first battle in Round 5 at Revo Fitness Stadium by an emphatic 52 points but West Perth hit back at Joondalup in Round 12 to win by 14 points.

Things have been evenly split between the two for the most part since West Perth won four in-a-row against Claremont between 2016 and 2017. However, three of those four wins were by a combined 11 points so they were still fascinating contests.

The Falcons also won four straight over the Tigers between 2017 and 2018 but again one was by four points and another by a single point.

Even though West Perth has won 10 of the last 14 meetings with Claremont, it's hard to imagine either side feels they have an edge over the other coming into Sunday's first semi-final contest.

There's so much at stake as well. Claremont finished the season in third position only marginally out of second before losing to South Fremantle in last week's qualifying final when co-captain Jared Hardisty missed a shot after the siren that would have been a match-winner.

That now leaves the Tigers fighting for survival and to keep their quest for a first premiership since 2012.

It has been a slow build back for Claremont including winning a final in 2018, making a preliminary final in 2019 and then reaching the Grand Final in 2020 so judging by that, there's only one result at the end of 2021 that sees them continue their upward trajectory.

West Perth won that next premiership in 2013 after Claremont's run of dominance but the Falcons are yet to replicate that success despite reaching Grand Finals in 2015 and 2018, and another preliminary final last year before losing to South Fremantle.

The Falcons had to battle hard to overcome Swan Districts at home last Sunday in the elimination final winning by four points when Mitch Antonio kicked the last goal of the game as they now look to continue that momentum against the Tigers.

Claremont will make one forced change for the first semi-final after big man Timm House copped a two-week suspension out of last week's qualifying final loss to South Fremantle.

There are plenty of players pushing for selection at the Tigers, though, including Cameron Anderson, Bailey Bennett, Jacob Blight, Anton Hamp and Rylie Morgan.

West Perth has suffered another injury blow with the loss of defender Zac Guadagnin to injury where he joins Noah Pegoraro on the sidelines. 

Matthew Lloyd, Tom Medhat, Kris Shannon and Troy Yukich have been added to the squad for Sunday's clash with Claremont.

Highlighting the talent that will be out on the field on Sunday is that nine players from the two teams were this week named in the WAFL Team of the Year.

Claremont was represented by Jye Bolton, Bailey Rogers and Lachlan Martinis while West Perth had Shane Nelson, Aaron Black and Tyler Keitel. 

Pegoraro and Guadagnin were also named from the Falcons illuminating their importance to their team, and how much their absence will be felt.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – FINALS SERIES
FIRST SEMI-FINALS

LEAGUE
CLAREMONT v WEST PERTH – REVO FITNESS STADIUM, SUNDAY 2.10PM
Live scores, stats
TV: Channel 7
Radio: 91.3 SportFM

RESERVES
SWAN DISTRICTS v SUBIACO – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SATURDAY 12.00PM
Live scores, stats

COLTS
EAST PERTH v EAST FREMANTLE – LEEDERVILLE OVAL, SATURDAY 9.20AM
Live scores, stats