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Knott magic not enough to diminish derby despair
Tuesday, August 6, 2024 - 1:39 PM
Knott magic not enough to diminish derby despair
Keegan Knott volleyed a remarkable goal-square strike that could deliver his fifth WAFL goal-of-the-award.
And Noah Pegoraro towered over a big pack to launch a spectacular contender for mark-of-the-year.
On the day that Sasha Kernutt retired after a short but sterling career highlighted by his integral role in the 2022 premiership campaign, West Perth produced several individual highlights but could not replicate them with team success on one of their most important days of the season.
Surrendering the Polly Farmer Shield to archrival East Perth at Leederville Oval meant it was the first time in 22 years that West Perth finished a round on the bottom of the ladder.
The 18-point loss, 10.7 (67) to 6.13 (49), was their ninth consecutive defeat this season and could foreshadow the club’s first wooden spoon since 1992.
Competitive enough to maintain a lead into the last quarter, West Perth’s skill errors and inefficiency under pressure provided a clear blueprint for coach Jason Salecic’s off-season planning.
The Falcons were robust enough to overcome an early deficit to keep East Perth goalless in the second quarter but could not sustain their effort, even with the home team losing ruckman Scott Jones and primary midfielder Hamish Brayshaw before half-time.
If not for Knott’s stellar burst early in the second term, with three brilliant goals including the soccer from mid-air, West Perth may not have remained in the contest for as long as they did.
Knott finished with four goals, including the team’s only one in the second half, in his best performance since the premiership year.
He needs to match that effort in each of the remaining three games to reach 200 goals for the club by the end of the season. He has 189.
There were early signs that West Perth would be in for a tough day with the team having just 60 possessions in the first term while three of East Perth’s small defenders had half that number between them.
Spearhead Tyler Keitel landed a splendid long shot late in the quarter to reward the hard work of experienced midfielders Shane Nelson, Luke Meadows and Connor West, but the supply to the big forward petered out.
Enter Knott. He kicked three excellent goals in the second term, the first a running effort aided by a Keitel block before his breath-taking volley in heavy traffic gave the Falcons the lead, as the midfielders took control of the game.
Nelson had 14 of his 30 disposals in the term, Meadows 10 of 35 and West 10 of 25 to ensure the ball was locked in West Perth’s forward half. A total of 16 to 7 inside 50s reinforced that trio’s authority.
It was not to continue.
Riley Sprigg got on top of makeshift East Perth ruckman Tom Medhat, with the Royals having only five hit outs in the second half, but his Falcons team-mates could not take full toll of that advantage.
West Perth held a two-point lead at the last break but lost it within a couple of minutes of the restart as East Perth doubled their opponents possession, mark and inside 50 counts in the last term.
Knott finished off a good passage of play with a neat shot late in the game but the result was decided well before then.
West Perth face Claremont, Subiaco and South Fremantle in the final three games as they seek to avoid their first wooden spoon since their move to Joondalup before Salecic and his support staff turn their attention to the pressing issues that need to be addressed.
WEST PERTH 1.2 5.7 5.12 6.13 49
EAST PERTH 3.0 3.3 6.4 10.7 67
GOALS - WEST PERTH: Knott 4; Keitel, West.
EAST PERTH: Ameduri, Peak 2; Van Diemen, Schumacher, Randall, To North, Brayshaw, Tedesco.
BEST - WEST PERTH: Meadows, Nelson, Knott, West, Sprigg.
EAST PERTH: Wright, Schumacher, Sturrock, Ameduri, Willcocks, Crowden.
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