Round 6 WAFL ResultsSaturday, April 26, 2014 - 5:48 PM - by Chris Pike

WAFL football was played in the wet for the first time in 2014 and Saturday's two Round 6 matches saw East Perth and Claremont score victories over Perth and Peel respectively.

The round began on Friday for Anzac Day with South Fremantle beating East Fremantle by 17 points and Swan Districts defeating West Perth by seven leading into Saturday's two matches where all four teams in action needed to bounce back for a win after strings of losses.

Claremont hosted its first game at the Showgrounds since 2005 and second since 1926 when taking on Peel Thunder with the Tigers snapping a two-game losing run to beat the boys from Mandurah 15.12 (102) to 11.8 (74).

Peel now remains winless in 2014 from five matches.

Saturday's other fixture also saw East Perth snap a two-game losing slide to beat Perth 14.14 (98) to 11.10 (76) at Leederville's Medibank Stadium. The Demons have now lost three games in-a-row after starting the season winning two straight.

East Perth had started its season with three straight wins before losses to West Perth and Subiaco, but the Royals hit back beating a dogged Perth by 22 points.

The Royals started well with six goals in the first quarter to lead by 12 points, but by half-time the Demons had whittled down their deficit to just nine points.

East Perth still clung to a 15-point advantage at three quarter-time and then won by 22 points.

Ashley Smith kicked three goals for East Perth with Fraser McInnes, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls and Callum Sinclair adding two apiece.

Sinclair also had 20 possessions, nine marks and 25 hit outs to go with his two goals while his ruck partner Paul Johnson racked up 38 hit outs.

Sam Butler picked up a game-high 27 possessions for the Royals with Mitch Fraser gathering 23 touches, Brant Colledge 23, Nathan Blee 21, Freddie Clutterbuck 21, Steven Payne 21, Julian Locantro 20 and Simon Tunbridge 20.

Matt Moody kicked four goals for Perth in a bright start to the game with Matt Boyle adding three majors.

Cale Morton finished with 24 possessions for the Demons, Dene White 19, Clem Smith 19, Brad Keast 18 and Joel Leeson 16.

Claremont was coming off the bye and before that had suffered successive thrashings at East Fremantle Oval against Subiaco and East Fremantle.

That was after a big loss in Round 1 to Perth as well and even though there was a tight win over West Perth thrown in.

So there were question marks over the Tigers as they played their first home game for the year at the Showgrounds with Claremont Oval being redeveloped, but they were up to a challenge against a Thunder team that now remains winless at all levels in 2014.

Claremont was in control of the contest virtually from the outset leading by seven points at quarter-time, by 17 at half-time, 17 at three quarter-time and then 28 by the final siren.

Peel's advantage height-wise with Jonathon Griffin, Matt Taberner, Kepler Bradley, Alex Silvagni, Jack Hannath and Craig Moller was nullified somewhat throughout the day with the wet conditions as well.

Jack Bradshaw and Mark Seaby kicked three goals apiece for Claremont with Sam Fong, and Jack Richardson adding two apiece.

Luke Blackwell racked up another 29 possessions for the Tigers with Tom Ledger finishing with 26 disposals, Ryan Neates 22, Fong 21, Andrew Foster, 21, Tom Taylor 21, Corey Yeo 21 and Richardson 20.

Moller kicked four goals for Peel and Taberner three with Cruize Garlett racking up 30 possessions in just his second league game of 2014.

Anthony Morabito also had a good game with 27 possessions while Jacob Ballard finished with 22 disposals, Brendon Jones 20 and Griffin 17 to go with 11 marks and 17 hit outs.

There was further bad news for Peel with Morabito, Griffin and Tom Vandeleur all reported during the match. 

ROUND 6 WAFL RESULTS
LEAGUE
East Perth 14.14 (98) defeated Perth 11.10 (76)
Claremont 15.12 (102) defeated Peel Thunder 11.8 (74)
Swan Districts 11.9 (75) defeated West Perth 9.14 (68)
East Fremantle 9.12 (66) lost to South Fremantle 13.5 (83)

RESERVES
East Perth 14.5 (89) defeated Perth 12.9 (81)
Claremont 18.15 (123) defeated Peel Thunder 7.8 (50)
Swan Districts 6.4 (40) lost to West Perth 15.11 (101)
East Fremantle 13.12 (90) defeated South Fremantle 6.5 (41)

COLTS
East Perth 15.8 (98) defeated Perth 10.5 (65)
Claremont 14.14 (98) defeated Peel Thunder 3.7 (25)
Swan Districts 16.7 (103) defeated West Perth 11.9 (75)
East Fremantle 6.5 (41) lost to South Fremantle 17.16 (118)