Round 15 WAFLW Match Report– Claremont Tigers vs West Perth Falcons

Claremont ended West Perth’s improbable finals hopes as they conquer the Falcons in another dominant outing.

This marked the third time out of their four meetings that Claremont held West Perth scoreless, showing that West Perth must fear Claremont in the season home and away calendar.

The match started off as a competitive affair, with both teams struggling to score in the first quarter. However, once Claremont gained momentum, they didn't let up. The Tigers showcased their impressive skills, with players accumulating high possession counts and Adele Arnup coming close to scoring a handful goals.

Claremont displayed a willingness to switch play and move the ball swiftly, often orchestrated by players like Matilda Sergeant and Kate Orme, who would drop back from the midfield or position themselves on the half-back flank to initiate switches or find targets in the corridor.

Despite having a different player in the primary ruck position due to the Essendon Bombers selection of Matilda Dyke, Claremont showed that having a fast disposal getter in the ruck only improved their gameplan. Kobi Nichols, who has recently stepped in primary ruck, performed exceptionally well, recording 17 disposals compared to the opposition's three, despite West Perth having more hitouts (28 to Nichols' 12).

The final score reflected Claremont's dominance, with the Tigers winning convincingly, 8.8 (56) to West Perth's 0.0 (0).

The midfield group was once again alight with a shared disposal mentality with some massive stat lines for Jayme Harken, Kate Orme, Matilda Sergeant, Sarah Garstone.

Harken had her highest disposal count for the season, gut-running the entire afternoon, racking up an absurd 36 disposals with 3 marks and 3 inside 50’s.

Orme and Sergeant both combined for 31 disposals to go alongside their conductor like intercept marks with 8 and 10 marks respectively.

Garstone was rewarded for her streak of hot games with one of the more complete stat lines seen this season. 21 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles, 2 inside 50’s and 2 goals if you don’t mind.

Adele Arnup was the lead goal scorer for today’s match, finishing up with four goals for the day and providing the momentum late to take Claremont home to a comfortable finish. Arnup who floated slightly higher up the ground then usual got 14 possessions, 8 marks and 3 Inside-50’s.

As Claremont gained control of the game, their ability to mark and move the ball became much easier, resulting in a significant 42-mark advantage for the Tigers. This emphasised either the space that the Falcons allowed Claremont or the Tigers' skill in finding gaps in West Perth's defensive structure.

Jacinta Valentini had an impressive performance, thriving in the aerial contests and securing 7 marks. In addition, she contributed 18 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s, and kicked 1 goal. It was a highly successful day for the skilful small high half forward.

The final match of the WAFLW home and away season is scheduled for this Saturday at 2 pm at Revo Fitness Stadium. Claremont will face the East Perth Royals, whom they convincingly defeated in their previous encounter by 85 points while holding them scoreless. Claremont aims to maintain their unbeaten record in the 2023 season and continue their strong momentum. The Tigers have been flawless throughout the season, and continue to adapt to gamestyle, which is crucial as they enter this stage of the competition.

Claremont Goal Scorers:

Adele Arnup (4), Sarah Garstone (2), Rachel Ortlepp, Jacinta Valentini

Claremont Best:

Matilda Sergeant, Jayme Harken, Adele Arnup, Kate Orme, Sarah Garstone, Jacinta Valentini, Kobi Nichols