TOPIC:

This should be a beauty just like the game at Claremont Oval last year when we fell over the line with pretty much the last kick of the day. We should go in with a pretty much unchanged line-up although Ben Newton copped a knock in last quarter against the Sharks which hopefully he's recovered from. The Tiges coming off a raft of wins including last weeks against South Walyalup. The last time they lost was to Subi so will be out for revenge. I'm picking Subi by 2 goals but without a great deal of confidence.

BC maybe Sutherland will come in given the fine weather freeing up Dela to work more as a pure mid, apart from that anyone else would feel hard done by to be dropped. Need to look at 2 run withs, Mitchell is in Sandover form again, raking up big numbers and while Bolton's been off the boil a bit ... for him.... both will need to be watched. Hoskins did a great shutdown on Bolton last time but he was out last week injured I presume. They have a few A graders back since we last played them in Tom Lee and Richo, both are very dangerous around goals, so our backs will need to be right on their games, I'd give Gus the job on Richo and locks will go to Lee. Their ruckman Goddard towelled up Higgins in the hitout department but only 7 disposals so seems he is just a tap ruckman, our mids will need to do the usual roving to the opposition ruck.

I think CL might stick with us for most of the game but we should pull away in the last for a 30 point margin......... but as you say that game last year will be front of mind for the playing group.

Well..that's interesting. Maxy and Drew must be injured but a good opportunity for a couple of youngsters in Fullgrabe and Hickmott if they make the final 22. I hope they do as they've both been prolific in the twos.

FB 5 Angus LITHERLAND 21 Jordan LOCKYER 16 Jacob MILLER
HB 7 Harrison MARSH 25 Michael BRAUT 3 Hayden KENNEDY
C 6 Rowen POWELL 28 Kyal HORSLEY 12 Gregory CLARK
HF 18 Ben SOKOL 17 Lachlan DELAHUNTY 2 Simon MOORE
FF 31 Thomas EDWARDS-BALDWIN 14 Ryan BORCHET 4 Rhys WATERS

FOLLOWERS
20 Clancy WHEELER
1 Leigh KITCHIN
11 Benjamin NEWTON

INTERCHANGE
36 Jakob ATKINSON
37 Travis CLEGGETT
19 Kaidyn FULLGRABE
39 Liam HICKMOTT
24 Daniel LEACH
9 Bailey MATERA
10 Ben REID
27 Timothy SUTHERLAND

Ins J. Atkinson, K. Fullgrabe, L. Hickmott, B. Matera
Outs J. Beverley, D. Rohde, M. Walters

Missing a few today in Aaron Heal, Maxy Walters and Drew Rhode which will make it very interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing Fullgrabe get his chance along with Bailey Matera. I was also hoping Hickmott would debut but it looks like it's not to be. I still think we'll win but should be a very close game and an interesting tussle.

Well...that was a cracking game of footy. Tough in the clinches, big hits, heavy pressure on the ball carrier, a bit of niggle although our poor kicking for goal in the third almost cost us. Claremont came to play and certainly didn't shirk the issue. Losing Haydn Kennedy in the second hurt us rotation wise and you could tell both sides were spent at about the 15 minute mark of the last but to Claremont's credit they kept coming. No Gus Litherland which was a surprise but the replacements in Fullgrabe, Leach and Matera all did well. Ben Newton continued his terrific run of form, Horse good, Dela soundly beaten in the ruck but did some excellent things around the ground with 30 touches and a goal, Harry Marsh, Lockyer, Kitch, Greg Clark, Sokol and Borchet all had an impact. The young ruckman from Claremont in Goddard is going to be very good as he was influential at the stoppages and is only 21. All in all an excellent game with a good crowd in...more than 2000 I'm guessing.

Guys I have had a good go at Claremont at $7.50 for the flag. I thought they might win today to vindicate my thoughts. They are the only side with the size and quality to challenge in my opinion. I would be interested if you thought Claremont are a genuine challenger come finals time.

I think wc are better than them atm Royal, should be a good game in a couple of weeks

ROYAL 2019 wrote: Guys I have had a good go at Claremont at $7.50 for the flag. I thought they might win today to vindicate my thoughts. They are the only side with the size and quality to challenge in my opinion. I would be interested if you thought Claremont are a genuine challenger come finals time.

They'll be there about come finals time R2019. They were very good today but we could have iced the game by 3 qtr time but didn't and kicked 1.5 in the third missing some easy set shots to their 1.1. That's footy I guess but against quality opposition you need to make the most of your opportunities. We have the bye next week and should welcome back Aaron Heal, Gus Litherland, Max Walters and Drew Rhode after that whilst the Tiges were missing Jared Hardisty and maybe one or two others. I always thought we were in control but it was a very hard fought win with congrats to both sides on the contest it turned out to be. I was also impressed by the toughness of Jhye Bolton...he wore a couple of big hits today but just kept on pushing so well done to him.

tom lee only had the 1 disposal a handball according to the wafl website stats....is that right?

I'm not sure that's right strono but he was off the ground for a big chunk of the second quarter after copping a very heavy knock. I'm a bit suss of the WAFL stats coz at one stage it showed Sokol as having one possession even though he'd kicked 1.1..so who knows.