FALCONS BRING DOWN LIONS ON MASSIVE DAY

WEST Perth has further secured second position on the WAFL ladder and ended Subiaco's eight-game winning run with a hard earned 10-point victory at HBF Arena on Saturday in front of a huge crowd for the International Football Festival.

Both teams occupied the top two spots on the WAFL ladder entering the contest with Subiaco having won its last eight matches and West Perth its last two setting up a tantalising match up.

Then the added excitement of playing in front of a crowd of 7789 in the annual International Football Festival at HBF Arena created a day to remember for all involved, and in the end it was West Perth who beat Subiaco 8.7 (55) to 5.15 (45).

It was a tight, tough, tense and physical affair all afternoon with neither side willing to give an inch, but in the end West Perth kept Subiaco goalless in both the second and last quarters, and overcame losing Luke Tedesco and Kody Manning to injury in the first quarter to end up winning by 10 points.

The result sees West Perth enter the bye this weekend having won three successive matches to improve to an 8-4 record to close the gap to the 10-2 Subiaco and maintain its advantage over the 7-5 Peel Thunder.

Now following the bye, West Perth has eight straight matches against Perth (away), Swan Districts (away), Claremont (home), East Perth (away), East Fremantle (away), Swan Districts (home), South Fremantle (away) and Claremont (home).

Marcus Adams was outstanding at full-back for West Perth putting in a terrific defensive and counterattacking performance. Not only did he keep Bernie Naylor Medal leader Shane Yarran goalless from three kicks, but had 17 possessions and seven marks himself.

Co-captain Jay van Berlo also delivered an outstanding all-round performance for the Falcons kicking two goals, picking up 20 possessions, laying eight tackles and quelling the influence of Sam Menegola.

Shane Nelson racked up another 32 possessions and six tackles for the Falcons in the midfield with ruckman Chris Keunen him and the other midfielders wonderfully finishing with 57 hit outs to go with his eight kicks and five tackles.

Andrew Strijk was another strong contributor for West Perth with 24 possessions, six marks and five inside-50 entries while Matt Guadagnin compiled 21 disposals, Aaron Black 20 and Aidan Lynch 18 to go with seven tackles and five inside 50s.

Up forward, Luke Meadows and the returning Matt Fowler kicked two goals each for West Perth.

It was Subiaco, though, who made the best possible start when full-forward Matt Boland kicked the first goal of the game after a minute in his first appearance in the league team of the season.

West Perth answered through van Berlo but the Lions put together a strong first quarter goals and finished the opening term with goals to Menegola and Chris Phelan to lead by 14 points at quarter-time.

It was all West Perth in the second quarter, though, despite both Tedesco and Manning being off injured with their afternoons over.

Goals to Meadows, Fowler and Corey Chalmers were the only majors of the quarter with Subiaco managing just the three behinds and that saw West Perth take a narrow one-point advantage into the break in a gruelling and eventful, but low-scoring contest.

West Perth then kicked their fourth consecutive goal in the match to start the second half when Guadagnin kicked truly for the Falcons to see their lead extend to seven points, but the Lions weren’t going to go away and Boland's second brought the margin back to a point again.

It was almost 15 minutes before the next goal in the game and that came courtesy of van Berlo for the Falcons, and then Fowler booted his second as well to put the home team in front again by 10 points.

Subiaco responded through Brett Robinson to cut the lead to four points, but that proved to be the Lions' final goal of the match. West Perth answered just before three quarter-time when Meadows kicked truly with his second goal.

That saw the Falcons lead by 11 points at three quarter-time and it was also West Perth last major of the match.

West Perth managed just the three behinds and Subiaco four points in the final quarter with the Falcons ending up holding on for the crucial 10-point victor in front of the crowd of almost 8000 people.

West Perth ended up kicking three goals to one in the final quarter to come back from trailing by 12 points at three quarter-time to secure the draw.

The reserves began the day at HBF Arena in a rematch from last year's grand final and it turned out to be a thrilling draw with West Perth finishing on 11.7 (73) and Subiaco 10.13 (73).

Callum Papertalk kicked five goals from just seven kicks for West Perth with Brayden Antonio also kicking three majors from 19 possessions.

Broderick Walton gathered 24 disposals for the Falcons, Ray Bartholomew 22, Trent Manzone 21 and Mitch Peirce 16.

The colts played their match at HBF Arena under lights on Friday night and it was West Perth who recorded a solid 10.7 (67) to 4.10 (34) victory.

Daniel Robertson, Joel Horgan and Mitch Antonio all kicked two goals each for the Falcons with Conal Lynch gathering 24 possessions, Nick Marinovich 22, Scott Nelson 20, Ben Mountford 19, Ewan Larmett 17, Jacob Turner 17 and Robertson 17.

WEST PERTH            1.2    4.2    8.4    8.7    (55)
SUBIACO            3.4    3.7    5.11    5.15    (45)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Meadows, Fowler, van Berlo 2; Guadagnin, Chalmers.
Best: van Berlo, Adams, Strijk, Nelson, Guadagnin, Morrow, Keunen, Lynch.
SUBIACO – Goals: Boland 2; Robinson, Phelan, Menegola.
Best: Kitchin, Horsley, Phelan, Kennedy, Menegola, Latham.

PHOTOS BY BELINDA TAYLOR