HAD TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED

TO SAY that the Falcons got out of jail at HBF Arena on Monday would be an understatement. At the 22-minute mark they trailed by 26 points and looked well and truly out of it. Even Bill Monaghan admitted that the coaches had turned off their computers and were discussing how to get the team up for the game next Saturday. But in a remarkable turn of events West Perth had the last eight scoring shots of the game, kicked the last five goals and pulled off an improbable seven-point victory.

Swans hit the scoreboard first courtesy of a long goal on the run from the dangerous Ryan Davis. West Perth scored a behind shortly after before Drew Rohde started some good work on the wing that resulted in dangerous forward, Matt Johnson, finishing from 30. Shortly after Johnson was again involved when he kicked a brilliant goal from 50. He marked, played on and kicked from right on the boundary to split the middle. His second goal gave the Falcons a seven point lead at the ten minute mark. As was the case for large parts of the game the contest became a real slog. Swans had-the best of the rest of the quarter to kick two goals and take a five-point lead into the first change, 3.1 (19) to 2.2 (14).

A goal to Lourey, who received a free at a throw up, took the West Perth lead out to 11 points after eight minutes. The lead was short lived though as Jake Nuich scored for Swans after the ball was taken out of the middle. The tight checking contest continued and the five-point margin remained for the next 10 minutes before Swans broke free and set up a likely victory. Nuich scored three more goals to kick four in a row and when Davis kicked his third just before the siren the black ducks had established a very handy 17-point lead. Swans had kicked five unanswered goals and were on a roll. At the final change they led 9.5 (59) to 6.6 (42).

The first goal of the quarter was a clever snap by Luke Meadows, this reduced the margin to just 10 points and West Perth were back in the game. But in an extraordinary quarter Swans once again took control. When Matt Rogers kicked his second for Swans at the 20-minute mark and gave them a 26-point lead it would be fair to say that the game looked done and dusted. The Falcons rallied for one last effort and what an effort it turned out to be. Meadows scored from outside 50 at the 22-minute mark, a minute later Fowler marked and scored from the 50m line and when the pacy Kris Shannon scored on the run from 40 the lead was reduced to seven within four minutes and the game was back on. The momentum was definitely with West Perth now and when Jay van Berlo finished with a long bomb after receiving a Chalmers handpass the margin was just one at the 27-minute mark. Shannon tied the game up with a behind and the relentless West Perth pressure was rewarded at the 31-minute mark when Fowler kicked his third after marking on a sharp angle close to goal. Ten minutes of sustained football had literally turned the game on its head. Shane Nelson finished the game with a behind to give West Perth a memorable seven-point victory. The final scores were 12.12 (84) to 12.5 (77). The Falcons doubled their three quarter-time score and scoring shots in the final quarter. It was a great reward for perseverance when a victory looked highly unlikely at the 20-minute mark of the last quarter.

The crowd of 3500 certainly experienced a finish that you rarely see. The game didn’t reach high standards at different times but the ebbs and flows made it an enthralling contest. Mention must be made of Sam Rotham who debuted last week and Chalmers who played his first game of the year and second in total. Players to receive awards included Fowler, Aidan Lynch who is going from strength to strength, Steven Browne, Rohde who has really grasped his chance this year and best was Laine Rasmussen who was fantastic in defence all day. The reserves went down narrowly after having more scoring shots; players to receive awards included Angus Innes, Joe Morrow, Tyler Keitel in his first game in Falcon colours, Steve Potente and best was Hayden Yarran. The colts had a fighting win against the previously undefeated Swans to continue their good run. An important game against Claremont next week and victory is a must to consolidate on the great comeback victory achieved against Swans.

Article by Darrell Kent
Photography by Belinda Taylor