Subiaco Streaks End Suffering First Loss of 2019

Subiaco has suffered its first loss of the season and first loss since the 2017 WAFL Grand Final, after being outplayed by South Fremantle by 22 points in a hard fought contest at Leederville Oval.

 

Subiaco kicked the first goal of the game, but South Fremantle replied quickly with two goals, going on to lead the rest of the way.

 

The lead was threatened a few times, including during a spirited third quarter fightback, however South Fremantle had all the answers.

 

In a tense final quarter, Subiaco were unable to make the most of their opportunities with the ball and going inside 50, managing just one final quarter goal.

 

Former captain Kyal Horsley was outstanding throughout for Subiaco leading the team in disposals, tackles and goals.

 

Captain Leigh Kitchin battled manfully for the Lions, finishing with 27 disposals and laying six tackles, with big man Lachlan Delahunty had 24 disposals and 10 hitouts.

 

Despite the loss, Subiaco retained their spot at the top of the WAFL ladder.

 

 

GAME CHANGERS

 

STREAK OVER

A couple of lengthy Subiaco streaks came to an end with the loss to South Fremantle. Subiaco had won 25 consecutive matches dating back to the 2017 Grand Final loss to Peel. The home and away winning streak was snapped at 42 games, some 791 days after their last home and away season loss. While it had been an incredible run, all good things come to an end.

 

TACKLE PRESSURE

As expected the game was built around intense pressure around the contest. Subiaco recorded a season high 84 tackles, winning the tackle count by seven. Kyal Horsley led the way with nine while midfield teammate Josh Deluca had eight.

 

MISSING THE GOAL KICKERS

Subiaco was unable to hit the scoreboard as fluently as usual, lacking their usual efficiency going inside 50. Key forwards Ben Sokol, Jack Mayo and Ryan Borchet combined for just one goal, with Sokol having his first goalless game in nearly a year, dating back to Round Seven of 2018.

 

CLEARANCE KING

Skipper Leigh Kitchin was at the coalface of everything inside throughout the game. The skipper finished with a game high 11 clearances and an equal game high 15 contested possessions. Subiaco ended up on the losing end of both the clearance and contested possession battle for the first time this season.

 

BOUNCING BACK

Subiaco get the chance to bounce back with an away clash with Claremont at Claremont Oval next Saturday. Subiaco is in the midst of their toughest month of fixtures for the season, taking on all four current top five opponents in a four week period. A proud group, expect an immediate response from the Lion veterans starting next Saturday.

 

FINAL

SUBIACO                     2.2       4.4       8.5       9.7.61

SOUTH FREMANTLE   4.3       7.4       10.9     12.11.83

 

SUBIACO BEST: Horsley, Kitchin, Clark, Heal, Delahunty.

SUBIACO GOALS: Horsley 2; Borchet, Clark, Lawrence, Litherland, Moore, Walters, Waters 1.

 

 

 

RESERVES RECAP

 

The Subiaco Reserves bounced back from their first loss of the season running out 35 point winners with a hard fought win over South Fremantle.

 

After a tight first half, Subiaco made all the running after the long break kicking eight goals to three.

 

Michael Braut was outstanding finishing with 31 disposals and taking 13 marks while Kaidyn Fullgrabe had 26 disposals.

 

Up forward Ryan Vermeersch led the way with four goals while Shannon Nelson and Mitch Hughes each kicked two.

 

 

GAME CHANGERS

 

FINDING FITNESS

In positive signs for the Subiaco senior squad, a number of key contributors made returns from injury in the Reserves win. Clancy Wheeler and Drew Rohde both got through their return matches unscathed while highly regarded key defender Ben Reid played his first game of the year. Young forward Nathan French was another to play his first game of the season, recording a win in his debut reserves game.

 

STRONG RESPONSE

Michael Braut, Kaidyn Fullgrabe, Jack Beverley and Travis Cleggett have all been squeezed out of the league team in recent weeks, however the response from this quartet was significant in the most recent win. Braut was best a field, while Fullgrabe showed his dash from defence. Beverley had a team high 10 tackles, while Cleggett produced one of his best games of the season having 22 disposals laying five tackles and having six forward fifty entries.

 

FINAL

SUBIACO                     3.0       6.2       10.5     14.7.91

SOUTH FREMANTLE   2.2       5.3       6.4       8.8.56

 

SUBIACO BEST: Braut, Vermeersch, Fullgrabe, Beverley, Cleggett

SUBIACO GOALS: Vermeersch 4; Hughes, Nelson 2; Breman, Martin, Rohde, Scafidi, Underwood, Wheeler 1.

 

 

COLTS RECAP

 

Subiaco’s Colts recorded their first win of the season with a thrilling 12 point win over South Fremantle.

 

In a tense and low scoring affair, the game was still in the balance with three minutes to go, with Subiaco desperately clinging to a six point lead, it was Noah Ash’s late goal that sealed a gutsy win for the Colts.

 

Subiaco overcame a scoreless first quarter, taking their first lead early in the second half and doing enough to maintain that advantage throughout the remainder of the game.

 

The young Lions dominated with the ball having 383 disposals for the game, with Abe Clinch, Ben Golding, Noah Ash and Jacob Peletier all having career disposal games.

 

Up forward Chayse Grabe-Paparone was the only multiple goal kicker for Subiaco kicking two majors.

 

 

GAME CHANGERS

 

BIG DAYS FOR BALL WINNERS

Subiaco had an impressive quartet of ball winners in the win. Abe Clinch had 43 disposals including 23 after half time, Ben Golding had 39 disposals and Noah Ash and Jacob Peletier each had 38 disposals. Despite being well beaten in the ruck, this group was outstanding in being able to win clearances and maintain midfield possession and ascendancy for Subiaco throughout the game.

 

MUCH NEEDED WIN

After playing good footy in patches for most of the year, this was the win that the Subiaco Colts craved to help build confidence. Despite a slow start, the group continue to believe in one another showing the type of teamwork and disciplined play that the 2018 Colts had showed. It was a fitting reward for all those who had been working hard for the Colts program in 2019 so far.

 

FINAL

SUBIACO                     0.0       3.2       6.4       7.7.49

SOUTH FREMANTLE   1.2       3.4       4.5       5.7.37

 

SUBIACO BEST: Clinch, Peletier, Golding, Ash, Johnson

SUBIACO GOALS: Grabe-Paparone 2; Ash, Corbett, Golding, Johnson, Kennedy 1.