WA Football

CLAREMONT gave up 46 of a 47-point first quarter lead against East Fremantle in the grand final at Patersons Stadium, but the Tigers steadied in the end to win by 26 points.

Claremont has now won back-to-back premierships for the first time since a hat-trick of flags between 1938-39-40 as the Tigers withstood the Sharks fight back to win 18.16 (124) to 15.8 (98) in front of 18,612 spectators.

Claremont wins hat-trick of reserves premierships

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The Tigers were on fire to start the game kicking eight of the first nine goals to lead by 47 points at quarter-time, but the Sharks slowly chipped away at that deficit.

By half-time it was down to 30, then to seven by three quarter-time and one early in the last quarter before Claremont steadied to claim the premiership.

Claremont's Paul Medhurst won the Simpson Medal after he was adjudged best afield for his six-goal haul to go with 13 possessions and seven marks. Ian Richardson and Sandover Medallist Kane Mitchell both kicked three goals as well for Claremont with Andrew Foster adding two.

Last year's Sandover Medallist Luke Blackwell was outstanding finishing with 26 possessions, nine clearances and a goal with Mitchell also picking up 24 disposals, Byron Schammer 20, Tom Swift 20, Richardson 19 and Foster 18.

Rory Walton was the only Claremont player to take part in the losing grand finals of 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2010, and miss last year's premierships but he finally got a flag and was solid across half-forward with 18 disposals, four tackles and three clearances.

Fremantle's Jonathon Griffin returned for East Fremantle and was outstanding in the ruck kicking the Sharks first three goals to go with 14 disposals, eight marks and 46 hit outs. Rob Young also kicked the last three East Fremantle goals of the game.

West Coast's Bradd Dalziell had 25 possessions for East Fremantle and Tom Howlett 17 and eight marks in defence. Mitch Brown did an outstanding job in the back-line keeping Chad Jones to one goal with Steven Dodd also restricting Tom Lee to one major.

It took only 45 seconds for Claremont to make its mark on the grand final with Schammer running forward from the centre bounce to kick truly on the run.

East Fremantle was able to answer, though, with Griffin marking and goaling, but the rest of the opening quarter was a nightmare for the Sharks.

When Blackwell kicked truly on the run at the 24-minute mark the Tigers were up by 35 points and that immediately became 41 when another kick was paid to Mitchell before the centre bounce took place.

Foster then stretched Claremont's lead to 47 points when he kicked truly on the quarter-time siren to end an incredible first quarter where the Tigers showed all of their grand final experience by handling the occasion much better than the Sharks.

East Fremantle did start the second quarter the better with Griffin again kicking truly twice in the first seven minutes, but Claremont quickly steadied with Medhurst adding his third and fourth to keep the margin more than five goals.

It was then back out to 44 when Lee snapped truly at the 21-minute mark, but East Fremantle wasn’t done with yet. Leith Teakle and Koby Stevens kicked late goals just before half-time to bring the Sharks within 30 points and then suddenly the game came to life in the third quarter.

Captain Mark McGough snapped truly just 12 seconds in after East Fremantle received a free-kick before the ball was bounced and then Jacob Brennan kicked another on the run to bring the Sharks back within 18 points.

Rory O'Brien then courageously marked and goaled to make the margin 11 before again Claremont steadied through goals to Richardson and Medhurst.

However, the Sharks were far from done with yet and late goals to Dalziell, Brock O'Brien and then after the siren Young had the game alive with just a seven-point Claremont lead.

Young then marked and goaled to start the last quarter as well to make the margin one-point and the game was well and truly alive.

East Fremantle had a sniff, but Claremont had the will to not let the grand final slip. Blackwell lifted in the middle and then Jones kicked his first goal of the game, Foster his second, Mitchell his third and Richardson his third and the Tigers had withstood the charge.

When Medhurst snapped through his sixth late in the game it was celebration time for Claremont but East Fremantle had given the Tigers a hell of a scare to come back from 47 points down.

CLAREMONT                8.6    11.11    13.13    18.16    (124)
EAST FREMANTLE            1.1    7.5    13.6    15.8    (98)

CLAREMONT – Goals: Medhurst 6; Richardson, Mitchell 3; Foster 2; Schammer, Blackwell, Lee, Jones.
Best: Medhurst, Blackwell, Mitchell, Richardson, Schammer, Foster, Walton.
EAST FREMANTLE – Goals: Griffin, Young 3; B O'Brien 2; Menegola, Teakle, Stevens, McGough, Brennan, R O'Brien, Dalziell.
Best: Griffin, Dalziell, Brown, Howlett, Dodd, Young, Menegola.

Simpson Medal: Paul Medhurst (Claremont).