TIGERS TURN TABLES ON FALCONS WITH FAST FINISH

WEST Perth had a taste of its own medicine at HBF Arena on Saturday with Claremont kicking the last four goals of the game to come back from trailing by 25 points during the last quarter to record the crucial two-point victory.

By the time West Perth kicked the first two goals of the last quarter through Matt Fowler and Steve Potente, the Falcons looked set to win their 10th straight match at HBF Arena this season.

West Perth has made a habit of finishing strongly right throughout the season as well but Claremont had its finals position up for grabs, and found something in the last 20 minutes to kick the final four goals of the game to win 9.15 (69) to 10.7 (67).

The result means that Claremont replaces Swan Districts in the fifth and last position in the finals, but West Perth remains in second spot and will now host Peel Thunder in a qualifying final next Sunday at HBF Arena.

A win there and West Perth advances to take on Subiaco in the second semi-final while a loss would see the Falcons host the first semi-final at HBF Arena against the winner of the East Perth-Claremont elimination final.

West Perth will have some selection dilemmas to make ahead of the clash with Peel with Andrew Strijk now battling to be fit, and with Shane Nelson, Kody Manning, Laine Rasmussen, Joe Morrow and Tyler Keitel looking to return after missing the game against Claremont.

Sandover Medallist Aaron Black had another big game in the midfield for the Falcons finishing with 36 possessions, 11 marks and five tackles with Trent Manzone continuing his career-best form with 33 disposals, seven tackles and a goal.

Ray Bartholomew also continued to book in a spot in the team for the finals with another strong performance with 24 touches, nine marks and a goal while Jay van Berlo had 23 disposals for West Perth, Steve Potente 21 and Aidan Lynch 19 to go with seven tackles and two goals.

Full-forward Michael Lourey was West Perth's other multiple goal kicker in the low-scoring contest with two from his four kicks and two marks.

West Perth's defence battled hard against Claremont's dangerous forward-line and stood up well with Beau Maister held goalless as was Kepler Bradley until the final quarter with Jack Bradshaw and Ian Richardson combining for just the two goals.

The Falcons' defence did well setting up play as well with Blake Wilhelm collecting 24 possessions, Steven Browne 22 and Drew Rohde 21.

It took just a couple of minutes for the Falcons to hit the ground running with the first goal of the game courtesy of Lynch, but the difficult conditions made scoring tough from there and it took 20 more minutes before the next major and that came to Claremont from skipper Jake Murphy.

The Falcons regained the advantage to lead by four points at quarter-time, though, thanks to a late goal from Manzone as he continues his career-best form since being used as a permanent on-baller.

Claremont then got the first goal of the second term to regain a two-point advantage when Corey Yeo kicked truly, but almost immediately West Perth hit back courtesy of Lourey.

Claremont was able to take a one-point lead into half-time, though, thanks to a goal to running half-back Oliver Tate.

It again took 16 minutes for the first goal of the second half and that came courtesy of the Falcons when Lourey nailed his second of the afternoon to give him 36 on his first season in the WAFL with West Perth.

Three more goals in the space of six minutes to Lynch, Bartholomew and Matt Johnson then saw West Perth make the first break by either team in the contest and to lead by as much as 20 points during the third quarter, and then still by 13 at the last change.

Early final quarter goals then to Fowler and Potente saw West Perth hold a game-high 24-point lead at the nine-minute mark and to appeared headed for the win, and to end Claremont's season and to allow Swan Districts to play finals.

However, the Tigers then found something with their season on the line and a goal to Tom Ledger, two quick ones to Bradley and then the match-winner to Murphy saw Claremont take a two-point lead and win the game by that margin.

West Perth's reserves drew with Claremont but the Falcons still finish in fourth position on the ladder and now will take on East Perth in a cut-throat elimination final next Sunday.

Callum Papertalk and Mark Hamilton kicked two goals apiece for West Perth while Jesse Kirwen racked up 28 possessions, Marc Crisp 25, Brayden Antonio 22, Mitchell Peirce 22, Max Alexander 20 (11 marks), Dean Munns 20 (12 tackles), Sam Money 19 and Martin Geraghty 17.

West Perth's colts might have started the day at HBF Arena losing to minor premiers Claremont, but the Falcons still qualified for the finals and end the season in fifth position to now take on East Fremantle in an elimination final next Sunday.

Conal Lynch, Nathan Alexandre, Liam Baker, Nicholas Marinovich and Connor West combined to kick West Perth's five goals for the game.

Baker worked hard to rack up 28 possessions while Clint Hinchcliffe had 21 disposals, Lynch 17, Scott Nelson 17, Mitch Walley 15 and Tom O'Brien 15. 

WEST PERTH            2.4    3.6    8.6    10.7    (67)
CLAREMONT            1.6    3.7    5.11    9.15    (69)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Lourey, Lynch 2; Manzone, Johnson, Fowler, Keunen, Bartholomew, Potente.
Best: Black, Manzone, Lynch, Wilhelm, Rohde, Browne, Bartholomew.
CLAREMONT – Goals: Murphy, Bradley 2; Richardson, Yeo, Bradshaw, Ledger, Tate.
Best: Murphy, Yeo, Richardson, Ledger, Lim, Swift, Davies.