Lions Leave Steel Blue Oval With Three Wins Over Swans

DESPITE a healthy crowd of over 3000 people in attendance, it wasn’t a day to remember on Saturday for Swan Districts with Subiaco leaving Steel Blue Oval victorious in all three grades.

Swan Districts had taken heart from a good start against Subiaco back in Round 3 where they led at quarter-time despite ending up losing that game at Leederville Oval by 96 points.

But there would be no repeat of that on Saturday at Steel Blue Oval with the Lions kicking the first nine goals of the game and Swans going goalless until the 12-minute mark of the second quarter.

It was yet another remarkably dominant performance by Subiaco who have now won all 10 of its matches so far in 2018 winning those by an average of 71.5 points to sit three games and a massive percentage clear on top of the ladder.

Swan Districts has lost its past two matches but still sits in fourth position with a 5-5 record. Swans remain a game clear of the fifth placed East Perth but is now two matches and percentage behind the third placed West Perth.

Subiaco couldn’t have been more dominant all afternoon ending up collecting 146 more possessions than Swan Districts, taking 39 more marks, going inside-50 on 55 occasions to 35 and then ending up with 34 scoring shots to 17 before winning by 82 points.

It wasn’t a day full of positives for Swan Districts with Matthew Rogers, Todd Banfield, Corey Gault, Matt Riggio, Jackson Slaters and Steven Payne all kicking a goal each.

Tobe Watson did continue his emergence with another 26 possessions, five marks, five tackles and five entries inside the forward 50.

Riggio also gathered 26 possessions, Rhys Palmer 23, Jesse Turner 19, Rogers 18, Alex Howard 17, Payne 17 and the returning Freddie Clutterbuck 17 to go with eight marks and four tackles in his first league appearance of 2018.

Corey Gault battled hard in the ruck for 17 touches, 34 hit outs, six marks and a goal but the absence of Nathan Blakely meant he had to play on the ball the majority of the day and not provide a marking presence in attack.

Swans did have the first couple of scoring shots of the contest but they were behinds to Matthew Rogers and debutant Brad Fullgrabe. But once Subiaco got some chances, they capitalised starting with goals to Rhys Waters and Josh Deluca.

Zac Clarke, Waters, Max Walters and Ben Sokol then also added first quarter goals with Subiaco up by 36 points at quarter-time.

Subiaco debutant Tom Edwards-Baldwin then showed he belonged at league level kicking two goals in the first 10 minutes of the second quarter in between another from fourth-gamer Mackenzie Lawrence.

Swan Districts did finally get its first goal of the game at the 12-minute mark of the second quarter thanks to Corey Gault. Sokol kicked his second in response soon after for Subiaco before Rogers did goal for the black-and-whites.

But again the Lions finished the half with goals to Chris Phelan and Lachlan Delahunty to be 63 points up at the long break.

Kyal Horsley kicked his first of the day to open the second half before Swans did get one back courtesy of Todd Banfield.

Even Angus Litherland got forward for Subiaco to kick his second goal of the season. Sokol then added his third before Leigh Kitchin kicked truly also before Swans got another thanks to Jackson Slater.

The Lions were still well in control up by 75 points at the last change and that grew to 79 with a goal to Zac Clarke 11 minutes into the last term. Horsley then finished off with the last goal of the game and Subiaco won the contest by 82 points.

Swan Districts colts dropped from top spot on the WAFL colts ladder with Subiaco closing in on a top two position with the Lions coming away from Steel Blue Oval on Saturday with a 21-point victory.

Swan Districts came into the game on top of the colts ladder but Subiaco started strongly with three goals to one in the opening quarter at Bassendean.

The Lions then went on to lead by eight points at half-time before another three goals to two in the third term to take a 14-point advantage heading into the last quarter.

It was two more goals to one in that fourth term for Subiaco as they went on to beat Swan Districts 9.8 (62) to 5.11 (41).

Joe Hinder, Brenton Hilton, Jarrod Brockbernd, Jak Watson and Kade Wallrodt were the goal kickers for Swan Districts.

Jarrod Cameron had an impressive game for Swan Districts finishing with 26 possessions, six marks, six tackles and five inside-50 entries.

Mitchell Bain also gathered 19 disposals for Swans, Blake Pescud 19, Patrick Farrant 18 and Kade Wallrodt 17.

Subiaco's good day at Steel Blue Oval continued with a commanding reserves victory, with the Lions winning 15.10 (100) to 8.4 (52).

Subiaco was on top from the outset kicking four goals to one in the first quarter before adding another five to one in the second to be up by 49 points at half-time.

It was then three goals each in the third term before another three each in the last with the Lions ending up winning by 48 points.

Steven Wityk kicked two goals for Swan Districts from five kicks and three marks.

Adam Faulkner picked up 27 possessions for Swans, Callum Garcia 23, Levi Ridley 20, Laurence Grescos 17, Ethan Maguire 17 and Patrick Italiano 17.

Swan Districts now heads to Bendigo Bank Stadium this Saturday trying to bounce back from the big loss against the reigning premier Peel Thunder who are coming off the Round 12 bye.

SWAN DISTRICTS                             0.3          2.4          5.6          6.11        (47)

SUBIACO                                             6.3          12.7        17.9        19.15     (129)

SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Rogers, Banfield, Gault, Riggio, Slater, Payne.

Best: T Watson, Riggio, Rogers, Gault, Howard, Palmer, Turner.

SUBIACO – Goals: Sokol 3; Horsley, Waters, Phelan, Clarke, Edwards-Baldwin 2; Kitchin, Litherland, Deluca, Delahunty, Walters, Lawrence.

Best: Horsley, Clarke, Kitchin, Phelan, Deluca, Delahunty, Heal, Fimmano.