Subiaco Drop Pre-Season Game Two

Subiaco has suffered its first pre-season loss of 2018, falling to Peel by 49 points at Rushton Park on Saturday.

 

It was an intense start to the match as both teams midfields offered extreme pressure around the ball with early attacking flair hard to come by. Across the match, this intense pressure was evident as both sides showed why they have combined to win the last four WAFL premierships.

 

Max Walters broke through for the games first goal after 10 minutes and while Lachlan Delahunty and Ben Sokol soon followed with majors, it felt like Subiaco had not done enough damage kicking with the aid of the breeze in the first quarter, holding just a seven point quarter time lead.

 

Kicking into the breeze in the second quarter Subiaco failed to gain offensive momentum as they were held to a single behind, while the defence held up manfully against a series of Peel forward entries. A late goal to Peel just before the half time siren though was decisive as it allowed Peel to establish an 18 point half-time lead.

 

Subiaco fought back early in the second half kicking two of the first three goals, Jacob Miller unloaded a bomb from outside fifty and Lachlan Delahunty was on the end of a good bit of transition footy from the Lions. However Subiaco could not maintain the assendacy and conceded late goals, trailing by five goals at three quarter time.

 

Subiaco again kicked the first goal of the last quarter to keep hopes alive of a comeback, after Josh Deluca kicked a great individual goal, but again Peel finished the quarter the strongest, kicking the last four goals of the game on route to an eight goal win.

 

 

GAME CHANGERS

 

FORMER DOCKERS v NEW DOCKERS

2018 Subiaco recruits Josh Deluca and Zac Clarke went up against a host of former teammates with over 15 Fremantle listed players fronting up for Peel on Saturday. Deluca was one of Subiaco’s best with 14 possessions, 9 tackles and a goal, while Clarke had a good battle in the ruck alongside new teammate Jack Fletcher, as Clarke and Fletcher limited the impact of a strong Peel ruck division.

 

MISSING LIONS

Up to nine regulars of the Subiaco side in Ben Newton, Jordan Lockyer, Adam Cockie, Kyle Halligan, Chris Phelan, Scott Hancock, Corey Adamson, Craig Hoskins and Brad Stevenson failed to play at the weekend as Subiaco looks to ease the workload on its senior squad across the 2018 season. Most of that group would be expected to be on the park for round one or early in the 2018 WAFL season.

 

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

That missing group of nine players meant a host of players were given opportunities at senior level for the second pre-season game. Nick Menegola, Jacob Miller, Ethan Burnett, Mackenzie Lawrence, Ryan Borchet, Andy Doyle and Ben Reid were among Saturday’s team that have yet to make their WAFL debut. All seven showed enough promise to suggest that one or two of this group will be in the mix for selection when coach Jarrad Schofield selects his first team for Good Friday.

 

SUBIACO         3.2       3.3       5.5       6.7.43

PEEL                2.1       6.3       10.5     14.8.92

GOALS: Delahunty 2; Deluca, Miller, Sokol, Walters 1.

BEST: Heal, Kitchin, Horsley, Deulca.

 

 

RESERVES RECAP

 

The Subiaco reserves have maintained their winning start to the 2018 pre-season with a hard fought 23 point win over an inaccurate Peel side.

 

Subiaco extended their lead at every change, in a strong four quarter performance. The win was spearheaded by a strong defensive showing, with the Lions restricting the Thunder to just five goals for the game.

 

Up forward Subiaco had the game’s most prominent forward with Aaron Breman kicking four goals, ably assisted by a group of small forwards who worked hard to add continual pressure.

 

Subiaco maintained a healthy advantage in the midfield with Daniel Leach, Tom Edwards-Baldwin, Jack Beverley and Travis Cleggett ensuring that the Lions maintained the edge in the middle of the ground.

 

In the end despite having two less scoring shots then their opponents, it was their efficiency forward of centre and pressure in defence that was the strength allowing for a reasonably comfortable win.

 

GAME CHANGERS

 

BREMAN FIRES

In a low scoring game, the four goals kicked by Aaron Breman were instrumental in the victory for the Lions reserves. Breman has been a highly regarded member of the Subiaco development program over recent seasons, but had his 2017 season restricted to just the first three games because of injury. Now injury free, Breman seems set to build on the potential as part of the senior program.

 

COLTS STEP UP AGAIN

For the second week in a row, a couple of the graduating colts to senior football had a big impact on the Subiaco win. Edwards-Baldwin had 17 possessions and five tackles, doing some strong work on the inside. Meanwhile Max Dennis looked accomplished and handled himself well against more experienced players. The continued growth of these young Subiaco players headlines the ongoing improvement that has been placed into development of the club.

 

TACKLE TEST

Jack Beverley led the way for Subiaco in the tackle count with nine, with Edwards-Baldwin, Ray Daniels and Josh Underwood all having five tackles.

 

BLAKEMORE BACKING UP

Daniel Leach won last year’s Reserves Best & Fairest and again looks set to be one of the prime movers of the Subiaco Reserves side. Leach had 21 possessions, including eight clearances, four tackles, four rebound 50’s and two inside 50’s. Leach’s ability to produce both inside and in transition highlighted the ongoing growth in the tough midfielders game.

 

SUBIACO         3.1       6.2       8.5       10.9.69

PEEL                1.10     2.11     3.13     5.16.46

 

GOALS: Breman 4; Daniels, Halligan, Leach, Porteous, Turner, West 1.

BEST: Leach, Breman, Edwards-Baldwin, Beverley.