WAFLW Round 14 wrap up

This week’s game can best be summed up as an opportunity missed, with 3rd placed Claremont taking on 4^th placed South Fremantle, our 5^th placed Falcons could jump over one of them back into the top 4.

Alas, a poor start, which lasted for well over half the game left too much to do and resulted in a painful 1 point loss to the lowly placed Subiaco lions.

To the Lions credit they started with intensity, took their opportunities and then did all they could to hang on when West Perth finally kicked into gear. The loss doesn’t end the chance for a Finals campaign, but it does mean doing it the hard way and requiring back to back wins to finish off the regular season.

The game started in a bit of a scramble and appeared early that West Perth weren’t quite as switched on as normal, where several passages were broken up by missed handballs and kicks creating turnover opportunities. The better players always step even in times of adversity and a perfect example was Keeley Oakes who showed why she is also part of the leadership team, her attack from defence is always flat out her clearance work is strong, which is why she was amongst the best on Sunday. One of the turnovers unfortunately created Subiaco’s first and only goal for the quarter to give them a 5 point lead at quarter time Subiaco 1.1.(7) to West Perth 0.2 (2).

While West Perth managed to kick the opening goal of the second quarter from a good running goal by Abbey Brimson, the second quarter was again controlled more by Subiaco, who were getting good numbers to the ball and had players out the back of contests to capitalise on the loose ball as it came out. It was again a story of turnovers from West Perth, and the ability to hold marks that gave Subiaco an edge and resulted in multiple goals. Hayley Bidefeld and Bella Hill were working hard from the midfield and pushing back into defence to try and stop the Lions flow, but it was a similar story to the first quarter as a dropped mark or Subiaco getting the loose balls that gave them the edge and an extended lead at the half, Subiaco 4.1 (25) to West Perth 1.3 (9).

The long break was a time to reset and some adjustments in positions with Mia Russo moved to defence to add some running off the half back, Kaisey Henderson into the midfield to maintain some strength over the ball and Zara Deschamps also adding some run and composure to the midfield. While Subiaco started the third with the first goal and give them a 22 point lead (which would prove to be its last score) West Perth was starting to get its game going, linking up plays. Reward came half way through the quarter when a Subiaco turnover landed with Kyra Abbott who had a quick shot at goal and even though it missed Ell van den Broeke was able to get the loose ball and kick the first of her three for the day, that and her efforts to present all day and help create opportunities that earned her Best on ground. The defence was also starting to get control, especially Taylah O’Neill whose strong tackling across half back and Harriet Jones’ running and accurate kicking that prevented any momentum and dried up Subiaco’s scoring opportunities. It was Zara who found Elli on the lead to create the second goal of the quarter and bring the margin back to just 8 points at the last change.

The last quarter started and so did the bad weather just to make it a tougher assignment to get overcome the deficit, the first foray from the bounce went to Subiaco but strong defence from Taylah and Harriet with the help of Ella Feist, who also was a good contributor all day off the wing, held strong, from then on West Perth controlled territory, but the constant rain and wind just added to the difficulty of scoring. With 8 minutes to go Elli kicked her third and bred life into an unlikely comeback, the last several minutes the ball pretty much lived inside the Falcons forward 50 back pack after pk creating multiple stoppages allowed Subiaco to hold on a create the upset win.
Subiaco 5.1 (31) to 4.6 (30).

The Falcons will need to regroup and get set for a Saturday night game against East Perth to keep the finals hopes for 2022 alive.