WEST PERTH PREVAIL IN HIGH QUALITY CONTEST

THE Falcons scored an important victory against top of the table Subiaco at Medibank Stadium on Saturday. It was a tight contest all day with a five-minute burst at the end of the third quarter setting up the 10-point victory. The win leaves West Perth with a 4-4 win-loss record at the end of Round 9 and in fourth place on the ladder.

The Lions hit the scoreboard first courtesy of Matthew Boland who kicked the first of his five for the day. This occurred within a minute of the centre bounce. The first Falcons goal went to Chris Keunen who ran forward to mark 30 out. Marcus Adams added another shortly after when he kicked a long major after marking on 50. The seven-point margin was maintained until the 20-minute mark when Kyle Halligan kicked the first of his two after marking in the Subiaco forward-line. The Falcons reply followed shortly after and Adams was again involved. He took a strong grab, kicked long and Steve Potente finished after taking the ball off hands. Nick Rodda, who had been moved forward, had his first major impact when he took a strong pack mark 20 metres out. The first of his four goals gave West Perth a 13-point lead. Not to be outdone the Lions kicked the final two goals of the quarter to make it a one-point game at the first change. The Falcons led 4.2 (26) to 4.1 (25) after a great first quarter of football.

As good as the first quarter was the second was even better. Both sides kicked five goals each and took it in turns to control the game. At the three-minute mark Rodda ran into an open goal to kick his second and extend the lead but the next 12 minutes belonged to the Lions as they kicked three goals to go to an 11-point lead. The West Perth defence did well to limit the damage. At the 16-minute mark last week’s hero, Anthony Tsalikis, took a strong pack mark running at full pace. His straight kick narrowed the margin. Chris Deluca soccered one back for Subiaco before a clever hand ball by Rodda enabled Steven Browne to bounce through a classy goal. Rodda continued to exert his influence with a strong mark and his third. This gave West Perth back the lead and was a terrific response to a strong Subiaco surge. Subiaco then snatched the lead back when Halligan soccered his second but the lead was back in West Perth's hands at half-time courtesy of a goal to Andrew Krakouer. Half-time scores were 9.6 (60) to 9.3 (57).

Goals really dried up in the third quarter with the ball moving between both defences. Only behinds were scored until the 25-minute mark when Rodda received a free at the top of the square after an incident behind play that saw Subiaco defender, Clancy Wheeler, reported. Rodda’s fourth sparked the Falcons and they kicked two more in quick time. A great intercept pass by Rohan Kerr set up Potente for his second and Adams burst through a pack for his second. The last seven minutes of the quarter were to be the defining ones of the game and resulted in West Perth taking a twenty three-point lead into the final quarter. They led 12.10 (82) to 9.6 (60).

Not to be denied Subiaco stormed back into the game and after three unanswered goals they closed to within five at the 21-minute mark. A result the reverse of last week loomed. Two minutes later Adams once again showed his value to the West Perth forward line when he snapped his third after taking the ball from the back of a pack after a boundary throw in. The breathing space was only temporary though as Subiaco’s Shane Yarran kicked his second after marking close to goal. West Perth went forward from the centre bounce only to kick it out of bounds on the full but the kick into play was intercepted by Kody Manning who calmly went back and once again extended the lead to 11. Subiaco attacked once again and scored a behind and the siren went as a Subi shot at goal hit the right hand point post on the full so the West Perth defence was under pressure until the last possible second. Final scores were 14.12 (96) to 13.8 (86), a 10-point victory.

The win capped a great day for the Falcons with the colts recording their second win against the third placed Lions and the reserves defeated their top of the table opponents. Players to lead the way for the league side included Dan Hunt, Rohan Kerr, Marcus Adams, Nick Rodda, Andrew Strijk and Aaron Black. Trent Manzone had a dominant game in the reserves and finished with 36 possessions. A week off due to the State game before a WA Day rematch with East Perth. Good luck to the West Perth players in line for State selection and to coach Bill Monaghan in his interstate coaching debut.

BY DARRELL KENT

PHOTOS BY BELINDA TAYLOR