West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 5 July 1937, page 8


,CLAREMONT WELL TESTED. Srong Challenge by West Peta. llesist ng. a strong fnishing effort by West Pekth, Claremont wan a gOod game at Claremont on Saturday by 11 points. Beth teams played a brisk, long-passing J game and, while West Perth was the staler, on the whole, Claremont produced flashes of brilliance which lkept it ahead. After a sparkling second quarter, Ctlaremont was 24 points alhead at :half-time, but then G. Moloney, Who was indisposed (as was Compton, who rested as nineteenth man), was forced to withdraw from the centre and goy to a forward pocket The resultant chaiges A, placings unsettled the team and up,set its system. West Perth made up ground and in the last quarter got to within three points of Claremont, but by this time Claremont bad found balance again and, winning a test; of stamina, gained a' praiseworthy vicPty. There was no marked difference between the teams in any department, but West Perth was the more consistent in ruck and across the centre and Claremont had quicker understanding and more preasion in attc? ',The' main feature of the play was the fine Itck work. The te*ins were:AREMONT.--Backs: Lawn. Batt. Edmeades. Half-backs: Headon, Clarke, grieve. tre: Symonds, G. Noloney. Boakcn. Halfforw?rds: Boys. Reid. lMaitland. Fotards: O'Reilly, Hopkins, Morris Back: Reeves. S. J4loney. Slooper (rover). Nineteenthl an: Co tto (did not play). f PERTL--Backs: Jeasons, Tetler. Bonsn. Half-backs: Hill. Butfsworth.. P. Walsh. Ceptres: R. Screaihb, coward, L. Wals. Hallfotwardrn Banting, McDiarmid, Lewis. Forwards: Pcha, yson. Mora?a. Bock: iarisk. (Heefa, Ralnoldi (rover). 'ineteenth man: Grr (did nt play). hIIMPIRE--Sparrow. Claremont, its rack and forwards cooperating well took the inititl from the start, but when West Perth's folloers s??ettled down, with L. Walsa and Cdward prominent in midfield, this team went into attack. Both teams played fast, open football which delighted the crowd and there was excellent position play. Worried -by Claremont's strong defence, West Perth resorted to hurried kicking which produced six behines out of nine shots, but it gained a lead of 11 points. That it could not aflord' to slckene washown in the 3ast few minutes, , chiefly because of good work by Reeves, who was ably assited by M.ris and Lawn, Claremont produced three goals in a dazzling burst, enabling ,itto lead with 5.1 to 3-7 at the first bell. Claremont maintained its brilliant form a?d, .sweeping down the field with fast mbves marked by long low passing, quick les?ing and nice co-ordination, scored four goals straight This was despite fi+t-class defence work by West Perth, with Buttsworth beating Raid. 1-ore than half the quarter had gone lefore West Perth recovered enough It take the ball past the centre. Marinko tent it into attack and, increasing its pace, with iawis efficient in attack, it sealed twice. The furious pace told on both teams and sa:qulet period lollowed, broken by a typical Claremont breakavay which yielded a goal. At half-time Clar'emont wAs 103 to 59. After half-time, G. Moloney went to a fodward pocket, Reid replac?ng him at cetre and O'Reilly going to centre-halfforward. West Perth replied by drpping Bt~ttsworth back to goal and taking Tetley out to centre-half-back. Claremont lo?t touch, not showing the same understi$nding as before, but West Perth_ was slow to take advantage of this unsettling. It was solid without looking particularly dangerous. On its merits, it put Claremont on the defensive, but its play lacked ,crispness and it laost opportgipties through

poor kicking. Through sheer persistency it drew to within six points of Claremont, which then smartened and, with Reid improving at centre, scored 2.2. West Perth was still the more aggressive, but at three-quarter time Claremont led with -12.6 to 9.16. The last quarter opened with both sides striving vigorously for the initiative. Claremont, showing great spirit, had recovered its balance, with Reid now a force at centre, well backed by Clarke, and it was the first to break away, scoring a goal. West Perth could make no impression until after a while it gathered pace and determination to make a c.eathor-glory onslaught which brought the crowd to its toes. Claremont's backs rose to great heights, but West Perth was in great heart and played great football which was rewarded when it drew to within three points of Claremont nine minutes from time. Fine work by Clarke stemmed several West Perth rushes and Claremont counter-attacked, only to score behinds. The backs on both rides were magnificent. Claremont weathered the test well and a "soccered" goal by G. Moloney a minute from time sealed the issue. Final scores:CLAREMONT .. .. 15.9 (99 pst.) WEST PERTH .. .. 12.16 (88 pts.) Scorers.-Claremont:Hopkins, 4.1; G. Moloney, 2.2; O'Reilly, 2.2; Boys, 2.0; Hooper, 1.1.; Morris, L1; Maitland, .1; Lawn, 1.1; Reid, 1.0. West Perth: Lewis, 4.0; Tyson, 3.5; Marlnko, L3; Rainoldi, 1.2; Morgan, 1.2; Pola, 1.1; Bunting, 1.0; McDliarmid, 0.2; O'Keefe, 0.1. Claremont. relied a lot on its bac-men, particularly during its weak period in the third quarter and when West Perth was dangerous in the last quarter, and not only did they defend magnificently but they directed their long clearing kicks so as to send the team into attack. Headon, with unerring judgment and his customary brilliance, was the surest of them all. S. Moloney was conspicuous in defence as well as in ruck, especially in the second-quarter burst. Reeves and Hooper were two others prominent in the team's best work. Hosken shone on a centre-wing. Clarke capped good work with a brilliant last quarter and Edmeades, Batt and Grieve also -did well. Lawn gave his best display of the season in a back pocket, alternating in ruck. Hopkins, Morris: and Boys led an effective attacking division. For West Perth, Rainoldi roved cleverly, in his best form. Buttsworth defended very powerfully, being most effective at centre-half-back. L. Walsh was outstanding on a centre-wing and Coward was - consistently effective at centre. Marinko, McDiarmid and O'Keefe were solid. P. Walsh, ranked next to Buttsworth in a dependable defence with Tetley doing best in goal in the first half. Lewis, Morgan and Pola were most prominent of the forwards.