WAFL: Subiaco secures second spot despite Sharks loss

 

Subiaco’s loss to East Fremantle on Saturday August 26 hasn’t stopped the side from finishing in second spot on the WAFL Ladder.

The Lions have earned the right to host Peel Thunder on Saturday September 2 in the Qualifying Final.

The winner will take on the Sharks in two weeks time to play for a spot in the Grand Final.

Subiaco was competitive for the majority of the contest, but a final quarter fade out caused the final score to blow out to 15.19 (109) to 9.5 (59).

Despite the result, Stef Giro continued to build on his good form of late, with 26 disposals and nine tackles.

Angus Dewar was also important with 19 touches in defence.

With top spot on the line, the Lions got out to an early lead when Zac Clarke hit it down to Liam Hickmott who put through his side’s first for the day.

Jordan Faraone followed up shortly after, before a Ryan Borchet major had the Lions 17 points up.

The Sharks came back in the second term, with their inaccuracy preventing them from getting ahead.

They kicked 3.5 for the term, while the Lions kicked two off the boot of Jake South to hold a seven-point lead at the main break.

East Fremantle continued their press in the second half, but Subiaco was good enough to stay in the fight.

The Lions made the Sharks pay for some wayward shots in front of goal, but the weight of numbers had the scores level at three quarter time.

The 60-42 inside 50 differential in favour of East Fremantle eventually caught up with Subiaco.

The Sharks kicked seven consecutive goals in the last quarter, sealing the Lions out of the game.

 

SUBIACO 4.2 6.3 8.4 9.5 (59)

EAST FREMANTLE 1.3 4.8 6.16 15.19 (109)

 

Goals: Borchet 3, South 2, L Hickmott, Hitchcock, J Faraone, Morgan.

Best: Giro, Dewar, L Hickmott, Borchet.

 

RESERVES

With a top three spot on the line, Subiaco’s reserves side completed an emphatic 50-point win over East Fremantle.

It took just 16 seconds for the Lions to score, with Corey Robinson kicking the first goal of the match.

Subiaco managed to maintain a lead for the first half, before going on the attack in the second.

The Lions kicked six goals to one in the third term, to build an insurmountable buffer.

The clash marked the returns of Max Walters and Koltyn Tholstrup, who both came back from injury.

Jaxon McGowan was one of the side’s best with 25 touches and four marks.

 

SUBIACO 4.3 5.8 11.10 15.13 (103)

EAST FREMANTLE 2.1 3.3 4.5 8.5 (53)

 

Goals: Cook 3, Muavou 3, Wagenknecht 3, Tholstrup, Robinson, C Henderson, Bartlett, Murison, McDonald.

Best: McGowan, Ash, Walters, Matthews, Cook, Lockyer.
 

COLTS

Subiaco will host the Colts Elimination Final, following a narrow two-point loss to the Sharks in the early game.

East Fremantle initially got the jump on the Lions, kicking the first two goals of the match.

However, Subiaco was able to recover, with less than a goal separating the two sides at half time.

The Lions managed to pull away in the third, stretching to a game-high lead of 16 points.

However, the Sharks refused to give in, kicking four goals in a row in the final term to hit the lead.

Malakai Champion kicked one for the Lions late to provide some hope, but the side ran out of time.

Travis Shearer played an important role for Subiaco, with 14 disposals and 10 marks.

 

SUBIACO 2.1 4.1 7.5 9.5 (59)

EAST FREMANTLE 3.3 4.5 5.7 9.7 (61)

 

Goals: Collard 2, Walsh 2, Senge, Champion, Mayfield, Steinmann, Montgomery.

Best: Shearer, O’Dea, Kelman, Cordier, Senge.