Rogers Cup Round 3 Wrap Up

Our Round 3 match took us on the road to Leederville Oval to take on Subiaco, with two strong opening games the players we keen to keep the momentum going and they certainly did that and more. Finishing with a 100 point victory after a full four quarter effort, 15.13 (103) to 0.1 (1) to keep the unblemished start intact and level with Peel Thunder.

The tone of the match was set very early with a good centre clearance that put the league’s leading goal-scorer Elissa Price within range inside the first minute, which she easily converted. Subiaco’s defence then sprang into life and they defended gamely for the next 8 minutes holding out repeat entries and forcing multiple stoppages, rebounding any attack, but the pressure the forwards were applying eventually saw a free kick awarded just 20 metres out and Pricey slotted her second for the quarter and when Kayla van den Heever charged into a congested pack inside the 50m arc and then with her non-preferred left managed to get the ball roll through for the teams third. The early dominance meant it took Subiaco until the 15minute mark to enter its 50 for the first time, which resulted in the solitary behind. West Perth had started well and were 3.3 (21) 0.1.(1) at the first change.

The second quarter started much the same with a midfield on top, Leuk Nelson-Marsden’s leadership on the field continues to impress, her ability to read the ball off the tandem rucks of Sarah Henderson and Holly Morris is exquisite and earned her Player of the Day honours. While the two rucks were doing great work in the middle, it was the third ruck, Chanel Scott, who got the second quarter scoring under way getting on the end of Mahli Turland’s long kick to the square. Jess Roper was ensuring that any attack from Subiaco was not going past the centre square, her trademark ferocity at the ball and run-off a key to her game and also the coach’s accolades.

Elissa Price has shown she is just not the receiver this year and is as dangerous without the ball, running down the oppositions backs, forcing turnovers, it was another of those that helped setup Ebony Jackson who found plenty of space directly in front, received a long handball and slotted her first for the year. Another feature of the Falcons this year is the relentless pressure and tenacity to chase every ball, no better example than Caitlin Thomas who was on hands and knees chasing after a ball on the edge of the goal square, managed to tap it out to the waiting Amber Rundle who finished the hard work with the teams 5^thgoal of the quarter and a very handy lead 8.5 (53) to 0.1 (1).

Megan Norbury one of a number of first year players has shown how quickly she has settled into Rogers Cup football, consistently using her pace and hard tackling to force turnovers and creates many of the inside 50’s from her wing position. The Falcons were working hard all across the ground and the backs were at their miserly best with Tayla Anthony and Liliana Grassenis reading the play so very well just never gave the lions any opportunity to get rolling.

Caitlin Thomas who is also proving very elusive on the forward line managed to scout the pack swing on to her left and kicked a goal of her own and when Amber Rundle had a long range shot swing perfectly through the middle the game was well over a the final change 11.9 (75) with Subiaco stuck on the first quarter score 0.1 (1).

Even with the result in the book, this West Perth has shown in the first games this year they will play out full four quarters and this was again evident with the forwards continually apply pressure to the Subiaco backs as they tried to clear the ball out without any success, and they were creating multiple opportunities which Tarzara Kelly capitalized on and when Caitlin Thomas ran 30 mtrs to run down an opponent late in the game to setup Kayla’s second dribbling goal, the Falcons had broken into 3 digits for the first time for any West Perth Rogers cup team.