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FALCONS OUTCLASSED BY SUBIACO

Tuesday, July 22, 2014 - 4:01 PM by DARRELL KENT

WEST Perth was outplayed by Subiaco at HBF Arena on Saturday. The Falcons led only once for the day and that was early in the first quarter, otherwise the Lions held sway through the midfield and as a result gave their forwards plenty of opportunities to win the game. It was a disappointing result in front of a crowd of over 5300 in what was another very successful celebration of West Perth's International Football Festival.

Four behinds were scored before the first goal of the match occurred. This went to the Falcons' Shane Nelson who took the ball off the back of the pack to put it through from the square. This gave West Perth a four-point lead and the advantage for the only time in the game. Subiaco kicked the next two to go to a nine-point lead before Anthony Tsalikis took a strong mark 40 metres out. His straight kick narrowed the margin. The Lions continued to attack, though, scoring behinds before a Charles Le Fanu goal took their lead out to 12 points. The Lions had peppered the goals during this period. West Perth finished the term with a major thanks to a Nick Rodda intercept 40 out, his straight kick reduced the margin to six at the first change; the Lions led 3.8 (26) to 3.2 (20).

Subiaco completely dominated the second quarter to effectively put the game out of the Falcons reach. They played in a style very similar to that displayed by the Falcons last year to kick four goals to none and go into the main break leading by 32 points. The scores were 7.12 (54) to 3.4 (22).

There was more of the same to start the second half with Subiaco stretching their lead to 46 points by the 14-minute mark. At the 18-minute mark a long 50-metre finish by Matt Johnson gave the Falcons their first major since the 30-minute mark of the first term. Chris Phelan quickly replied for the Lions but from here West Perth had a four goal burst that narrowed the margin to 22 points and had them back in the game. Rodda kicked his second after marking 30 out and Marc Crisp sparked the forward line to kick two in a row. Both of these came in the space of a minute. Shortly after big man, Seva Martin, marked close in on an angle and the run of four goals was complete when he kicked accurately. The clock ticked well past 30 minutes and just before the siren a second to the Lions, Rhys Waters, really hurt the Falcons fight back and took the lead back out to 28 points. After a strong revival the Falcons still trailed by that margin at the final change; 11.14 (80) to 8.4 (52).

Subiaco started the final quarter by kicking three behinds and extending their lead to 31 points. A Falcons behind to Jordan Jones was the precursor of another run of goals to West Perth that narrowed the margin to 12 points at the 20-minute mark. Steven Browne kicked the first, Chris Keunen the next and Rohan Kerr finished the run. As they had done all day the Lions answered the charge with steadying goals of their own and at the final siren were 25-point victors. The final scores were Subiaco 13.19 (97) to West Perth 11.6 (72).

As a result of the loss a finals appearance is mathematically possible but in reality unlikely. It was a mixed round for the Falcons with the colts continuing their impressive form with a win on Friday night. They now sit just outside of the four. In the reserves they stormed home to fall just three points short of the table topping Lions. League players to be recognised with an award included Marc Crisp, Nick Rodda, Dan Hunt, Jay van Berlo and Laine Rasmussen. A bye next week before the Foxtel Cup grand final in Geelong. A rematch with East Perth looms four days after this so the season certainly doesn’t get any easier.

PHOTOS BY BELINDA TAYLOR