Round 17 Match Report – East Fremantle v Swan Districts

BOTH East Fremantle and Swan Districts entered Saturday's clash on six-game losing streaks and with vastly more youthful squads, but it was Swans with more to play for and they kept their finals hopes alive winning by 34 points.

The Sharks and Swans went into the contest at East Fremantle Oval on Saturday both with the six-game losing streaks and with five debutants, and another three players in just their second league appearances.

Swan Districts needed the win, though, to remain in the WAFL finals race for 2018 and despite trailing at quarter-time, the black-and-whites played some good football from there with 15 goals to eight after quarter-time to beat East Fremantle 18.5 (113) to 12.7 (79).

The win is a first for Swan Districts since beating Perth in Round 9 and improves them to a 6-9 record on the season in seventh position and to be just percentage behind the fifth placed East Perth.

East Fremantle has now lost seven matches in-a-row to remain anchored to the bottom and guaranteed of the wooden spoon at 2-13.

Swan Districts is without a host of senior players either through injury, suspension, form or having left the club and coach Adam Pickering has backed in youth and it has produced some exciting results.

Second-gamer Patrick Italiano produced an exciting performance in Saturday's win kicking three first half goals to go with 25 possessions, four marks and three entries inside the forward 50 for the afternoon.

Fellow second-game players Tristen Raynor (13 possessions, four marks) and Graydon Wilson (13 disposals, six marks) had solid showings for Swans as well with Tobe Watson again impressive with 21 possessions. William Reidy also had 10 touches and four tackles.

Kirk Ugle returned for Swan Districts after a couple of weeks' break and then a comeback in the reserves last week against West Perth. The usual small defender went forward on Saturday and ended up kicking four goals.

Tony Notte went forward for Swans as well and ended up kicking three goals with Warrick Wilson booting two as well to go with 17 possessions and four marks.

Jesse Turner continued his career-best form in the midfield for Swan Districts with another 29 possessions and eight tackles while Steven Payne had 27 disposals, seven marks and a goal.

Rhys Palmer fought hard for 25 possessions with Nathan Blakely tremendous in the ruck with 25 disposals, 23 hit outs and a goal.

Albert Dean also finished with 23 possessions for Swans, Tobe Watson 21, Corey Gault 21 (12 marks) and Freddie Clutterbuck 19.

Both teams had turned to youth in a bid to try and end their respective six-game losing streaks and as a result, first and second-gamers Dylan Curley and Patrick Italiano kicked the opening goals of the game for each side.

But it was the Sharks who started the better and when Cameron Loersch kicked a second of the first term at the 30-minute mark, the home team led by seven points at quarter-time.

It took only 22 seconds for Swans to kick the first goal of the second quarter thanks to Italiano. Even though East Fremantle steadied with Loersch booting his third, Swans got on a roll with four goals in the next 10 minutes with Kirk Ugle kicking two of them and one each to Warrick Wilson and Tobe Watson.

Italiano then put Swan Districts further in front with his first goal of the half before George Hampson at least kept East Fremantle in touch at the main break reducing the deficit to 18 points.

Ugle added his third goal early in the third quarter for Swan Districts, Wilson his second and Brayden Noble his first to make it a 36-point ball game.

Despite East Fremantle doing its best to stay in touch with two more goals to Loersch and another to debutant Nick Watson, Swans went to three quarter-time leading by 29 points following late third quarter goals to Rhys Palmer and Nathan Blakely.

Swan Districts managed to boot another four goals to three in the last quarter to ensure it ended its losing run and stayed in the finals hunt with the 34-point victory.

East Fremantle's reserves put together a strong display on Saturday at East Fremantle Oval beating Swan Districts by 44 points.

Swans had plenty of opportunities in the opening quarter with nine scoring to four, but they managed just two goals while the Sharks kicked four straight to lead by five points by quarter-time.

Swans did manage to lead by two points at half-time but East Fremantle then took over with four goals to one in the third quarter and four goals to one in the last term to come away with the 13.16 (94) to 6.14 (50) victory.

Nick Bonomelli kicked five goals for East Fremantle with Ethan Brown also booting two.

Ben Harding amassed 32 possessions for the Sharks, Sean Henson 31, Zac Jackson 31, Kim Schofield 23, Dylan Williams 23, James Harrold 22, Jye Clements 22, Russell Wynne 22 and Jayden Quill 19.

Jarrod Cameron and Aidan Clarke kicked two goals apiece for Swan Districts.

Ethan Maguire gathered 25 possessions for the black-and-whites, Matthew Rogers 19, Adam Faulkner 18, Jackson Slater 17 and Mitchell Bain 17. Troy Yukich compiled 52 hit outs in the ruck.

East Fremantle now has the Round 18 bye before finishing its season to forget with games against East Perth, Subiaco and South Fremantle – all teams currently inside the top five.

Swan Districts kept its finals hopes alive with the win over East Fremantle but the task ahead this Saturday is far from easy up against the undefeated Subiaco at Leederville Oval. Swans then finish the season against South Fremantle and Claremont with the Round 20 bye in between.

EAST FREMANTLE                            4.2          6.3          9.5          12.7        (79)

SWAN DISTRICTS                             3.1          9.3          14.4        18.5        (113)

EAST FREMANTLE – Goals: Loersch 6; Hampson 2; Robinson, Curley, Watson, Pearton.

Best: Hampson, Schofield, Loersch, Anthony, Eardley, Jupp, Marsh.

SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Ugle 4; Notte 3; Italiano 3; Wilson 2; Palmer, T Watson, Mackenzie, Noble, Blakely, Payne.

Best: Italiano, Turner, Blakely, Payne, Palmer, Wilson, Ugle, Dean.