INTERNATIONAL ROUND LOSS FOR FALCONS

A LARGE crowd attended the West Perth's International Football Festival clash at HBF Arena on Saturday and they witnessed a competitive game of football that saw Subiaco overrun a fighting Falcons outfit to record a 44-point victory.

It was a tight contest until midway through the third quarter but from there the Lions controlled the game to run out victors. The result didn’t detract from the outstanding initiative organised by the West Perth Football Club in conjunction with the City of Joondalup that saw 93 new Australian citizens welcomed into the fold.

The Lions started the game much better than the Falcons and by midway through the first term had opened up a 19-point advantage. Drew Rohde opened the goal scoring for the Falcons when he finished from the square after some good work by Keegan Knott. The lead was further reduced when skipper, Jay van Berlo, finished from 40 metres. But the rest of the term belonged to Subiaco and they stretched their eight-point lead to 17 at the first change. The scores were 4.6 (30) to 2.1 (13).

West Perth outscored Subiaco two goals to one in the second quarter and were unlucky not to take a lead into the main break. Michael Lourey kicked the first of his four with a snap after a throw up and the lead was reduced to four at the seven-minute mark when Knott ran onto the ball and goaled from 20. This was after a terrific intercept by Andrew Strijk and a kick forward by Max Duffy. The Lions got one back a minute later and that was the last goal of the quarter. The Falcons attacked consistently but only managed four behinds and as a result at the main break trailed by one straight kick; 5.6 (36) to 4.6 (30).

The Falcons began the third term in sparkling fashion kicking three goals in seven minutes to take a 12-point lead. The burst gave Falcons supporters real hope. The first went to the hard working Aaron Black who scored after receiving a free from a throw in, the next was Lourey’s second after some good work by Black and Luke Meadows, and the third went to Duffy after some good work out of the middle by big man Seva Mozhaev. The hope disappeared fairly quickly, though, as the Lions had the last 12 shots of the 36-minute quarter and as a result took a match winning 25-point lead into the last quarter. They led 10.13 (73) to 7.6 (48).

West Perth kicked three of the first four goals of the final term to close within 13 points at the eight-minute mark.  Knott got the ball rolling, literally, with a soccered goal from 20, van Berlo kicked his second after marking just inside 50 and a snap by Lourey produced his third. But as was the case when challenged in the third term the Lions stepped up to take control of the game and put the result in no doubt. They controlled play and by the 23-minute mark the lead was out to 49. The only other Falcon goal was a fourth to Lourey two minutes later. At the final siren Subiaco had prevailed 17.15 (117) to 11.7 (73).

It was always going to be a tough ask but there is still a lot of improvement to come for West Perth. Key players Laine Rasmussen, Shane Nelson, Chris Keunen and Kody Manning were not playing today. 'The Glove' Rasmussen is the only player likely to be available next week but there was good news when it was announced that speedy half forward, Matt Johnson, had resumed training for the Falcons. The players to receive awards included Lourey, Aidan Lynch, van Berlo and best was Joe Morrow who continues his wonderful form. The colts had their first win for the year but the reserves went down to the Lions. Best players for the reserves included Michael Ashfield who is really developing as a ruckman, Ben King, Kael Coleman and best was Mitch Peirce who is really pressing for his first league game. A match against the in-form Sharks at ATOM Stadium next week. Be there to get the boys over the line.

BY DARRELL KENT
PHOTOS BY BELINDA TAYLOR