West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 24 July 1939, page 16


A CONVINCING PERFORMANCE. East Perth Fails at Claremont. A big crowd at the Claremont Oval on Saturday saw fast, spectacular football, in which Claremont had a convincing win over East Perth by 26 points. Claremont set a fast pace and combined smartly, solid in all parts of the field and creating the llusion of a loose man with its persistent backing up. East Perth was more uneven, with some of its players very ponderous. Where it broke down chiefly was through aimless kicking in attack. Brilliant play by Clarke at centre-half-back for Claremont disorganised East Perth. It relied on long kicking but could not achieve accuracy and with the ball falling wide of them the forwards showed to disadvantage against a fast and sure defence. On the other hand, Claretont had an incisive attacking division, with G. Moloney the spearhead, and its systematic teamwork was such as to make it the more aggresive side throughout. The teams were:CLAREMOiT-.Backs:: S. Maloney. Grieve, O'Neill. Half-backs: Hedon. S. Clarke. Hunt. Centres: Reid, Iovegrove. Edmeaes. Halfforwards. Baker. Conmpton. Berminham. Forwards: SerJeant, G. Moloney. JulIan. Rack: Reeves. Hensler. Hooper (rover). Nineteenth man: Gath (replaced Baker. leg injury. in third quarter). EAST PERTH--Backs: J. Sweet, Ward. huomas. Hlf-baek H. emit Stert, 1. Graham. COntres:a Miner. Cronin, SkahilL Half-forwards: Posarty. Neeson. Rowland. Forwards: Gardiner. Lockyer. A. CampbelL Ruck: Ryan. L. Graham. H. Screaigh (rover). Nineteenth man: J. Campbell (replsed Screalgh. lea InJry. In third quarter). IwinJ .--C. Black. La. Graham and Rowland helped East Perth to attack from the start of play. Claremont's defence, headed by Clarke, was in good form, but this team took a while to settle down, Its men being low In getting rid of the ball and failing with a short game. Kicking long and marking truly, East Perth scored seven points. clapping on pace and lengthening its passing, Claremont was sent away by its centre-men and, Its forwards scouting well asemned the lead by seven points. When East Perth moved forward, st attack was disconcerted by fast, reliable defenders and Claremont, combining better, took the honours of the quarter, leading with 4.6 to 33. Still the more aggressive side, Claremont continued to attack, but was kept out by Thomas and Starr. Going through the centre better, with Cronin taking a stronger hand, East Perth acquired greater thrust, but Claremont still led in pace and did better in teamwork with stronger backing up. Continuing to solidify its game, its rauck and centre driving it, East Perth was enabled to go ahead when Neeson managed to break away from Clarke, who had been doing great damage. East Perth took -the lead by two points, but its advantage was only momentary. Claremont rattled on quick goals, disorganising the opposing backs with its smart breasaways in attack. East I Perth put Thomas on G. Moloney, Ward 1 going to a back pocket. With a little luck, East Perth goled twice just before half-time, making its score 9.4 to Claremont's 10.9.East East Perth changed Rowland to a halfback wing, R. Graham going to one halfforward wing and Gardiner to the other. with Fogarty in a forward pocket. East Perth could not overcome its fault of Inaccurate kicking to the forwards, the Claremont backs almost Invariably being in position to get the ball. leading smartly, Claremont riddled East Perth with loose-man tactics and increased its lead to 29 points before Miller (now in the centre, with Cronin on a centre-wing) put system into East Perth and several goals resulted. East Perth swung Neeson into rack, Ryan changing with, him at centre-half-forward, and Cronin and Skahilm changed wings, Cronin marking Reid. Baker and Screaigh left the field. East Perth put its utmost into a vigorous rally, relying on a long game with high marking, and pulled up with 13.5 to Claremont's 14.10 at three-quarter time. East Perth now had J. Campbell, the 19th man, at centre-half-forward, with Neeson on a half-forward wing and Cronin back In the centre. Miller (again an the right wing) helped it forward for a goal which made the difference five points. Claremont steadied and the influence of Lovegrove and Beeves in midfield produced quick goals. East Perth could not keep up the pace. The more solid and systematic sike, Claremont had the game in its keeping when only half the quarter was gone, with East Parth plugging away vigorously but without Inspiration. and did not relax its grip. Final scores: .. 18.11 (119 points) EAST PERTH .. 14.9 (93 points) Scorers--Claremont: G. Maloney, .3; Compton. 4.2; Julian, 4.0; Bermingham, 2.0; Serjesat, 1.; ReId, 1.; Hooper, 02; Reeves, 01; Heusler, 0.1; Gath, 0.1. East Perth: Lockyer, 4.1; Neeson, 3.0; J. Sweet, 1.2; Screalg), 1.1; A. Campbell, Li; Gardiner, 11; Miller, .9; Fogarty, Lo; Cronin, 1.0; Ryan 0.1; SkaIll 0.1; Rowland, O.LFor For Claremont, Clarke played a champion's game, badly upsetting East Path. 0. Maloney was superlative as centreforward and Lovegrove played a fine centre game, with Relid damaging on his right wing. Serjernt roved strongly and Hunt did well In defence, where Headon and S. Moloney also were prominent. Compton was effective at centre-baalfforward, with Julian alert in a pocket, and Reeves and Hooper were solid on the ball. Par East Perth, Miller was of Immense value in midfield. A. Campbell did an excellent job of roving and L. Graham was the strength of the ract, with Ryan giving solid support and Screagh a workmanlike rover. N. Smith was very effective at half-back and Bowlal made a Sshowing, chiefly at half-forward. arr and Thomas were strong defenders and Lockyer and Cronin showed out at times.