Set for a big finish by Les Everett

WAFL round 19

The WAFL finals will come a week early after Swan Districts upset the top team to keep their hopes alive coming into the final round of qualifying fixtures. Swans will play Peel next Sunday with the winner grabbing fifth spot. It couldn’t have worked out better.

The most ominous performance of the round was at Claremont Oval where East Fremantle thrashed the home team who didn’t kick a goal until early in the third quarter. The Sharks were on from the start and only poor kicking for goal limited the final margin. Milan Murdock was superb in the midfield and his tackling rattled the Tigers. Running defender Cam Eardley put in an extraordinary game showing great judgment and kicking well. Jon Marsh kicked four goals, Rueben McGuire looked very good and could have caused real damage – he kicked 1.5. Claremont have discovered a good one in defender Anthony Davis who marked well and delivered the ball with great assurance. “They’re working harder than us,” one of the Tigers yelled late in the game and that just about summed it up.

Swan Districts pulled off the surprise coming from eight points down at three quarter time to beat ladder leader West Perth at Bassendean. Defender Brandon Erceg took 17 marks for the home team and young gun Elijah Hewitt kicked the sealer.

Down at Rushton Park it was all set to be a beauty with bottom team West Coast loaded up with AFL “talent” set to face a similarly stacked Peel. The Eagles kicked their first goal in the last quarter. Nathan Wilson was brilliant in the defence for Peel, Lloyd Meek controlled the ruck and Jack Sears did a good job in the back line. It was a thrashing.

It was a triple celebration at Leederville Oval where Subiaco had a win, farewelled five-time premiership player Lachlan Delahunty and marked captain Leigh Kitchin’s 150th game. Kitchin and Stefan Giro were excellent for the Lions and Delahunty’s last game was a good one.

In the Sunday game at Fremantle Oval it took the home team all afternoon to shake off their plucky rivals. In the end it was the assuredness of Haiden Schloithe, Brendon Ah Chee and Dylan Main that got the Bulldogs home. East Perth put in one of their better efforts for the year with caretaker coach Ross McQueen urging the players to “enjoy each others company” something I don’t think was happening last time I saw them. Angus Schumacher was classy and hard working, Scott Jones won the ruck battle but made a couple of monumental blunders and Sam Van Diemen made the most of his opportunities in kicking three goals.

While all eyes will be on the Sunday game there is some chance of movement in the top four. East Perth and Subiaco have the chance to cause some mischief and with South Fremantle and Claremont assured of wins the stakes are high for the Sharks and Falcons.

East Fremantle 11.17 (83) Claremont 5.8 (38)

Peel 16.9 (105) West Coast 3.14 (32)

Subiaco 14.14 (98) Perth 4.11 (35)

Swan Districts 9.5 (59) West Perth 6.11 (47)

South Fremantle 12.10 (82) East Perth 11.7 (73)

Ladder: West Perth 50; East Fremantle 48; Claremont 48; South Fremantle 46; Peel 40; Swan Districts 40; Subiaco 28; East Perth 24; Perth 12; West Coast 4.

Round 20: Saturday: East Perth vs  East Fremantle; Claremont vs West Coast; West Perth vs Subiaco; Perth vs South Fremantle. Sunday: Peel vs Swan Districts.