Colts left carrying flag in 2021 for Swan Districts

It wasn’t quite the start to the finals over the opening two weeks that all three grades at Swan Districts were hoping for, but the positive is that the colts are still alive in the preliminary final.

The WAFL finals got underway last weekend with all three grades from Swan Districts qualifying to take part.

In fact, the Swan Districts colts had been so dominant they finished four games clear on top of the ladder to claim the minor premiership and earn the week off in the opening weekend of the 2021 Finals Series.

The league and reserves teams were in action in the opening weekend, though, and it turned out to be a heartbreaking return to finals for the first time since 2017 for the league side, losing to West Perth at Joondalup by four points.

The reserves also suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Perth in the qualifying final by nine points at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

That meant Swan Districts still had their reserves and colts' teams in action now for the semi-final weekend, beginning on Saturday with the reserves playing in the first semi-final against Subiaco at Leederville Oval.

It was a fascinating opening quarter with Subiaco having nine scoring shots to three for Swan Districts, but Swans managed to take their chances with three goals while the Lions kicked two goals from their nine attempts.

But Subiaco began to pull away in the second quarter with four goals to two to head into the half-time break leading Swan Districts by 12 points.

Swans battled hard in the third quarter to stay in the contest kicking two goals to one to only trail Subiaco by six points at three quarter-time.

The Lions had the better of the final term, though, kicking four goals to one from Swans to end up winning 11.11 (77) to 8.5 (53) and to end the season of Swan Districts in the reserves.

Tom Edwards finished up kicking three goals from 11 disposals and five marks for Swan Districts with Nathan Ireland also kicking two goals.

Mitchell Bain finished the game with 21 possessions, Tarir Bayok 20, Jak Watson 20, Jamison Ugle 20 and Warrick Wilson 17 while Matthew Germs had 14 to go with 39 hit outs in the ruck.

Swan Districts' colts had been the dominant team all season winning their first 15 matches to secure top spot and to earn a week off to start the finals last weekend while Claremont beat East Perth to book in a spot in Sunday's second semi-final.

The game took place at Claremont's Revo Fitness Stadium with Swans having to give up the home ground advantage because the Tigers' league side was hosting a first semi-final later in the day.

Swans did lose their last game of the home and away season which just happened to be against Claremont as well to set the stage for the contest with a spot in the Grand Final on the line.

Fresh from the week off, Swan Districts made a good start with two goals to one in the opening quarter to lead Claremont by four points at quarter-time.
Swans kept the momentum going in the second quarter with another four goals to two to be in control against the Tigers to be leading by 17 points and have one foot already into the Grand Final.

Swans remained in control in the third quarter too with both teams kicking four goals apiece meaning the black-and-whites maintained a 14-point lead heading into the fourth term.

However, it was all Claremont in the last quarter with the Tigers kicking four goals to one to end up winning 11.14 (80) to 11.5 (71) to book a place straight in the Grand Final at Optus Stadium.

James Sullivan ended up kicking four goals from eight kicks for Swan Districts with Brayden Jones adding two majors.

Elijah Hewett finished with 26 possessions for Swans, Max Chipper 22, Bryce Watson 21, Lawson Humphries 20, Noah Hannan 18 and Ben Hewett 17 to go with 10 tackles.

Swan Districts' colts are now the last club's last team alive in 2021 as they prepare to play East Fremantle in this Sunday's preliminary final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval from 9.20am.

OPTUS WAFL FINALS – COLTS SECOND SEMI-FINAL

SWAN DISTRICTS                              2.1          6.2          10.3        11.5 (71)

CLAREMONT                                      1.3          3.5          7.7          11.14 (80)

SWAN DISTRICTS: Goals – Sullivan 4; Jones 2; Bazzo, Cartwright, Fawcett, Pitts, Sears.

Best – E Hewett, Chipper, Sullivan, Watson, Hannan, Humphries, B Hewett.

CLAREMONT: Goals – Van Rooyen 4; Sheldrick 3; Bailey, Kitchener, Stretch, Coles.

Best – Blurton, Sheldrick, Benning, Van Rooyen, Ciminata, Mumme.

OPTUS WAFL FINALS – RESERVES FIRST SEMI-FINAL

SWAN DISTRICTS                              3.0          5.3          7.5          8.5 (53)

SUBIACO                                             2.7          6.9          7.11        11.11 (77)

SWAN DISTRICTS: Goals – Edwards 3; Ireland 2; Oosterhoff, Wilson, Ralph.

Best – Watson, Bayok, Edwards, Ugle, Germs, Bain, Wilson, O'Donohue.

SUBIACO: Goals – Faraone, Stergiou 2; Breman, Beverley, Putt, Borchet, Robbins, Page, Holt.

Best – Johnson, Beverley, Robinson, Putt, Faraone, Patterson.