FALCONS FALL SHORT AS PREMIERSHIP FLAG UNFURLED

WEST Perth couldn’t quite hold on to a 15-point lead during the third quarter on Saturday on the day when the Falcons unfurled their 2013 premiership flag at Arena Joondalup.

West Perth's opening home match at Arena Joondalup on Saturday saw the 2013 premiership flag unfurled prior to the league match with premiership captain Jason Salecic and premiership president Brett Raponi raising the flag up the flag pole in front of the Whinnen-Dempsey stand.

However, despite the Falcons leading by 15 points midway through the third quarter after Anthony Tsalikis kicked his third of four goals for the day, Claremont went on to kick five of the last six goals of the game to win 10.10 (70) to 8.10 (58).

West Perth's two young and emerging midfielders both had outstanding performances in the loss with Shane Nelson finishing the day with 38 points, 11 clearances and a goal, and Aaron Black 34 disposals, four tackles and a massive 16 clearances.

The esteem that Matt Guadagnin is held in by the competition after 164 games was shown by Claremont sending Mathew Aitchison to run with him, but the premiership midfielder still worked hard and contributed 16 touches, four tackles and six clearances.

Rohan Kerr also finished the game with 27 touches for the Falcons with Ray Bartholomew collecting 24 off the wing to go with eight tackles, three tackles and three clearances.

The Falcons' back-line also ensured that Claremont forward-line didn’t get off the leash even in the absence of Dan Hunt and with both Matthew Spencer and Shaun Marusic in the reserves.

Steven Browne also ended up with 27 possessions, Laine Rasmussen 20, Luke Tedesco 20, Andrew Strijk 18, Trent Manzone 15 and Jordan Jones 14.

Up forward, Anthony Tsalikis was terrific with the club's five-time leading goalkicker booting four goals from 11 possessions and four marks.

Premiership ruckman Chris Keunen also had a good battle up against both Mark Seaby and Darcy Cameron, and ended up with 13 touches, 25 hit outs, four clearances and a goal.

Meanwhile, in the reserves the Falcons went down to Claremont by 45 points but there were plenty of encouraging performances.

Corey Chalmers was tremendous for the Falcons finishing with 27 possessions and two goals while Tim Sutherland also booted two goals.

Jack Thrum gathered 23 disposals, Aidan Lynch 19, Stephen Healy 19, James Embley 18, Kris Shannon 18 and Spencer 15.

Andrew Krakouer also made his first appearance in Falcons colours and in around two and-a-half minutes of ground time gathered 10 possessions playing mostly inside the forward 50.

And in the colts, West Perth went down by 110 points with Nathan Alexander kicking two goals and William Michell gathering 23 possessions.

WEST PERTH 3.3 5.7 8.10 8.10 (58)

CLAREMONT 2.3 5.5 8.6 10.10 (70)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Tsalikis 4; Nelson, van Berlo, Keunen, Fowler.

Best: Black, Nelson, Browne, Tsalikis, Rasmussen, Potente, Kerr, Tedesco.

CLAREMONT – Goals: Foster 3; Richardson 2; Ledger, Bentley, Cameron, Abbott, Neates.

Best: Blackwell, Murphy, Aitchison, Ledger, Foster, Orzel.

BY CHRIS PIKE