Colts reach Grand Final

SWAN Districts has been the standout team in the colts right throughout 2021 and now they will get the chance to confirm that after winning their way into the Grand Final this Saturday at Optus Stadium.

Swan Districts was the dominant team of the 2021 WAFL colts season winning the first 15 matches in-a-row to guarantee top position and the week off to start the finals series.

While they did have a hiccup against Claremont in the second semi-final, Swan Districts had a second chance to reach the Grand Final and made the most of it on Sunday morning at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Swans opened up a 27-point lead by half-time over East Fremantle but the Sharks stormed back. However, Swan Districts did enough to hold on to win 9.9 (63) to 9.7 (61).

The result means that Swan Districts will now take on Claremont in this Saturday's colts Grand Final at Optus Stadium with bouncedown set for 12.10pm.

Swan Districts will be attempting to win a first colts premiership since 2008 and the seventh overall for the club.

Braydon Fawcett and Jaxon Pitts kicked two goals apiece for Swan Districts on the way to the Grand Final.

Max Chipper was the standout player on the ground with 30 possessions, seven marks and a goal.

Ben Hewett also had 18 disposals and six tackles for Swans, Noah Hannan 17 touches and nine tackles, Elijah Hewett 15 possessions and six inside 50s, Darcy Jones 15 disposals and four tackles, Rhett Bazzo 13 touches and five marks, and Lawson Humphries 13 possessions and six marks.

It took little over a minute for Braydon Fawcett to kick the first goal of the preliminary final for Swan Districts. But scores were all level soon after with East Fremantle responding with a goal to Jack Williams.

However, Swans got on a roll heading into quarter-time with goals to Jaxon Pitts and Max Chipper to take a 12-point advantage into the quarter-time break.

The Sharks closed the gap again to start the second term with a goal to Jack Norrish but Swan Districts worked their way on top and then three goals to Brayden Jones, Riley Hardeman and Cian Ehlers heading into half-time saw them open up a 27-point advantage.

East Fremantle needed to dig deep to respond at half-time and the Sharks came out an inspired outfit in the third quarter. East Fremantle dominated the term holding Swans to just one behind while kicking goals themselves to Jed Hagan, Josh Browne, Williams and Cooper Vinicombe.

Suddenly the Sharks had cut Swans lead to just the one point by three quarter-time setting up a dramatic and thrilling finish.

Swan Districts responded with the first goal of the final term through Pitts but the Sharks weren’t going away and answered courtesy of Judd McVee to keep it a four-point ball game.

It was Sullivan again who stood tall for Swan Districts with his second goal of the last quarter and that turned out to be the game winner.

The Sharks did get one goal back late through Williams, but time then ran out and the siren sounded before the ball was bounced and Swans held on for the two-point win to book in their Grand Final spot.

OPTUS WAFL FINALS – COLTS PRELIMINARY FINAL

SWAN DISTRICTS                              3.2          7.5          7.6          9.9 (63)

EAST FREMANTLE                            1.2          3.2          7.5          9.7 (61)

SWAN DISTRICTS: Goals – Fawcett, Pitts 2; Chipper, Ehlers, Sullivan, Jones, Hardeman.

Best – Chipper, Hannan, B Hewett, Jones, E Hewett, Humphries, Bazzo.

EAST FREMANTLE: Goals – Williams 3; Hagan, Browne, McVee, Woewodin, Norrish, Vinicombe.

Best – Browne, Hagan, Warner, Williams, Woewodin, Emery, Cripps.