WAFL Finals Week 1 WrapMonday, September 12, 2022 - 10:22 AM - by Chris Pike

EAST Fremantle has moved to within one win of a first Grand Final appearance in 10 years by opening the WAFL finals with an impressive win over Claremont while Peel Thunder stayed alive and ended the season of South Fremantle.

Following the closest home and away season in recent memory with all top four spots still to be determined coming into the final round and then the last finals position decided with the very last game, positions in the finals for 2022 were well and truly earned.

That set up a tantalising finals series that got underway this weekend and while the other four teams did battle, minor premiers West Perth sat back with the break having finished in top spot for the first time since 1993.

The finals series got underway on Saturday afternoon at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park. East Fremantle produced a tremendous performance too in its first final since the 2014 preliminary final. 

The Sharks were on top most of the way and survived a brief Tigers surge late in the third quarter to come away with the 16.10 (106) to 8.10 (58) win to advance to a second semi-final with West Perth.

Jonathon Marsh and Alex Montauban kicked three goals apiece for East Fremantle while Cam Eardley racked up 31 possessions and Kyle Baskerville 27.

Declan Mountford kicked two miraculous long-range goals for Claremont with Lachlan Martinis amassing another 34 touches off half-back.

The other action this weekend took place on Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval in an elimination final and it saw Peel Thunder come from behind to finish the better and beat South Fremantle 10.10 (70) to 8.13 (61).

It brings to an end a run for the Bulldogs of at least reaching a preliminary final in each of the last six seasons while the Thunder stay alive and into a first semi-final against Claremont.

Sam Sturt kicked three goals for Peel and Nathan Wilson racked up 26 possessions while Lloyd Meek had 19 touches and 34 hit outs in the ruck. South Fremantle captain Dylan Main kicked four goals while Haiden Schloithe had 27 possessions in his 200th and final game.

The second week of the finals will now see West Perth host East Fremantle in the second semi-final on Saturday at Joondalup's Pentanet Stadium with a spot in the Grand Final up for grabs.

The first semi-final will see Claremont host Peel Thunder at Revo Fitness Stadium with the winner to advance to the preliminary final and the season is over for the loser.

Meanwhile, the reserves finals got underway on Saturday at Revo Fitness Stadium with Claremont winning the qualifying final 10.7 (67) to 8.6 (54).

Then on Sunday, Subiaco proved too strong for Swan Districts winning the elimination final 16.10 (106) to 5.3 (33).

That means that this weekend, South Fremantle will play Subiaco in the first semi-final on Sunday morning at Revo Fitness Stadium while West Perth hosts Claremont in the second semi-final at Pentanet Stadium on Saturday.

And in the colts, Peel Thunder won a thriller in the qualifying final on Saturday to beat Subiaco 9.12 (66) to 9.8 (62) while South Fremantle finished strongly in the elimination final on Sunday to defeat East Perth 14.10 (94) to 9.12 (66).

Now this coming weekend, Subiaco will play South Fremantle in the first semi-final on Sunday at Revo Fitness Stadium while West Perth will be at home to Peel Thunder in the second semi-final on Saturday. 
 

WAFL FINALS SERIES 2022 – WEEK 1

QUALIFYING FINAL – EAST FREMANTLE 16.10 (106) defeated CLAREMONT 8.10 (58)

East Fremantle was playing its first final in eight years and put in a commanding performance to beat Claremont by 48 points on Saturday to be one win away from a first Grand Final appearance in a decade.

It's been a long road back to the finals for East Fremantle since losing a preliminary final to Subiaco in 2014 but the Sharks put together a terrific 2022 despite having plenty of hurdles put in their way.

They finished the home and away season in second position to earn the rights to host the qualifying final against a finals experienced Claremont team on Saturday who were playing a fifth straight finals campaign.

That set the stage for a fascinating contest at New Choice Homes Park but it was East Fremantle who upped their pressure and intensity from the outset to get on top, and combined with some slick ball movement and taking their chances, the Tigers had no answer.

Aside from a brief flurry late in the third quarter from Claremont, East Fremantle was on top all afternoon to end up winning 16.10 (106) to 8.10 (58) and advance to the second semi-final against West Perth.

Claremont still has a second chance to reach the preliminary final by hosting Peel Thunder in the first semi-final this Sunday.

It didn’t take long for East Fremantle to make the perfect start with Ryan Lester-Smith rewarded for his hard running when Jonathon Marsh found him in front of goal with a brilliant penetrating pass to him from the middle of the ground.

Lester-Smith converted and then Jackson McDonald snapped truly as well to give the Sharks the perfect start to their finals return.

Claremont's first goal had a degree of luck when Declan Mountford spiralled a kick forward from around 80m out on the half-forward flank. It landed about 15m from goal and then took a significant 90-degree turn to go through for a goal.

The Sharks immediately responded, though, with goals to Alex Montauban and Corey Homes to extend their lead before the Tigers did get one back just prior to quarter-time to cut the deficit to 11 points.

Claremont then made the ideal start to the second term with a quick goal to Ben Elliott to be right back in the contest, but East Fremantle continued to have the answers and this time it was spearhead Marsh who kicked the responding goal.

It took more than 10 minutes for another goal and that came courtesy of the left book of Montauban before Holmes also added his second, and the Sharks were pulling away again heading towards half-time.

East Fremantle went into the main break leading by 29 points and then suddenly with two goals in as many minutes in the third term through Montauban and Jarrad Jansen, the Sharks had blown the game wide open to lead by 41 points.

If Claremont were to be any chance they had to make a move before three quarter-time and to the Tigers' credit with the breeze behind their backs, they did finish the term strongly starting with a goal to Max Spyvee.

The Tigers dominated the rest of the quarter and it resulted in goals to Mountford, Callan England and Lawrence Evans to cut the deficit to 17 points by three quarter-time and the qualifying final was still up for grabs.

If Claremont might have a sniff coming into the last quarter, it didn’t stay for long with East Fremantle again flexing its muscles starting with a nice conversion on a set shot from Tom Bennett.

Defender Finn Gorringe then got forward to kick a goal and then Marsh's third for the day sealed the deal for the Sharks before they went on to win 16.10 (106) to 8.10 (58) to book in a spot in the second semi-final against West Perth.

While Jonathon Marsh had a fascinating battle all day with Claremont defender Declan Hardisty, he was once again team lifting for the Sharks and the passion he plays with is just uplifting for all his teammates, and a little intimidating for the opposition.

He kicked another three goals for East Fremantle from 14 touches and five marks with Alex Montauban also making the most of his chances kicking three goals from eight kicks. Jarrad Jansen and Corey Holmes also chimed in with two goals apiece for the Sharks.

Cam Eardley continued his brilliant form across half-back for East Fremantle with another 31 possessions and 10 marks as just one of three players surviving from the last final the Sharks played in 2014.

Kyle Baskerville was another to bring his tremendous form into the finals delivering 27 possessions in the midfield with Milan Murdock finishing with 23 touches and nine tackles, Tom Bennett 22 disposals and seven inside 50s, Ryan Lester-Smith 21 possessions and nine marks, Michael Tassone 21 touches and eight marks, and Luke English 20 disposals.

Down back, Jamie Meade finished with 22 possessions and 10 marks while limiting the influence of Sandover Medallist Bailey Rogers while Matthew Jupp and Lachlan Bailey ensured Claremont's tall forwards Timm House and Jack Buller had afternoons to forget.

Declan Mountford was Claremont's only multiple goalkicker for the day and they were two miraculous, and somewhat lucky, goals from long distance when in reality he wasn’t really having a shot and just trying to drive the ball inside 50 as far as he could.

Lachlan Martinis did what he could to try and lift Claremont with his run and creativity off half-back with another 34 possessions and eight marks.

Ben Edwards also worked hard in the midfield for 26 touches with Jye Bolton collecting 20 disposals, Jack Lewsey 19, Ryan Lim 19 and Bailey Rogers 18.

 

ELIMINATION FINAL – SOUTH FREMANTLE 8.13 (61) lost to PEEL THUNDER 10.10 (70)

It was a tough battle all afternoon as South Fremantle and Peel Thunder put their seasons on the line in the elimination final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

South Fremantle was playing in its seventh consecutive finals series while Peel was playing in its first since winning the 2017 premierships, but in both their flag triumphs in 2016 and 2017 the Thunder beat the Bulldogs in the finals along the way.

They renewed their finals rivalry on Sunday afternoon and it was South Fremantle on top most of the way including by a game high 22 points early in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs were still leading by five points early in the last term too, but the Thunder wouldn’t be denied and kicked the last two goals of the game to prevail 10.10 (70) to 8.13 (61).

That sees Peel keep its season alive and advance to a first semi-final against Claremont while it's season over for South Fremantle in their earliest finals exit in the past seven years.

It took almost eight minutes for the first goal of the game and it came courtesy of Mason Shaw who found some space inside-50 to mark and then convert for South Fremantle.

Bulldogs captain Dylan Main then gave his team the first two goals of the contest but they hadn’t full taken advantage of a dominant first term kicking 2.6 to the three behinds from the Thunder.

South Fremantle then opened up the second quarter with another three behinds to be 2.9 and to leave the door open for Peel despite the Thunder not kicking a goal until the 13-minute of the term.

It was former Bulldog Guy Barnes who got Peel's first major but almost immediately the Bulldogs responded with skipper Main kicking his second of the day.

Caleb Datson then kicked truly to extend the South Fremantle lead before Josh Treacy kicked Peel's second to keep them in touch and to cut the Bulldogs' half-time lead to 16 points.

South Fremantle then put themselves in a strong position to advance leading by 22 points early in the third quarter when Main kicked his third goal of the elimination final.

Peel was just warming to the task, though, and was far from willing to give up their season. The Thunder kicked three goals in the space of three minutes thanks to Blair Bell, Barnes and Matt Taberner, and suddenly the margin was just four points.

South Fremantle got a steadying goals thanks to Brendon Ah Chee but the Thunder weren’t going away and a goal to Sam Sturt had them back within five points heading towards three quarter-time.

The Thunder would continue their momentum before the break with goals to Taberner and Sturt to have six quick goals to close the quarter and lead by seven points at the final change.

South Fremantle then hit back to start the fourth term with goals to Main and Blake Schlensog to see them regain a five-point lead to set up a big finish.

It took more than 10 minutes for another goal to be kicked and it went the way of Peel thanks to Sturt who booted his third to put the Thunder back in front.

Mitch Crowden then added another at the 24-minute mark and that prove to be the sealer with the Thunder going on to win 10.10 (70) to 8.13 (61) to move into a first semi-final against Claremont and end the season of South Fremantle.

Sam Sturt stepped up impressively in attack for Peel with their season on the line to provide a good target and take some strong contested marks. He ended up kicking three goals from nine kicks, four marks and three tackles. Had he kicked straight he could have had an even greater impact.

Former South Fremantle small forward Guy Barnes played his first WAFL final and kicked two important goals for the Thunder while Matt Taberner kicked two goals and kicked some strong contested marks in a fascinating battle with South Fremantle full-back Noah Strom.

Nathan Wilson was again tremendous with his creativity off half-back for Peel with 26 possessions, five marks and four inside-50 entries while reigning fairest and best winner Tyrone Thorne had 22 touches.

Mitch Crowden racked up 20 touches to go with 10 tackles with Ethan Hughes ending up with 17 disposals and Neil Erasmus 16 while Lloyd Meek was dominant in the ruck with 19 possessions, 34 hit outs, seven tackles and four inside-50 entries.

South Fremantle captain Dylan Main kicked four goals for the day to be the Bulldogs' only multiple goalkicker. It's just the fifth time he's kicked at least four goals in a game, and only once has he kicked more when he kicked five against East Fremantle in 2018.

Haiden Schloithe couldn’t have done more to try and lift South Fremantle with 27 possessions, six tackles and five inside-50 entries in what was not only the 200th game of his remarkable WAFL career, but also his last.

He confirmed his retirement post-match and will finish with 200 games for the Bulldogs along with winning a Sandover Medal, four fairest and best awards (possibly five) and having played in the 2020 premiership and for Western Australia three times.

Chad Pearson also reached 100 games for South Fremantle and had 21 possession and five marks down back.

Brendon Ah Chee finished with 22 touches, Zac Strom 21, Brandon Donaldson 20, Toby McQuilkin 19 and Steve Verrier 17 to go with six tackles.