FALCONS SHOW TRUE COLOURS

THE real West Perth reserves team stood up in the preliminary final against Claremont at Medibank Stadium on Sunday. Coach Paul Sanzone has done a terrific job to get them up after a disappointing second semi-final loss to Subiaco and they dominated all day to run out 68-point winners. The win has given this talented group the chance to break one of the longest premiership droughts in the WAFL with West Perth not having won a reserves premiership since 1960.

Two of the Falcons best had a hand in the first goal of the preliminary final. A great run and carry by Kris Shannon, something that he did on a number of occasions, enabled Brayden Antonio to kick the first of his five goals. Claremont’s best forward, Jackson (not Craig) Starcevich, kicked the first of his three to give the Tigers a one-point lead but a very good goal to Trent Manzone gave West Perth back the lead, one that they retained for the rest of the match. Manzone had an outstanding game. Antonio was involved when he passed to Aidan Lynch who finished from 50 and the final goal for the quarter came at the 24-minute mark when Matt Fowler got the ball into the hands of the hard running Shannon who finished from the square. This gave West Perth a 17-point lead at the first change; 4.2 (26) to 1.3 (9). They easily had the better of the first quarter.

Claremont controlled the first 10 minutes of the second quarter and they kicked consecutive goals to reduce the margin to just five. Not to be outdone West Perth steadied to kick the last three of the term. Mitch McPhee took a strong grab 50 out, received a 50-metre penalty and finished from the goal line. Shannon was rewarded for a strong tackle and kicked his second before Drew Rohde kicked the first of his two at the 21-minute mark to give the Falcons their 23-point half-time lead. The scores were 7.3 (45) to 3.4 (22).

The third term set up the victory for the Falcons when they outscored the Tigers seven goals to one. They ran the ball very efficiently through the middle of the ground. Claremont kicked their first and only goal at the four-minute mark but from here it was all West Perth. The goals were kicked by two players with Fowler kicking four and Antonio three. They were the beneficiaries of some precise kicking by a dominant Falcons midfield. The game was all over at the final change as West Perth had established a match winning 59-point lead; 14.5 (89) to 4.6 (30).

Both sides went through the motions in the last quarter with West Perth having the better of it kicking four goals to three. Shannon was again instrumental for the first when he carried the ball a long way and enabled Joe Morrow to finish from 50. Antonio followed up with his fifth before Rohde kicked his second with a clever bounced goal. The final Falcons goal for the game went to the promising Martin Geraghty who finished from 40 metres out. At the final siren the Falcons had stormed into the grand final with a 68-point victory; 18.8 (116) to 7.6 (48).

Next week this team has the chance to add to the Falcons history and there is no doubt that at their best they are good enough to do it. By any measure 54 years is a long time between drinks in relation to a reserves premiership. The Falcons had a number of outstanding players but the best included Trent Manzone, Kris Shannon, Brayden Antonio, Drew Rohde, Ben McNamara, Jack Thrum and Mitch van Berlo. Be there next week to see if the drought can be broken.