FALCONS WIN TWENTIETH PREMIERSHIP

By Darrell Kent

It was a day of mixed results for the West Perth Football Club at Leederville Oval on Saturday. The Club suffered narrow defeats in the Reserves and Colts Grand Finals but outlasted Claremont in the League to win their twentieth flag. The final game had everyone on edge until the final siren. After the siren, the scenes of jubilation that occurred had to be seen to be believed. Part of the response was to cover the disappointment of a six-point loss in the Reserves and a two-point defeat in the Colts. The whole Club should be proud of the efforts of all three teams.

As you would expect the heat was on from the first bounce in the League Grand Final. The first six scoring shots were behinds, of which the Tigers kicked four. The first goal didn’t come until the fourteen-minute mark and it went to someone playing their third League game. Corey Rundle marked on fifty and went back and slotted it with the aplomb of a veteran. Two minutes later he was in the action again when he kicked his second, on the run, from forty after a great smother by a teammate. The lead was now ten, Claremont reduced the margin by one before Mitch Dobson took a gem of a mark. He was running back with the flight of the ball in front of incoming traffic and twisted his body to take the grab.  It was a mark full of courage. He slotted it from twenty and as a result the Falcons took a fifteen-point lead into the first change; 3.2 (20) to 0.5 (5). They maintained the lead for the rest of the game despite it being threatened on a number of occasions.

West Perth kicked the first two behinds of the second before the Tigers hit back. They kicked two in a row to reduce the margin to just five at the seventeen-minute mark. Two minutes later a clever tap on by Tyler Keitel enabled fifth gamer, Joseph Hinder, to score on the run from thirty. It was a great finish. Not to be outdone Claremont attacked consistently to reduce the margin to just three, well into time on. Troy Yukich then knocked the ball forward at the centre bounce. Conal Lynch ran onto it and finished on the run from thirty. At the main break it was well and truly game on with Claremont having reduced the margin to just nine; 5.4 (34) to 2.7 (25).

The Falcons started the third quarter full of running. Mitch Dobson went behind before Tyler Keitel kicked one after marking thirty out. They then took the ball out of the middle and Conal Lynch, once again, showed his class by finishing on the run. The lead was out to twenty-two. Claremont then kicked a behind and a goal to put themselves back in the contest. West Perth responded, once again, and kicked the next two. Joseph Hinder took possession, weaved around players, and scored his second. He is a player with tremendous upside. Tyler Keitel added a second, after a free, and the lead was out to a game high twenty-seven. Claremont quickly banished any thought of Falcon fans relaxing by replying with two quick ones. The first was the result of a dubious free at the top of the square after a West Perth defender had marked. At the final change the result was well and truly in doubt with the minor premiers leading by fourteen; 9.5 (59) to 6.9 (45).

As you would expect the last quarter was a heartstopper. Claremont’s Jack Buller kicked one in the first minute before West Perth added two behinds. At the ten-minute mark Callan England added another to reduce the margin to just four. At this point in time Falcon supporters could not help but reflect on the narrow losses in the first two games and wonder if history was going to repeat. There wasn’t a score for the next twelve minutes as supporters of both teams sat on the edge of their seat. West Perth scored two behinds to take the lead out to a straight kick. The Tigers attacked but the Falcons defence, as it had all day, held firm. An example of this was a Zac Guadagnin screamer, on the wing, that repelled a Claremont forward thrust. A Mitch Dobson soccer, at the twenty-four-minute mark, from twenty bounced through to give West Perth a twelve-point buffer. The siren went shortly after and the twentieth premiership was confirmed; 10.9 (69) to 8.9 (57).

Players from the other grades, coaches, support staff and supporters stormed the ground to mob the jubilant, but exhausted, players. The oval was packed as they all reveled in a wonderful victory. Mitch Dobson, Tyler Keitel, Corey Rundle and Joe Hinder all finished with two majors. All players contributed. It wasn’t a matter of stats. You only have to take into account the Sasha Kernutt smother that enabled Mitch Dobson to soccer the sealer. Luke Meadows won the Simpson Medal after a dominant midfield display. He was ably supported by Mitch Peirce, Shane Nelson, Aidan Lynch, Tyler Keitel, Conal Lynch and Joseph Hinder.

The day started with a heartbreaking six-point loss for the Reserves. They were held scoreless in the first quarter while Subiaco kicked four straight. They came back strongly in the second to kick five and as a result they led by one at the main break; 5.2 (32) to 5.1 (31). There weren’t many goals kicked in the third, but it was an enthralling contest. At the final change it was all even with both teams having scored 6.4 (40). An exciting last quarter loomed. At the fourteen-minute mark Subi led by five. Three minutes later a Rudy Riddoch major saw West Perth up by one. It was all even after eighteen minutes but just going into time on the Lions slotted one from the boundary after a free. It was a great kick which led to the six-point loss; 7.6 (48) to 8.6 (54). Sitting and watching the other team receive their medals and trophy is a hard gig for the players and supporters. Mitch Antonio did a great job up forward and kicked three. He was amongst the best along with Alec Johnson, Koopah Todd, Callum Johnson and Tom Boyes.

More heartache was to follow in the Colts as they went down by two; 8.7 (55) to 7.15 (57).  Noah Farrow had two on the board within three minutes to give West Perth the best possible start. Unfortunately, they didn’t trouble the scorer again until well into the second quarter. Peel led 3.4 (22) to 2.0 (12) at the first change. They extended their lead in the second and led by twenty-four at the main break; 6.8 (44) to 3.2 (20). The job was well and truly in front of West Perth. They rallied late in the third to reduce the margin to fifteen; 6.10 (46) to 4.7 (31). As a result, they were well and truly back in the contest. In the last they stormed home after looking out of it going into time on. They kicked three, with Noah Farrow taking his total to four but the siren beat them, and they went down by the narrow margin. Noah Farrow finished with four and Byron Sherwood two. They were amongst the best along with Kane Bevan, Griffith Julian, Luke Michael and Daniel Gathercole.

Two disappointing losses and a great win to finish the season but this can’t take away from the wonderful year that the West Perth Football Club had. Everyone will reflect on the year and all concerned can hold their head high. Congratulations to all involved. All going well, see you next year.