Almanac WAFL: Thunder claps and the five tightens
•Didn’t get to a live game so here’s a photo from the 2004 grand final. Subiaco’s David Mundy watches team mate Darren Rumble who was playing in the first of his six premierships for the Lions.
WAFL round 17
On another horrible Saturday the game of the round and, thankfully, the Channel 7 game was at Rushton Park. Peel and South Fremantle slogged away all afternoon and the final margin in favour of Thunder was biggest of the day.
An interesting feature of this game was the pivotal roles played by ruckmen Lloyd Meek and Riley Smith for Thunder and Hamish Free for the Bulldogs. Free’s reputation grows by the game, Meek did lots of good stuff and Smith made a nuisance of himself around the ground and also kicked two goals. Connor Blakely was outstanding for Peel, Liam Henry was very sharp and forwards Jye Amiss and Sam Sturt provided food for Freo thought. Mason Shaw added a touch of class to the South Fremantle attack and kicked two goals, Brendan Ah Chee handled the conditions well and Tom Blechynden again impressed.
East Perth’s thin finals hopes disappeared with a loss to co-tenant Subiaco at muddy Leederville. Liam Hickmott was outstanding for the Lions while Angus Dewar kicked three goals.
Jesse Turner and Aidan Clarke were stars for Swans in a slaughter of the Eagles.
Claremont got a percentage boost from Perth.
The good news is that Perth and West Coast will meet at Lathlain next week in the late game. So if you’re looking for a Saturday night out you know where to head – 5.40pm start.
East Fremantle, South Fremantle, Peel and Swan Districts are fighting for the final three finals spots.
Meanwhile 53,818 turned up for the derby. West Coast made it closer than most anticipated. I thought Tom Barrass was extraordinary in defence for the Eagles but Fremantle gave the extraordinary David Mundy the home and away farewell he deserved. This wasn’t his last game at Perth Stadium – let’s hope his last game isn’t at Perth Stadium.
Claremont 18.14 (122) Perth 6.5 (41)
Subiaco 10.9 (69) East Perth 8.8 (56)
Peel 10.12 72) South Fremantle 8.10 (58)
Swan Districts 13.18 (96) West Coast 1.5 (11)
Ladder: West Perth 46; Claremont 44; East Fremantle 40; South Fremantle 38; Peel 36; Swan Districts 36; East Perth 24; Subiaco 24; Perth 8; West Coast 4.
Round 18: Perth vs West Coast; Claremont vs Peel; South Fremantle vs Subiaco; East Perth vs West Perth; East Fremantle vs Swan Districts.
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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. Co-founder with Vin Maskell of scoreboardpressure.com. Founder of australianrules.com.au and the Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/abandonedcricketpitches/
Looks like a HUGE game for PB’s black swans this week.
Compelling WAFL season. Best in recent years. Going through the math and probabilities of the last 3 rounds I can see 6 teams finishing within a game of each other and one missing out. Desperately hoping it’s not Swan Districts but injuries and narrow losses may cost us.
My reading is that West Perth (will finish top); South Freo (easy games now) and Claremont are safe. East Freo have a tough draw and injuries but would need to lose all 3 to miss out – given their good %. Their final game against an underachieving East Perth could be important.
Les – do you still have any influence at the Royals for your boys to give it a final hurrah? My cheque is in the mail.
That leaves Peel Thunder (the Dockers subsidiary club) and my Swans. Not that I’d need another reason to wish the Dockers some injury misfortune. I’ve come to quite like Longmuir and Mundy – but needs must.
Two crucial games this weekend. We need Claremont at home to stitch up Peel this week. If that happens we need only win one of our next 2 against East Freo or West Perth (both hard) in the next 2 rounds; then beat Peel at Mandurah in the last round. Possible and enticing in a stomach churning sort of way.
If Peel beat Claremont we need to win all 3. Peel have the Eagles next week – who we beat by 14 goals last weekend in the mud and should have won by more.
The Eagles have done an outstanding job of simultaneously screwing up both the WAFL comp and their AFL team chock a block with overpaid ex-stars basking in former glories. Adam Simpson and CEO Trevor Nisbett have been fine servants – but are well past their use by date. Generals fighting the last war.
Back at the main game – Swans must beat East Freo this week or it all gets down to increasingly improbable contingencies. Peel have a better % we are unlikely to bridge with our draw in the last 3 games. That puts our destiny in our hands with the West Perth game a moot point (ideal rest for injured players) as beating them alone won’t help if we don’t beat Peel in the last round.
The NFL calls it the Wild Card round – the pre finals final for a place in the knockout finals.
Bring it on. Go the mighty Black Ducks.