The 2018 Home & Away Season of Subiaco

Subiaco produced one of the great home and away seasons in WAFL history, going unbeaten, seeing all three teams finish on top and producing outstanding attacking and defensive football across the year.

 

While Subiaco’s attention now turns to what really matters, the 2018 WAFL finals, take a quick look back at how Subiaco got to this point of the season unbeaten and with three teams on top of the table.

 

Round 1 – Subiaco 188 d East Perth 70

Subiaco commenced their quest for redemption in emphatic fashion with a 118 dismantling of East Perth on Good Friday. Subiaco debuted seven new faces in the win, with captain Kyal Horsley leading the way with 27 disposals. Brad Stevenson and Rhys Waters were impeccable in front of goals, finishing with a combined 12 goals straight.

 

In the minor grades, Subiaco completed their first sweep of the season, with the reserves starting their title defence with a hard fought 21 point win, and the colts giving an indication of what was to come, producing some breathtaking football in a 73 point victory.

 

Round 2 – Subiaco 120 d South Fremantle 62

After a tight first half, Subiaco was ruthless after the long break, dismantling South Fremantle in the second half kicking 11 goals to four and running away to a 58 point win. Ben Sokol dominated his former side with five goals as Josh Deluca added 33 disposals in a promising midfield display. The debutants continued as Ethan Burnett debuted, kicking a memorable goal in his first match.

 

In the minor grades the colts made it two straight wins to start the season, running away with the game in the last quarter while the reserves dropped a close one falling by two points after going goalless in the last quarter.

 

Round 3 – Subiaco 140 d Swan Districts 44

Subiaco’s hot start to 2018 continued as after another tight start they outscored Swans by 107 points after quarter time. The Subiaco defence gave a sign of what was to come by holding Swans to just one goal after quarter time. Brad Stevenson and Ben Sokol continued their good starts to 2018 with four goals each, while Hayden Kennedy had 29 possessions including his first ever WAFL league goal.

 

In the minor grades, the colts made it three from three with a hard fought 36 point win while the reserves were outplayed for large parts before a stirring final quarter comeback ended with the Lions 10 points short of a come from behind win.

 

Round 4 – Subiaco 135 d Claremont 49

Thursday night footy returned to Leederville, producing the same result for Subiaco, with an 86 point win. Subiaco kicked 7.9 to just 1.0 in the last quarter romping to a massive win, with Chris Phelan and Kyal Horsley combining for 66 disposals, one night before they were both inducted into the Subiaco Life Members Club.

 

In the minor grades, the colts remained unbeaten with a four point win in one of the colts games of the year, while the reserves returned to the winners list with an upset victory on an emotional night for the Lions.

 

Round 6 – Subiaco 88 d West Perth 66

In the emotional aftermath following the passing of two time premiership player Shane Yarran, Subiaco produced a courageous performance coming from behind to beat West Perth. Captain Kyal Horsley was inspirational with 40 disposals while Kyle Halligan kicked four goals on a tough day for the club, that finished with the right result.

 

In the minor grades, the reserves were overrun in the second half, falling to a 25 point loss to fall to 2-3 while the colts hot start to the season was snapped as they suffered a shock 59 point loss.

 

Round 7 – Subiaco 140 d Peel 48

For the second week in a row, Subiaco faced an emotional week, with former assistant coach Wayne Orsi losing his battle with cancer. Once again though, Subiaco showed incredible courage on-field to produce a stunning performance in the Grand Final rematch, destroying Peel by 92 points. Kyal Horsley was again outstanding with 41 possessions while Ben Newton showed his attacking flair with five goals.

 

In the minor grades the reserves produced a strong first half, holding on for a 25 point win while the colts suffered a second straight loss, losing narrowly by just four points. 

 

Round 8 – Subiaco 102 d Perth 62

Despite battling for three quarters, Subiaco had enough when it mattered most, kicking seven goals to two in the last quarter as they beat Perth by 40 points at Lathlain. Chris Phelan showed his class on a wet afternoon with 31 possessions and two goals while Lachlan Delahunty had 27 possessions and 24 hitouts in a big display. McKenzie Lawrence added to the debuts, becoming the ninth Lion to debut in 2018.

 

In the minor grades the reserves made it consecutive wins for the first time in the season with a scrappy 33 point win, while the colts dropped a second close nailbiter, falling by six points after Perth scored in the dying stages.

 

Round 10 – Subiaco 140 d East Fremantle 37

Member Appreciation and Junior Day was a good one for the home fans, as Subiaco made short work of East Fremantle in a 103 point win. A dominant Subiaco had 45 scoring shots to 12, an additional 129 possessions and 53 more inside 50’s. Max Walters kicked three final quarter goals as Kyal Horsley, Josh Deluca and Leigh Kitchin all had more than 30 disposals.

In the minor grades the colts returned to the winners list, with an inspired last quarter leading to a 13 point win, while the reserves cruised to a convincing 47 point victory.

 

Round 11 – Subiaco 81 d East Perth 63

In an absorbing encounter between co-tenants, Subiaco used a five goal to two third quarter to springboard to one of its hardest fought wins of 2018. In a tight match Lachlan Delahunty was a difference maker with an all-round strong performance, finishing with 20 possessions, eight marks, eight hitouts and three goals.

 

In the minor grades, the colts had an easy win, though were woefully inaccurate finishing with 11.21 while the reserves won a much anticipated reserves battle by 32 points on the back of a big final quarter after scores were level early in the fourth.

 

Round 12 – Subiaco 129 d Swan Districts 47

Subiaco produced a ruthless first half at Bassendean, kicking 12 goals to two, eventually going on to defeat Swans by 82 points in a lopsided match. On debut Tom Edwards-Baldwin kicked two goals while Kyal Horsley and Leigh Kitchin topped Subiaco’s disposal count with 37 each. Aaron Heal was dominant in defence having a career best 28 disposals.

 

In the minor grades, the colts again had too much for Swans, holding their opponents to just 41 points in a 21 point victory, while the reserves started strongly and went on to win by 48 points, making it five wins in succession.

 

Round 13 – Subiaco 99 d West Perth 66

Playing its fifth away game in six weeks, Subiaco were again challenged strongly by West Perth before a six goal third quarter helped break open what had been a tight game. Up forward Lachlan Delahunty and Ryan Borchet had career days with five goals each, while Josh Deluca had 34 possessions and eight tackles in a best afield display.

 

In the minor grades, the colts produced an outstanding display under lights on Friday night, eventually running out 54 point winners, while the reserves were again overrun by their West Perth opponents, going down by 22 points.

 

Round 14 – Subiaco 69 d Peel 17

Subiaco celebrated NAIDOC week with its best defensive effort of 2018. On a Friday night following country week championship matches, the Lions defence held Peel goalless until midway through the last quarter. Though Peel did end up with two late goals, Subiaco’s defence was stunning, thwarting every Peel forward challenge.

 

In the minor grades, played on the next day Saturday, the colts wore NAIDOC jumpers for the second straight year, producing a spirited performance in a 27 point win, while the reserves were never challenged as they coasted to a 53 point victory.

 

Round 15 – Subiaco 88 d South Fremantle 28

It was Ladies Day at Leederville, and while the action was hot off-field, on-field Subiaco made light work of a highly anticpated top of the table battle. After a poor first 10 minutes, Subiaco clicked into gear, holding South Fremantle to just one goal for the remainder of the match with seven goals in the last quarter breaking the game apart. Tom Edwards-Baldwin kicked two goals, Ben Sokol was lively throughout and Kyal Horsley led the way with 30 disposals as Subiaco’s unbeaten run continued.

 

In the minor grades, the colts were forced to battle through heavy rain, winning a low scoring battle by 27 points, while the reserves held their opponents to just one goal, finishing with a 38 point win.

 

Round 17 – Subiaco 99 d Claremont 96

A sluggish Subiaco were forced to overcome their biggest deficit of the season, rallying from 20 points down to beat Claremont in the dying stages of a hotly contested match at Claremont Oval. Subiaco were left to thank an incredibly accurate conversion of 16.3 as the reason behind their stunning comeback victory with Chris Phelan and Leigh Kitchin each having 31 disposals and Zac Clarke having 54 hitouts and kicking two crucial goals. The popular Daniel Leach made it 11 debuts on the season for Subiaco.

 

In the minor grades, the colts extended their winning run to seven games with another hard fought win, running out 13 point winners, while the reserves had a couple of controversial late decisions go against them in a narrow four point loss in a reserves top of the table clash.

 

Round 18 – Subiaco 80 d Swan Districts 28

Subiaco celebrated Premiership Reunion Day as their 1988 and 2008 premiership stars were in attendance as the Lions coasted to a 52 point win over Swans. After being held goalless in the second quarter, Subiaco rebounded after the long break with eight goals to one, as Lachlan Delahunty again spearheaded the win with 27 possessions, 15 hitouts, six tackles and two goals.

 

In the minor grades, the colts made it three wins from three against Swans, having a 38 point win on a heavy Leederville Oval while the reserves produced a strong second half, and outstanding last quarter rallying to a 17 point win.

 

Round 19 – Subiaco 104 d West Perth 57

Making their second trip to Joondalup in two months, Subiaco found the going easier as they held West Perth to just nine points in the first half and extended a 38 point half time lead into a 47 point win. Josh Deluca continued to torment the Falcons with 38 possessions while captain Kyal Horsley racked up another 40 possession game. Kyle Halligan showed his class on return from injury with three goals and Tom Edwards-Baldwin also kicked three.

 

In the minor grades the colts wrapped up the minor premiership with a 61 point win, while the reserves were impressive kicking 19 goals in a 74 point thrashing.

 

Round 20 – Subiaco 137 d East Fremantle 46

Subiaco continued their quest for finals with a convincing win over East Fremantle. The win was on the back of a dominant display from Zac Clarke who had 29 disposals, 32 hit-outs and kicked four goals. Hayden Kennedy collected a career high 34 disposals and Drew Rohde had his best game as a Lion with 22 possessions and seven marks.

 

In the minor grades, the reserves continued with their offensive firepower kicking their highest score of the year in an 85 point win, while a big first half by the colts was enough to see them hold off a fast finishing East Fremantle, recording a 13 point win.

 

Round 21 – Subiaco 112 d Perth 40

The quest for an unbeaten home and away season was not threatened in their last game, as Subiaco ruthlessly dismantled Perth by 72 points. The fab four midfield of Deluca, Horsley, Kitchin and Phelan combined for 114 disposals as Ben Sokol bagged five goals in the win. Zac Clarke totalled 50 hitouts for fourth time in the season to lead the ruck.

 

In the minor grades, the quest for a triple treat of minor premierships was not decided until the dying moments of the reserves match as a Ryan Wade sealer got the Lions home by seven points in an absorbing reserves battle. Meanwhile the colts extended their win streak to 11 heading into finals, polishing off Perth by 89 points in the final game of a colts Super Round held at the clubs spiritual home of Subiaco Oval.