Swans climb to second in WAFLW with Tigers win

SWAN Districts produced an impressive WAFL Women's performance on Sunday afternoon at Claremont Oval to beat Claremont by 14 points and improve to second position on the ladder.

It was always going to be a crucial game for both teams in the inaugural season of the WAFLW competition and it was Swan Districts that got the best of Claremont for the first time already in 2019.

Sunday's eventual 6.5 (41) to 4.3 (27) win for Swan Districts was an impressive one and important in the context of the season too improving them to second position on the WAFLW ladder behind runaway leaders Subiaco.

Kellie Gibson delivered a starring performance for Swan Districts kicking three of her team's six goals in the victory.

Mikayla Hyde, Bianca Webb and Gemma Houghton were the other goal kickers for the black-and-whites.

Along with Gibson's best on ground performance for Swan Districts, Mikayla Bowen, Nyra Anderson, Angelique Stannett and Mim Strom played impressively.

Meanwhile in the other two contests for Swan Districts' female football teams on Sunday, Swans reserves lost narrowly to West Perth 4.3 (27) to 3.5 (23) while in the Rogers Cup contest, Swan Districts' Youth Girls recorded a commanding 6.3 (39) to 1.3 (9) victory.

Claremont and Swan Districts locked horns in what always shaped to be a terrific WAFLW contest on Sunday afternoon at Claremont and in the end it was Swans prevailing to improve to second position on the ladder.

The game was the live streamed Round 7 contest in WAFLW held on Sunday afternoon at Claremont Oval and coming into it Claremont was looking for a fourth win of the season to remain clear in second position while Swan Districts was hunting its third win for 2019 in six games.

The conditions for the teams to play in were significantly better than what greeted East Fremantle and Subiaco on Saturday afternoon at East Fremantle Oval, and the contest was a high quality one between two teams looking to make a statement of what they are capable in this inaugural WAFLW season.

Claremont came into the contest with a 3-2 record having started the season with the Round 1 bye before a hefty loss to Swan Districts by 36 points in Round 2 at Steel Blue Oval.

Following on from that, Claremont beat Peel by three points, Subiaco by seven points, East Fremantle by a point and then a defeat to the Lions by 50 points coming into Sunday's game against Swans.

Meanwhile for Swan Districts, the black-and-whites opened the WAFLW campaign losing to Subiaco in Round 1 before beating Claremont, losing to East Fremantle, thrashing Peel Thunder and then suffering a big loss against Peel leading into Sunday's game against the Tigers.

The game got off to a tight start with just the one goal apiece in the opening quarter and that saw Swan Districts take a narrow one-point advantage into the quarter-time break.

Swans managed to kick two more goals in the second quarter and the Tigers only kicked the one which meant Swan Districts went into half-time with a seven-point lead.

It was another two goals the way of Swan Districts in the third quarter too and with Claremont managing just the one major, Swans' lead had grown to 14 points by three quarter-time.

It was another goal each in the last quarter and that meant Swan Districts recorded the 6.5 (41) to 4.3 (27) victory.

The result improves Swan Districts to second position on the WAFLW ladder with a 3-3 record.

Claremont is also on a 3-3 record but in third position significant percentage behind that of Swan Districts.

Brooke Whyte kicked two goals for Claremont with Jasmin Stewart and Allana Dickie managing one apiece.

Sarah Garstone, Lara Rodin-Zimdahl, Parris Laurie, Emily Bonser and Stewart all battled hard for the Tigers.

Swan Districts remains on the road in the WAFLW season this Sunday taking on East Fremantle at East Fremantle's New Choice Homes Park.

Meanwhile the Swan Districts reserves and Youth Girls teams will have a road trip to Mandurah's David Grays Arena to take on Peel Thunder also on Sunday.

ROUND 7 OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON

SWAN DISTRICTS        1.2    3.2    5.3    6.5    (41)
CLAREMONT            1.1    2.1    3.1    4.3    (27)

SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Gibson 3; M Hyde, Webb, Houghton.
Best: Gibson, Bowen, Anderson, Stannett, Strom.
CLAREMONT – Goals: Whyte 2; Stewart, Dickie.
Best: Garstone, Rodin-Zimdahl, Laurie, Bonser, Stewart.