Subiaco Wins Another Top of Table Battle

Subiaco recorded their second top of the table win in less than a month, seeing off another major rival, with a convincing 47 point win over West Perth at Joondalup on Saturday.

 

After producing an irresistible first half of football, mixing stout defence, strong clearance work and attacking potency, the Lions were given a second half wake-up call as West Perth came hard at the Lions.

 

Subiaco conceded four unanswered goals either side of three quarter time, as West Perth rallied within 28 points halfway through the last quarter, however Subiaco showed their poise to steady and pull away to the 47 point final winning margin.

 

The margin would have been greater if not for some inaccurate finishing, with Subiaco kicking a wasteful 14.20, at one point having kicked 9.17.

 

On a high possession afternoon captain Kyal Horsley reached 40 possessions for the second time this year against West Perth, finishing with a team high 40.

 

He was closely followed by Josh Deluca who had 38 possessions, while Lachlan Delahunty had 35 and Chris Phelan had 30.

 

Midfielders Justin Joyce, Adam Cockie, Leigh Kitchin, Rowen Powell, Ben Newton and defender Hayden Kennedy all had over 20 possessions as Subiaco finished just shy of a season high with 448 possessions.

 

Up forward young forward Tom Edwards-Baldwin was lively early, finishing with three goals while Kyle Halligan also kicked three in his second game back from injury.

 

Defensively Subiaco held the WAFL’s leading goal kicking duo Andrew Strijk and Tyler Keitel to just two goals combined.

 

Subiaco has two games remaining before concluding a successful 2018 home and away season, with next week’s game against East Fremantle the last road game Subiaco will embark upon for the year.

 

 

GAME CHANGERS

 

IRRESISTABLE FIRST HALF

Subiaco’s first half was one of its best for the year, proving too good for West Perth all over the field. Subiaco had 52 more possessions, 11 more clearances and 11 more inside 50s for the first half as they built a 38 point half time lead. If not for inaccurate goal kicking, that margin likely could have been over 60 points at the main break, such was the dominance of the Lions in the first half.

 

BIG MAN ADVANTAGE

Zac Clarke and Lachlan Delahunty’s potent combination again showed its dangerousness on Saturday with the duo combining to outpoint their big men opposition in the air and on the ground. Delahunty had a career high 35 possessions to go with 10 marks while Clarke had 40 hit-outs, with a number of these perfect hits to his receiving midfielders. Again the duo also impacted the scoreboard with three goals, two to Clarke and a first quarter goal by Delahunty.

 

LOCKYER DOMINATES

Key defender Jordan Lockyer was outstanding on Saturday holding the WAFL’s leading goal kicker Tyler Keitel goalless. Lockyer has proven to be one of the best one on one defenders in the WAFL over the past three seasons, with 2018 arguably his best season at Subiaco yet.  His performance and clear victory over Keitel on Saturday was another impressive scalp.  

 

RETURNING VETERANS HAVE IMPACT

Both Adam Cockie and Clancy Wheeler had to work their way back into the league side through the Reserves, with both making the most of the opportunity that presented on Saturday. It has been a longer road back for Cockie, but he was in the action from the start with the first kick, before finishing with 21 possessions and seven tackles. Wheeler meanwhile finished with 17 possessions and eight marks proving a threat going forward early in the game.

 

CAREER BEST AGAIN FOR DELUCA

Just six weeks Josh Deluca recorded a career high 34 possessions in a game at Joondalup. History repeated again as Deluca went past that career high of 34, registering 38 possessions in Saturday’s win. After a slow start, Deluca came to life after quarter time and had a big final quarter to get him to his new career high.

 

CHALLENGE AWAITS COME FINALS

While Subiaco has recorded three wins over West Perth this year, yet again on Saturday, West Perth showed their best can certainly challenge the Lions. Expect Subiaco to look closely at a 20 minute passage either side of three quarter time where West Perth were the dominant side in the game as what to expect from the Falcons if the two sides meet during next month’s final series.

 

FREE KICK TREND CONTINUES

For the third time this year against West Perth, Subiaco was on the wrong side of a lop sided free kick count. West Perth had 18 free kicks to Subiaco's 8 in Saturday's game. This followed Round Six where West Perth had 25 free kicks to Subiaco's 9 while in Round 13 the count was West Perth 24 to Subiaco 10. In three games head to head, West Perth has received 67 free kicks to Subiaco's 27. 

 

GOAL KICKING PRACTICE THIS WEEK

The accuracy radar was off for Subiaco throughout Saturday’s win as they recorded both their second most behinds and second least accurate score of the season finishing with 14.20. This score was a far cry from the 16.3 from a fortnight ago.

 

 

FINAL

SUBIACO         4.7       6.11     9.16     14.20.104

WEST PERTH   0.2       1.3       3.5       8.9.57

 

BEST: Delahunty, Horsley, Clarke, Lockyer, Deluca.

GOALS: Edwards-Baldwin, Halligan 3; Clarke, Sokol 2; Delahunty, Kitchin, Newton, Wheeler 1.