WAFL Round 19: Sharks and Falcons win derbies

WAFL

The rain tumbles down at Fremantle Oval. Photo: Les Everett.

IT was a horrible Saturday in Perth and goals were hard to find at most venues apart from Fremantle Oval where East Fremantle went on a rampage. The Sharks conceded the first two goals but kicked the next six and never looked back in the Fremantle derby. Jack Perham kicked five goals and Ryan Lester-Smith four for East Fremantle though Lester-Smith was carried off with a knee injury. Brett Peake provided important run and kicked cleverly in his best game of the year while Lou Cronan and Scott Hancock also played strongly. Ryan Cook and Haiden Schloithe battled away in the midfield for the Bulldogs.

East Fremantle 20.18 (138) South Fremantle 8.7 (55)

 

At Joondalup East Perth led by two goals at half time but didn’t score a goal in the second half and the home team ran out comfortable winners. Josh Mellington was effective in a variety of roles for West Perth, Steve Potente was a dashing midfielder and Matt Gaudagnin was again in good touch. Craig Wulff enjoyed the conditions and was East Perth’s best player.

West Perth 10.14 (74) East Perth 6.8 (44)

 

It was tight at Bassendean all afternoon with Swan Districts kicking five goals to two in the last quarter to win by 11 points over Peel. Tim Geappen was solid in attack for Swans and Matt Riggio important in the midfield. Ash Thornton and Jesse Crichton were the best players for the Thunder.

Swan Districts 12.9 (81) Peel 10.10 (70)

 

Conditions were probably worst at Leederville where Claremont held control but during a period in the second half kicked 10 consecutive behinds so didn’t exactly put the game away. Luke Backwell was back to his best form and Ian Richadson showed some class in attack and kicked two goals. Jarrod Kayler-Thomson was Subiaco’s best player.

Claremont 7.16 (58) Subiaco 5.9 (39)

 

The ladder: Claremont 56; West Perth 44; Swan Districts 36; Perth 36; East Perth 36; East Fremantle 32; Subiaco 20; South Fremantle 12; Peel 12.

The race for the last two spots in the top four remains very open. East Perth have the easiest draw, including two more games against Subiaco, and Perth and East Fremantle the most difficult. My prediction is that East Perth and Swan Districts will make it. However if either Perth or East Fremantle get there they’ll do it on the back of some upsets and will be real contenders.

 

About Les Everett

A Footy Almanac veteran, Les Everett is the author of Gravel Rash: 100 Years of Goldfields Football and Fremantle Dockers: An Illustrated History. He is the footyalmanac.com WAFL correspondent and uses the money he makes from that role to pay for his expensive websites australianrules.com.au and talkingfrankie.com and fund the extravagant Vin Maskell at scoreboardpressure.com

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