WAFL Round 13: Another Subi Statement and a Sharks win at last
Clancy Wheeler did everything right at Leederville Oval. Photos by Les Everett.
WAFL Round 13
Liam Ryan takes the mark of the year every week.
WITH a seemingly obvious big man advantage and the confidence five consecutive wins brings East Perth began the match-of-the-day impressively.It took the top team time to find their rhythm and their mobile small big men Clancy Wheeler and Lachlan Delahunty to influence the game but it happened. Subiaco dominated from late in the second quarter and kicked 10 goals to three in the second half to record another ominous victory. Wheeler kicked three goals in a best-on-ground performance, Ben Sokol also kicked three goals and his marking was vital in attack, Kyal Horsley and Leigh Kitchen bobbed up at important times in the midfield and Adam Cockie put in a powerful performance. Liam Ryan’s three goals in the third quarter tilted the game in Subi’s favour and he also impressed with some great smothers and tackles, he finished with four goals. Brad Stevenson was good in defence and attack. Malcolm Karpany was constructive for East Perth, Callum Hart did some good things as did William Maginness while big men Jonathan Giles and Scott Jones had their moments.
Subiaco 14.14 (98) East Perth 10.6 (66)
The Tigers made it two from two at the new Claremont Oval and proved far too strong for Swan Districts. Beau Maister and CJ Oakley each kicked four goals while Matt Guelfi (two goals) and Jye Bolton controlled the midfield. Corey Gault was the best of the disappointing Swans.
Claremont 16.14 (110) Swan Districts 6.7 (43)
It won’t be a winless season for East Fremantle. The Sharks came from behind in style and crushed Perth at East Fremantle Oval. The promising thing for East Fremantle was the number of youngsters who stood up in the victory. Matthew Burton kicked two goals and was his team’s best player, Tom Marshall and Tom Bennett had good games and Nathan Fahey and Jesse Mirco each kicked three goals. Old stagers Jayden Schofield, Tim Bristow (three goals) and Matthew Watson also made big contributions. Mitchell Browne was the best of the Demons.
East Fremantle 19.17 (131) Perth 11.7 (73)
The trip from Fremantle to Joondalup is one of the most daunting in the WAFL – I get lost every time I go there. South Fremantle arrived on time and led all the way. Midfielders Dylan Main and Haiden Schloithe were outstanding and each kicked four goals, Marlion Pickett and Tim Kelly were again effective and Brock Higgins controlled the ruck. Tyler Keitel kicked four goals for the Falcons.
South Fremantle 16.15 (111) West Perth 10.4 (64)
The ladder: Subiaco 44; South Fremantle 32; West Perth 28; Peel 24; Swan Districts 24; East Perth 20; Claremont 20; Perth 8; East Fremantle 4.
Next week: Saturday: Claremont v West Perth; East Fremantle v Peel; Swan Districts v East Perth. Sunday: South Fremantle v Perth.
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
You can take the boy out of Fremantle, but you can’t take Fremantle out of the boy (he gets lost). My Swans have really hit the wall the last few weeks. The imports have been dubious. Jamie Bennell and David Ellard deserve their pay. Crowley and XEllis’ bodies have given up on them. I hope we are only paying them for games played. Corey Gault played his best game for the season, but has underperformed for his prodigious talent. Must be difficult mentally coming off an AFL list at a young age. If he can get the fire back he will be a star at WAFL level. Chris Yarran (more a homecoming than an import) is a sad case. Needs to find himself before he can find the football.
As for the rest – Tony Notte is the only reliable big man. We lack a marking forward unless he gets thrown up there. Get thrashed at the rucks and clearances most weeks. There look to be plenty of decent players, but the result is less than the sum of the parts. Greg Harding has been given a very long run as coach……………………????????????????
Always appreciate these reports from the WAFL and love the photos.
Great to see my Subi doing well again in beating the West Coast Reserves.