Colts & Reserves Win Wet Weather Battles
All three of Subiaco’s sides currently occupy top spot on their respective WAFL ladders after completing another club clean sweep on Saturday.
The Reserves rose to top spot after they accounted for last year’s Grand Final opponents South Fremantle by 38 points while the Colts won a wet and wild Saturday night tussle by 27 points.
COLTS RECAP
With wild weather taking hold at Leederville Oval on Saturday night, Subiaco’s colts showed another layer of their added maturity in 2018 by accounting for tough conditions and a tough opponent in a 27 point win.
The wet conditions meant goals were at a premium and Subiaco made the most of their chances after half time with four goals to one, taking a match that was in the balance and finishing the game clinically.
The WAFL Colts leading goalkicker Jack Mayo kicked two goals, while Nic Martin continued the promising start to his Subiaco career with another two goals.
In the midfield battle, Subiaco was well led by the Hickmott brothers, Wil and Liam who combined for 61 possessions.
The win helped extend Subiaco’s advantage at the top of the WAFL Colts ladder to a game and percentage as Subiaco look to take a step closer to a minor premiership when they take on lowly Claremont in their next match in two weeks.
GAME CHANGERS
AT THEIR TACKLE BEST
The conditions were made for it, and Subiaco’s Colts thrived around the contest on Saturday night. The Lions laid 124 tackles on the night, finishing a commanding plus 39 against their opponents. Luke Foley returned from state duty to be the tackle leader with 11, while nine Subiaco players laid at least seven tackles in the contest.
COUNTRY BOYS DEBUT
Subiaco blooded yet more talent with another two debuts in Round 15. The two debuts both came from Subiaco’s Regional centres, with Jack Borchet of Railways in Kalgoorlie and Harvey Bishop of Ports in Esperance each making impressive debuts. Bishop showed his willingness to battle in and around the contest laying five tackles to go with his five possessions while Borchet gave a glimpse towards his potential as a future key defender.
MISSED MAYO
Though it was not a night for key forwards, Jack Mayo showed his class with a strong performance marred only by poor goal kicking. Mayo finished with 2.5 on the night taking a game high seven marks despite the wet conditions.
BIG MAN ADVANTAGE
Xavier Peacock and Mach Deng’s partnership was again important in the Subiaco win, with the young players abilities to impact at ground level most impressive on Saturday night. Peacock and Deng combined for 52 hit-outs and 16 tackles to impose their impact on the contest in the air and on the ground.
FINAL
SUBIACO 2.2 3.5 5.9 7.12.54
SOUTH FREO 0.3 2.7 3.9 3.9.27
BEST: L. Hickmott, W. Hickmott, Peacock, Stainsby, Foley
GOALS: Martin, Mayo 2; W. Hickmott, Page, Peletier 1.
RESERVES RECAP
Subiaco’s defence of their 2017 WAFL Reserves Premiership continues to gain momentum as they moved to top of the Reserves ladder with a 38 point win over South Fremantle.
The Subiaco defence was outstanding as they held South Fremantle to just one goal from their 33 forward fifty entries, while the Subiaco midfield and forward line had another potency to make the most at the crucial points of the game.
With the match commencing to a rain swept Leederville Oval, the two teams went goalless through the opening quarter, with it taking until the five minute mark of the second term for the first goal to be kicked.
After Subiaco kicked the only two goals of the first half, South Fremantle kicked a goal in the opening minute of the third quarter, but it was Subiaco who dominated the scoreboard from that point on, kicking the last five goals of the game.
Up forward Christian Martin had a significant contribution with three goals, while Craig Hoskins had 25 possessions, Travis Cleggett 24 possessions and James Eccles 23 possessions.
Subiaco now have two weeks to wait ahead of a blockbuster top of the table clash with Claremont at Claremont Oval on July 28th.
GAME CHANGERS
HIT-OUT DOMINANCE
Young ruckman Tim Sutherland continued his purple patch in the ruck, with a career high 63 hit-outs in Subiaco’s win. Sutherland has recorded 115 hit-outs in the last two weeks with his performance on Saturday consolidated with 12 possessions and six tackles. After an injury hit start to the year, Sutherland is fast becoming a crucial player at the start of the engine of the Subiaco midfield.
MARTIN BACKS UP
Christian Martin’s outstanding start to his WAFL Reserves career continued kicking three goals in tough conditions. Martin again hit 10 possessions, and with five goals in his first two matches of 2018, is adding an extra dimension to the Subiaco Reserves forward line.
TACKLE ADVANTAGE
Subiaco’s thirst for the contest was highlighted in winning the tackle count 108 to 93. Craig Hoskins gave a typically hardworking display with 11 tackles as he fights for a league recall while Luke Norriss had his best game of 2018 with 12 tackles and 12 possessions. Max Dennis also topped double digits with 11 tackles on the afternoon.
NOT GETTING MUCH LOVE
Subiaco fan favourite Adam Cockie didn’t get much love from the umpires on Saturday, penalised with a remarkable eight free kicks against. Making it even tougher to swallow for the Subiaco midfield enforcer, he failed to win a free kick of his own finishing an incredible minus eight on the day.
FINAL
SUBIACO 0.2 2.5 3.6 7.7.49
SOUTH FREO 0.0 0.1 1.3 1.5.11
BEST: Hoskins, Cleggett, Sutherland, Breman, Eccles.
GOALS: Martin 3; D. Ehlers 2; Cleggett, Dennis 1.