FALCONS IN GOAL FEAST
By Darrell Kent
West Perth gave their percentage a boost and moved into third place with a one hundred and twenty four point victory against Peel at the Arena on Saturday. The victory sets the Falcons up for the vital final four games of the season and helped to remove some of the memories of the Mother's Day disaster.
It took the Falcons three minutes to get the first major on the board. It went to Brent LeCras after some good offensive pressure. Peel evened up the game a minute later and when Matthew Ware goaled for the visitors shortly after they hit the lead. Matt Tedesco then evened up the scores when he took the ball out of the pack and scored from twenty. From this point West Perth took control and scored seven more goals for the rest of the term. Brent LeCras marked and kicked a long goal from outside fifty and then kicked a long ball in from the wing. Anthony Tsalikis marked and kicked accurately from forty. Peel kicked three behinds to reduce the margin to sixteen at the twenty four minute mark but the Falcons finished the term much the better from here. Slick kicked his second, Josh Pearce finished on the run from fifty, Caleb Shadbolt kicked the first of his seven and a clever gather and pass by LeCras resulted in Caleb Shadbolt’s second. After a thirty four minute first term West Perth led 9.2 (56) to 2.4 (16).
The Falcons kicked eight straight in the second quarter. Their run and use of the football was impressive. Brent LeCras used his trademark side step to kick his third to commence the term. Peel steadied to kick the next two. One of these was to exciting teenager, Harley Bennell, and it is easy to see how he has received so much AFL Club interest. Jack Darling assisted Caleb Shadbolt to kick his third and the lead was out to forty five, after Ray Bartholomew marked and received fifty. He scored from thirty. At the fourteen minute mark, Jack Darling handballed to Lewis Harvey who scored on the run from fifty. Big man Chris Keunen took a big grab in the square to take the lead out to fifty seven. It was a top mark. Peel scored consecutive behinds before Jack Darling got on the scoreboard after a Frank Stockley assist and the Falcons finished the half with the fourth goals to both Brent LeCras and Caleb Shadbolt. At the main break the game was well under control, with the Falcons leading 17.2 (104) to 4.8 (32).
As you would expect, the third quarter was played at a less frantic pace with West Perth outscoring Peel four goals to one. Caleb Shadbolt snapped his fifth at the two minute mark before Shaun Bewick passed to Jason Salecic who kicked his first from thirty. At the nine minute mark a strong Anthony Tsalikis mark saw him kick his third from forty five. The lead at this stage was ninety but the next goal didn’t come until the twenty six minute mark. A total of eight behinds were scored during this time with six going to the Falcons. A goal to Peel’s Joel O’Driscoll reduced the margin to eighty nine but a second to Lewis Harvey saw West Perth lead by ninety five at the final change. Scores were 21.9 (135) to 5.10 (40).
West Perth finished the game strongly with a seven goal final term. The lead was over a hundred when Matt Gaudagnin was on the end of handballs from Chris Keunen and Jason Salecic and he scored on the run from just inside fifty. A second goal to Ray Bartholomew took the lead out to one hundred and seven after two minutes. Peel fought back to make the margin an even hundred before Lewis Harvey kicked his third after roving the ball from a boundary throw in. He is a very good finisher. Behinds were the order of the day until half way through the term, before Peel hit back to reduce the margin to an even hundred once again. The Falcons did not rest on their laurels though and kicked four straight to finish the match. These included the sixth and seventh to Caleb Shadbolt, one to Frank Stockley who marked on fifty and carried the distance and a major to Anton Saylor. This was after a clever intercept by Joel Rice who got the ball to Jack Darling who handballed to Saylor in the square. The Final siren saw a 28.11 (179) to 7.13 (55) scoreline.
The season is now firmly in the hands of the Falcons. A third place finish and a home final is a possibility but the run home is a challenging one. The next two games are against sides chasing West Perth’s place in the four. It was an excellent team performance with the Falcons keeping the pressure on for long periods. Best players were Aaron Black, Brent LeCras, Dion Fleay, Shaun Bewick and Caleb Shadbolt. For the second week in a row Matt Gaudagnin was judged best. He is in very good form and his work around the clearances is exceptional. Next week is the bye but the following game is a crunch one against fellow contenders and arch rivals, East Perth. Be there at Leederville Oval for what should be a beauty.
Matt Guadagnin was Best On Ground for the second week running
