Round 22 McDonald's WAFL ResultsSaturday, August 22, 2015 - 9:38 PM - by Chris Pike

WITH the other three games featuring top four teams against those in the bottom three, all eyes were on Steel Blue Oval for Round 22 of the WAFL on Saturday and it was Swan Districts who kept its finals aspirations alive with a thrilling win over Claremont.

Swan Districts kicked the last five goals of the game to beat Claremont 9.14 (68) to 7.15 (57) at Steel Blue Oval to return to fifth position on the WAFL ladder.

Swans will now stay there and play finals in 2015 unless Claremont is able to beat the second-placed West Perth at HBF Arena next Saturday with the Falcons so far unbeaten in nine appearances on their home turf this season.

The other three matches saw West Perth beat South Fremantle 12.13 (85) to 9.8 (62) at Fremantle Oval, Subiaco hammer East Fremantle 16.17 (113) to 5.6 (36) at Medibank Stadium and Peel Thunder defeat Perth 14.16 (100) to 13.9 (87) at Lathlain Park.

All the focus was on Steel Blue Oval, though, as Swans and the Tigers did battle over the last spot in the finals with Subiaco, West Perth, East Perth and Peel having the positions guaranteed.

Swan Districts got off to a quick start with the first two goals of the game but Claremont then dominated the rest of the opening term with six of the last seven scoring shots, with three of them being majors, to go into quarter-time eight points up.

Again Swans had the better of the first 15 minutes of the second term with the only two goals as they regained a narrow lead, but the Tigers then got going in time-on with the last two goals of the first half to remain eight points to the good at the main break.

The Tigers then kicked the first two goals in the opening four minutes of the third quarter to open up a game-high 22-point lead and to appear on target for the win that would guarantee their place in the finals.

However, with their season on line the black-and-whites found something and kicked two goals and five behinds in a 10-minute burst just before three quarter-time to cut Claremont's lead at the last change to five points.

Swan Districts hit the front early in the last quarter by a point, but Claremont then had its chances in front of goal but only managed three behinds. While that was enough to regain a narrow lead, a couple of free-kicks helped Swans hit the front again and then Ryan Davis kicked the sealer.

Rudy Riddoch and Matthew Jukes both kicked two goals for Swans while Jarrad Blight was huge in the midfield with 26 possessions and 13 tackles.

Adam Faulkner also had 28 disposals for Swans, Matt Rogers 28, Matt Riggio 23, Aaron Elari 21, Riddoch 21, Alex Howard 19, Nathan Broad 19 and ruckman Nathan Blakely 18 to go with 13 hit outs.

Ian Richardson kicked a season-best four goals for Claremont ahead of his 150th game in the cut-throat clash with West Perth next Saturday.

Ryan Lim racked up 39 possessions for Claremont, Corey Yeo 36, Matthew Davies 27, Haydn Busher 24, Jake Murphy 23, Jack Beeck 22, Oliver Tate 20 and Keifer Yu 20.

At Fremantle Oval, West Perth again finished too strong kicking the last four goals of the game to beat South Fremantle by 23 points with the Falcons having now won three games on the trot, and the Bulldogs having lost three straight.

It was a tight affair for most of the afternoon with West Perth making the first break during the second quarter with Matt Fowler kicking three of his six goals for the game, but goals to Ryan Cook and Cory Dell'Olio kept the Bulldogs within eight points at half-time.

Two goals apiece in the third term still saw the game up for grabs at three quarter-time with West Perth eight points in front, but South Fremantle started the last term well with quick goals to Callum Ah Chee and Ashton Hams to claim their first lead since early in the first quarter.

However, West Perth has finished games well all season and did so again kicking the last four goals through Ray Bartholomew, Fowler (two) and Michael Lourey to claim the 23-point victory.

Fowler had a day out in West Perth's forward-line kicking six goals for the first time in his WAFL career as South Fremantle's back-line was stretched in the absence of the injured Blayne Wilson, and with both Dylan Ross and Chris Luff in the reserves.

Lourey also kicked two goals for the Falcons with Aaron Black racking up 33 possessions, Trent Manzone 29, Shane Nelson 25, Andrew Strijk 24, Rohan Kerr 21, Steven Browne 20 and Nick Rodda and Marcus Adams were outstanding defensively on Josh Pullman and Ben Saunders respectively.

South Fremantle captain Ryan Cook kicked two goals to go with 25 possessions and 10 marks while Ashton Hams racked up 39 disposals, Kyle Hams 32, Jacob Dragovich 27, Jarrod Parry 23, Adam McIntosh 20, Kade Stewart 19, Callum Ah Chee 18 and Haiden Schloithe 18.

Subiaco tuned up further for its crack at back-to-back premierships with a commanding 77-point win over East Fremantle at Medibank Stadium with the Sharks never in the contest as they fell to a 12th consecutive defeat.

The game started in ominous fashion with Subiaco getting the first goal through Kyle Halligan inside two minutes and with East Fremantle only touching the ball five times in the opening five minutes.

Subiaco took a 16-point lead into quarter-time after three goals to one, and then the Lions' lead grew to 49 points after the opening five goals of the second term before East Fremantle got a late goal just before half-time through Brandon Ellis.

The Lions again dominated proceedings in the third with Halligan, Chris Deluca and Michael Wood all adding their second goals, and Kyal Horsley his first to hold the Sharks goalless and to turn 67 points to the good.

East Fremantle kicked two goals in a minute early in the last term through Rob Young and Brock O'Brien, but Subiaco still kicked three of the last four goals of the game to end up winning by 77 points. 

Matt Boland kicked four goals for Subiaco and Halligan three with Wood, Sam Menegola and Deluca all adding two each.

Chris Phelan compiled 33 possessions for the Lions, Kyal Horsley 27, Leigh Kitchin 25, Simon Moore 22, Wayde Twomey 21, Brett Robinson 21, Clancy Wheeler 21, Scott Hancock 20, Lachlan Delahunty 20 and Craig Hoskins 20.

Rob Young dominated the ruck for East Fremantle with 20 possessions, eight marks, 38 hit outs and a goal with Brock O'Brien kicking two final quarter goals and Jamie McNamara gathering 22 disposals, Ryan Lester-Smith 22, Andrew Stephen 20, Jacob Green 20 and Boston Williamson 18.

Perth pushed Peel all the way in the Demons' final home game of the season at Lathlain Park, but in the end the Thunder had too much quality and experience with the game on the line to win by 13 points.

Perth got off to a flying start with five goals to two in the first quarter but by half-time the Thunder had assumed control to lead by 11 points.

Peel kicked away midway through the third quarter, but Perth wasn’t going to die wondering and hit back to level scores at three quarter-time. However, Peel was able to do just enough for the 13-point win to keep their hopes of finishing in third place and earning a finals double chance.

Gerald Ugle kicked three goals for Peel with Jack Hannath and Jacob Ballard adding two apiece with Ballard also collecting 34 possessions.

Captain Brendon Jones finished with 32 disposals as well for the Thunder with Ethan Hughes adding 26 touches, Sean Hurley 21, Paul Duffield 21, Brady Grey 20, Clancee Pearce 19 and Craig Moller 19 to go with seven marks and a goal.

Zac Clarke was having a good day for Peel with 15 possessions and 17 hit outs before suffering a nasty knock leaving him with a concussion and ending his afternoon early. 

Todd Stevenson kicked four goals for Perth, Callum Walley three and Reid Polak two with Aidan Tropiano gathering 35 possessions, Dene White 29, Liam McKenna 29, Jarryd Morton 27 and Brett Wolfenden 21.

ROUND 22 McDONALD'S WAFL RESULTS
LEAGUE
Swan Districts 9.14 (68) defeated Claremont 7.15 (57)
South Fremantle 9.8 (62) lost to West Perth 12.13 (85)
Subiaco 16.17 (113) defeated East Fremantle 5.6 (36)
Perth 13.9 (87) lost to Peel Thunder 14.16 (100)

RESERVES
Swan Districts 16.21 (117) defeated Claremont 5.9 (39)
South Fremantle 17.8 (110) defeated West Perth 9.6 (60)
Subiaco 15.15 (105) defeated East Fremantle 6.8 (44)
Perth 12.9 (81) defeated Peel Thunder 11.9 (75)

REDiMED COLTS
Swan Districts 10.7 (67) defeated Claremont 4.5 (29)
South Fremantle 11.8 (74) lost to West Perth 11.12 (78)
Subiaco 2.2 (14) lost to East Fremantle 13.13 (91)
Perth 5.8 (38) lost to Peel Thunder 10.6 (66)