Round 24 WAFL Wrap UpTuesday, September 3, 2013 - 12:41 AM - by Chris Pike

EAST Fremantle for a brief moment after its win over Claremont on Saturday felt it might play finals in 2013 but Swan Districts and East Perth both won their Round 24 matches to lock in the final two positions in the top-four that were still on the line.

East Fremantle beat Claremont 13.9 (87) to 11.11 (77) at East Fremantle Oval to at least give the Sharks a chance still to play finals if either Swan Districts or East Perth lost but it wasn’t to be.

Swan Districts beat West Perth 10.13 (73) to 7.13 (55) at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval and East Perth downed Subiaco 11.16 (82) to 8.15 (63) at Leederville's Medibank Stadium while Perth overcame South Fremantle 17.13 (115) to 13.13 (91) at Lathlain's Brownes Stadium.

Click here for the summary of Round 24 of the WAFL

THE BIG WINNERS

Both Swan Districts and East Perth had to win their respective games at home on Saturday to set up a first semi-final against each other, and both were able to do that against West Perth and Subiaco.

East Fremantle's win over Claremont meant that if either Swan Districts or East Perth lost, they would have missed out on finishing in the top-four but now the two teams will fight it out for a preliminary final berth this Sunday in the first semi-final at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval.

THE BIG LOSERS
East Fremantle won its game on Saturday against Claremont but ultimately were the big loser out of the final weekend of the home and away season.

Coming off making last year's grand final, East Fremantle was expected to be a genuine premiership chance again in 2013 but in the end a run of losing seven from nine games between Rounds 6 and 15 proved too much to overcome for the Sharks in 2013.

THE SHINING LIGHTS
Swan Districts was in control virtually from the outset against West Perth at Steel Blue Oval ending up winning by 18 points to secure a home first semi-final against East Perth this Sunday.

Tim Geappen kicked 3.3 from 15 possessions for Swan Districts to be his team's only multiple goal scorer on the day but his fellow forwards Ryan Davis and Dayle Garlett were terrific.

Davis finished with 18 possessions, eight tackles, five inside 50s and a goal while Garlett had 18 touches, five inside-50 entries and a goal.

Jamie Bennell was outstanding in defence finishing with 29 disposals with Wayde Twomey also collecting 25 touches, Kyle Hams 21, Blaine Boekhorst 21 and Graham Jetta 16.

Through the middle, Adam Faulkner finished with 21 possessions with Tony Notte having a strong all-round game with 19 touches, seven marks, four tackles, nine hit outs and a goal.

West Perth had three prolific ball winners throughout the afternoon, though, with Shane Nelson, Aaron Black and Mark Hutchings combining for an incredible 108 possessions, 23 marks, nine tackles, 11 entries inside the forward 50 and two goals.

Nelson had a day out at Bassendean racking up a career-high 42 disposals to go with seven marks and four inside-50 entries. His 42 possession effort is the highest of a West Perth player since Josh Pearce racked up 43 in Round 14, 2008 against Swan Districts at the same venue.

Black also gathered a career-best 37 possessions to go with nine marks, four inside-50 entries and a goal while Hutchings had 29 touches, seven marks, seven tackles, three inside 50s and a goal.

Rohan Kerr also had 20 touches to go with kicking three goals for the Falcons as the team's only multiple goal scorer on the day.

Shaun Marusic did work hard, though, finishing with 20 possessions, six tackles and five inside 50s from centre half-forward.

Steven Browne did well off half-back with 20 touches and 10 marks while Ray Bartholomew collected 18 disposals and the returning Jay van Berlo who was back from a knee injury after only missing the previous three matches.

East Fremantle held on for a 10-point win to at least finish the season on a high despite missing out on a finals appearance with the Sharks having to come back after conceding the first three goals against Claremont.

However, the Sharks kicked the last five of the first half to be in front by half-time and then also finished the stronger down the stretch to record the win by 10 points over the minor premiers.

Captain Mark McGough was outstanding for East Fremantle with 35 possessions, nine marks, seven clearances, six inside-50 entries and a goal. Rory O'Brien finished off his outstanding season with another 28 disposals, six tackles and five clearances.

Richard Hadley worked tirelessly as well finishing with 24 possessions while Aidan Tropiano picked up 24, Scott Hancock 21 and Michael Edwards 18.

Brad Cooper had an enthralling duel with Ian Richardson as did Steven Dodd with Chad Jones while Andrew Stephen was outstanding on Paul Medhurst keeping him goalless and having 17 disposals and six marks himself.

James Depane, Rob Young, Jack Perham and Brad Sheppard all kicked two goals apiece for the Sharks.

Ian Richardson booted three goals for Claremont with Chad Jones adding two as did Jack Bradshaw to go with 17 possessions, five marks and four inside-50 entries.

Jake Murphy was again terrific for Claremont in the midfield with 29 possessions, 11 clearances, six inside-50 entries and four rebounds from the defensive 50. His partner in crime Luke Blackwell also finished with 24 touches and seven clearances against the Sharks.

Ryan Neates gathered 25 disposals and Andrew Foster 21 while Mark Seaby even though he spent the majority of the game forward finished with 18 touches, eight marks, 24 hit outs, five clearances and three inside-50 entries.

East Perth just had to beat the eighth-placed Subiaco to guarantee a finals spot and even though the Royals found the going tough in the first half, they ended up winning by 19 points in the battle of the Medibank Stadium co-tenants.

Josh Smith wrapped up the Bernie Naylor Medal by returning to the East Perth side to kick four goals from 17 possessions and seven marks to give him a season tally of 62.

Small forward Arthur Bennell also kicked three goals for the Royals from just six kicks.

Cale Morton returned to form after a quiet game the previous week against South Fremantle with 30 possessions, seven marks and five inside-50 entries.

Co-captain Brendan Lee continued his outstanding season for the Royals with 27 possessions, six inside-50 entries, five tackles and five marks while 100-gamer Aaron Sweet had 24 touches, Mat Seal 21 and Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls 19.

Ruckman Paul Johnson dominated with 23 possessions, 33 hit outs and eight inside-50 entries up against the experienced Andrew McDougall.

Nick Hay kicked two goals for Subiaco while Brett Mahoney gathered 27 possessions, George Hampson 26, Aidan Parker 24, Tristan Gum 21, Jarrod Kayler-Thomson 21, Daniel Leishman 20, Charles Le Fanu 20, Andrew McDougall 19 and Chris Phelan 18.

Perth conceded the first five goals of the game against South Fremantle having lost its last four games coming into the contest against a Bulldogs side on a three-match losing run.

However, the Demons had closed the gap to just seven points by half-time and six by three quarter-time before kicking seven goals to two in the last quarter to end up winning by 24 points.

Brennan Stack kicked give goals from just eight kicks for Perth to give him 52 majors for the season while Demons skipper Paul Bevan finished with 55 for 2013 having booted another two on Saturday.

Joel Leeson continued his superb finish to the season for Perth with 24 possessions and three goals while Dene White booted two majors as well.

Kyle Reimers finished a season that never seemed to get out of first gear with 28 possessions, six inside 50s and a goal in his best game of 2013 for Perth.

Brett Hodge picked up 24 possessions, Daniel O'Sullivan 24, Jackson Sketcher 21, Julian Jacobs 18 and Brad Fry 18.

Bulldogs ruckman Sean Tighe was outstanding as he has been since arriving two years ago finishing the season off with a best on ground display with 29 possessions, six marks, 36 hit outs and six inside-50 entries.

Mitch Banner racked up 25 possessions and kicked two goals also to secure the club's leading goalkicker award for 2013 with Paul Mugambwa not managing a major for the afternoon.

Last year's Bernie Naylor Medal winner Ben Saunders kicked four goals while second-gamer Blaine Johnson booted three from 18 disposals.

Veteran Kris Miller also kicked two goals from 18 possessions and four inside-50 entries in his 298th WAFL game, and 145th with South Fremantle.

South Fremantle's back-line again provided strong run and drive led by 24 possessions from Adam Guglielmana with Dylan Ross having 21 disposals, Warrick Andreoli 20, Nick Borovac 19 and Adam McIntosh 19.

Ashton Hams was back from his one-week suspension after the win over Peel a fortnight ago and picked up 22 possessions with Toby Bairstow returning to the league side with 19 touches, Jacob Martinez 18, James Laurino 17, Tim Kelly 16 and Brendan Verrier 15.

Second-gamer Marlon Pickett again showed exciting signs after his remarkable debut last week against East Perth. On this occasion, he finished with 22 possessions, seven inside-50 entries, five marks and even four hit outs in another strong all-round performance.

PUSHING FOR A SPOT
Even though South Fremantle's reserves thumped Perth by 91 points, the Demons still finish as the minor premiers and will now take on the Bulldogs in the second semi-final. The reserves first semi-final will be a derby between the third-placed East Perth and West Perth.

The Falcons reserves beat Swans 5.13 (43) to 4.13 (37) by kicking the only three goals of the last quarter and as a result they finish the season in fourth position setting up a derby first semi-final next week against East Perth.

Frank Stockley worked tirelessly in the ruck for West Perth finishing with 21 possessions and 43 hit outs while Joel Latham had 24 disposals, Aidan Lynch 24 and the returning Matt Johnson 15 to go with five marks.

Connor Blakely gathered 23 possessions for Swan Districts with Jarrad Blight finishing with 22 disposals, Simon Parry 20, Aidan Anderson 19 and Will Shea 18.

South Fremantle's reserves hammered Perth 16.15 (111) to 2.8 (20) and now the two teams will do battle once again in the second semi-final this weekend with a grand final spot up for grabs.

Alex Grima, Reece Adams, Jarrad Winter, Anthony van Manen, Kaiden Matera and Ben Sokol all kicked two goals each for South Fremantle's reserves in the massive 91-point victory.

Jarrod Parry collected 32 possessions for the Bulldogs with Dylan Main finishing with 25 touches, Winter 24, Shaun Bewick 23, Grima 23, Mitch Carter 23, Sokol 20, Simon Panizza 20, van Manen 20 and Adams 18.

Matthew Hunt racked up 32 possessions for Perth to go with 12 tackles while David Johnson 23 disposals, Cameron Manuel 21, Aaron Dow 21 and Kerwin Stuart 18.

East Perth's reserves geared up for the finals with a thumping 73-point win over Subiaco with Rowan Brookes kicking five goals, Shaquille McKenzie four, Trent Bradshaw two and Lewis Wilson two.

Cameron Grover racked up 29 possessions, Michael Morgan 26 and Matt Gordon 19.

Kyle Halligan kicked three goals for Subiaco with Justin Joyce gathering 20 possessions, Joel Ashman 20 and Halligan 17.

Claremont and East Fremantle's reserves both missed finals in 2013 with the Tigers winning the final round clash with the Sharks at East Fremantle Oval on Saturday by 13 points.

Keifer Yu, Ethan Panizza and Jack Richardson all kicked two goals for Claremont with Yu gathering 21 possessions, Matthew Goyder 21 and Hugo Breakey 20.

Alex Howson booted six goals from six kicks for East Fremantle with Jake Schleicher racking up 32 possessions, Godfrey Curley 18, Matthew Hill 18, Louis Cronan 18 and Adrian Ricciardello 16.

Meanwhile, Claremont finished on top of the colts to book in a second semi-final against two-time reigning premiers South Fremantle with the first semi-final seeing the third-placed Perth face fourth-placed Subiaco.