INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL FESTIVAL AGAIN A GREAT SUCCESS

IT WAS a terrific day at HBF Arena on Saturday for the International Football Festival with well over 5000 fans in attendance and a successful citizenship ceremony, but in the end West Perth fell 25 points short of Subiaco in the match itself.

The West Perth Football Club hosted its annual International Football Festival and the day was again a big hit as the third biggest WAFL crowd of the season attended HBF Arena for the occasion that saw 60 new Australians receive citizenships before the match.

The Falcons also wore a specially designed jumper featuring several flags of a variety of countries with high populations in the Joondalup region while the final crowd of 5362 people has only been bettered by the 5566 at the Fremantle derby on WA Day and the 6201 at HBF Arena as well on WA Day when West Perth took on East Perth.

While all of that was successful, West Perth wasn’t able to get the crucial four points with Subiaco ending up winning 13.19 (97) to 11.6 (72).

The Lions found themselves 46 points in front of the Falcons late in the third quarter but West Perth did come again with five goals in 12 minutes before three quarter-time to close to with 22 points, and then booted the first three of the final term to get to within 12.

However, from there Subiaco kicked the game's last two goals to end up winning by 25 points.

Matt Guadagnin worked tirelessly in the midfield for West Perth finishing with 22 possessions, 10 clearances, six tackles and four inside-50 entries.

Rohan Ker also racked up 31 possessions for the Falcons to go with nine marks, six rebounds from defensive 50, five clearances, four inside-50 entries and a goal.

Shane Nelson gathered another 30 disposals to go with seven clearances and Aaron Black 29 touches and eight clearances while Jay van Berlo had 25 possessions and Ray Bartholomew 17.

Jordan Jones did well limiting Shane Yarran to one goal for Subiaco while Jones had 19 possessions and seven rebounds from defensive 50 himself. Andrew Strijk also had 19 touches and Dan Hunt 18 to go with 10 marks while Laine Rasmussen did well limiting the influence of George Hampson.

Chris Keunen worked hard in the ruck with 15 possessions, 34 hit outs and a goal in a fascinating duel with former Falcon Frank Stockley.

Marc Crisp worked hard as a small forward finishing with 17 touches and two goals while young big man booted two goals as well.

West Perth got off to a fast start at HBF Arena with the first goal of the game through Nelson before Anthony Tsalikis got the Falcons' second to get his team back within three points.

Rodda then kicked truly after the siren to reduce West Perth's deficit to Subiaco to eight points by quarter-time.

West Perth then struggled in the second quarter going goalless to then trail Subiaco by 32 points at the long break.

West Perth finally ended an almost 50-minute goal drought just before time-on of the third quarter when Matt Johnson kicked truly, but the problem was Subiaco still led by 40 points.

Rodda and Crisp added goals shortly after to bring the Falcons back within 34 points and then Crisp kicked his second in a minute. When Seva Martin made his biggest impact of the day by kicking a goal, West Perth was within 22 points and had a real sniff.

Subiaco got a steadying goal before three quarter-time to lead by 28 points at the last change, but West Perth had given itself a chance and then even more so with the first three goals of the last quarter through Steven Browne, Keunen and Kerr.

The margin was then just 12 points heading into time-on, but Subiaco kicked the last two goals through Kyle Halligan and George Hampson to secure the win.

West Perth's reserves looked dead and buried during the last quarter against Subiaco, but refused to give up and suddenly kicked five goals late in the contest to suddenly get to within four points when Joe Morrow took a mark just before the siren sounded.

It was in a difficult position near the boundary and not much inside the 50-metre arc, and he didn’t miss by much, but he couldn’t quite find the major opening and West Perth fell narrowly short by just three points.

Max Alexander kicked two goals for the Falcons while James Embley racked up 20 possessions, Ben O'Regan 17, Kris Shannon 15 and Aidan Lynch 15 to go with 10 tackles. Tim Sutherland also amassed 64 hit outs.

West Perth's colts recorded a strong 13.10 (88) to 8.9 (57) over Subiaco at HBF Arena on Friday night.

Sam Rotham kicked three goals for the Falcons as did Mitch Antonio with Tyson Moulton and Kaidyn Fullgrabe adding two apiece.

Clinton Hinchcliffe racked up 30 possessions, William Michell 24, James Sheehan-Nel 21, Dean Munns 20, Troy Manners 18, Ashley Smith 17 and Mitchell Peirce 17.

WEST PERTH            3.2    3.4    8.4    11.6    (72)
SUBIACO            3.8    7.12    11.14    13.19    (97)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Crisp, Rodda 2; Kerr, Nelson, Keunen, Browne, Tsalikis, Johnson, Martin.
Best: Guadagnin, Kerr, Black, Nelson, Strijk, Rasmussen, van Berlo.
SUBIACO – Goals: Waters, Halligan, McDougall 2; Phelan, Wheeler, Hampson, Le Fanu, Stockley, Yarran, Deluca.
Best: Twomey, Horsley, Moore, Phelan, Bristow, Wheeler, McDougall.