By Michael Roberts | posted on October 11, 2020
THREE Claremont sides littered with Great Southern talent couldn’t make the most of their opportunity on the big stage as the Tigers’ colts, reserves and league teams suffered agonising grand final defeats on Sunday in the WAFL.
Not even a dominant performance from Denmark-Walpole product Kalin Lane could power Claremont’s colts side to premiership glory, with Subiaco upsetting the minor premiers by a whopping 79 points.
After leading by 14-points at the main break, Subiaco put Claremont to the sword in the second half as they piled on nine goals to run out 15.12 (102) to 6.7 (43) victors.
Lane almost played a lone hand in the ruck for the Tigers, finishing with 14 disposals, five marks and 32 hit outs.
Albany Sharks talent Kieran Gowdie was Claremont’s only multiple goal kicker with two majors, while Railways defender Jacob Blight (16 disposals) wouldn’t have lost any admirers.
It was a much tighter, lower-scoring contest in Claremont’s do-or-die final against South Fremantle in the league decider as the Bulldogs held on for a memorable three-point win in front of 10,179 fans at Fremantle Oval.
Claremont midfielder Jye Bolton (35 disposals) was awarded the Simpson Medal as best on ground, winning ahead of Bulldogs utility Zach Strom (two goals and 16 disposals).
In terms of Great Southern representatives, Declan Mountford worked hard at the coalface for Claremont to end the grand final with 16 disposals and a mammoth 12 tackles.
Jerramungup talent Tom Baldwin finished with eight possessions, while Royals’ Tyron Smallwood amassed four kicks and five tackles in their side’s 6.10 (46) to 6.7 (43) defeat.
Katanning’s Haiden Schloithe was a colossal presence in the engine room for South Fremantle as the Bulldogs held on in the final moments of a see-sawing contest to seal their first WAFL premiership since 2009.
