WAFL Reserves Semi Final Wrap Up with Jacob Landsmeer - Thanks to The Left Bank

Sharks stay alive in Reserves premiership race

East Fremantle has set up a return date with Subiaco in the 2024 Reserves preliminary final, holding off a fast-finishing South Fremantle to win the first semi-final by 14 points at Leederville Oval.

A dominant six goal to nil third quarter looked to have put the game beyond doubt for Michael Farmer’s side, only for the Bulldogs to slam on six unanswered majors in the first 22 minutes of the final term to set up a grandstand finish.

Jack Cocking steadied any nerves with the sealing goal in the final two minutes of game time, his fourth major bringing home the 12.3 (75) to 9.7 (61) triumph.

Having suffered a four point loss to Subiaco in the qualifying final in the opening week of finals the Sharks would have to go the long way around to try and book a Grand Final berth, a cut throat first semi-final date with local rivals South Fremantle a tantalising match up for both club’s supporter bases, the Sharks league side eliminated and Souths falling just short of league finals in sixth place.

Max Murphy was welcomed back from the league side having qualified for Reserves finals, while 2023 premiership star Reuben McGuire made his first appearance since round 16 due to a series of soft tissue injuries that had limited him to just 9 games in 2024, just three of those at league level.

The clubs had played out two close battles in the home and away season, East Fremantle winning both encounters by single figure margins.

An eight-point win in round nine on WA Day was followed by a six-point victory in round 18, setting the scene for another tight contest on neutral territory at Leederville for a spot in the preliminary final.

The first quarter was typically tight and contested, neither side willing to give too much away in general play or in front of goal.

Bulldogs eight goal hero from the elimination final against Perth Ed Graham opened the scoring with a behind in the opening two minutes, but Shark utility Kobe Austin found the target at the other end, converting his set shot from 35 metres out following a strong pack mark.

McGuire was a welcome inclusion for the Sharks, his athleticism around the ground and ability to mark and compete in the air giving his team an early advantage.

Cooper Osborne got South Fremantle on the board but the red and whites were wasteful in the opening stanza, kicking 1.4 to miss an opportunity for early scoreboard pressure.

Matthew Burton produced a trademark roving goal to return the lead to his team by quarter time, a narrow two-point lead for the Sharks after 28 minutes of football.

Jack Cocking pounced on some strong work from Riley Wills in the ruck to kick the opening goal of the second term, but Graham was able to keep his team in the game with a major of his own at the other end.

Jackson McDonald was starting to win the ball around stoppages as the Sharks slowly gained an ascendency in the run to half time, Austin Ball and Enrique Aiken-Featherstone also finding the ball.

Consecutive goals to Zach Rankin and Kobe Austin opened up a 14-point lead by the midway point of the second term, Austin the beneficiary of a slick transition from defence that started with a brilliant intercept mark from Griffin Vladich.

Vladich was outstanding in defence in the first half, the young utility one to watch for the future having been an emergency six times at league level in 2024.

A late Connor McDonald goal kept Souths close enough to their opponents at half time, East Fremantle looking the better side but only with an eight-point lead to show for their efforts.

The game opened up after half time and it was all one-way traffic to the northern end in the third stanza, East Fremantle gaining control in midfield and giving their forwards opportunities to score.

Cocking showed his strength to haul in a contested mark and convert from 40 metres for the first of six straight goals for the Sharks, Phoenix Knight able to slot another on the run after another strong possession chain from half back.

A deft pass from Declan Pauline set up Koen Sanchez for his first major, pushing the margin out to 28 points to give East Fremantle some breathing room.

It was becoming the Sanchez and Cocking show up forward as both men added two majors for the term, and when forward/midfielder Ethan Paholski snared a goal following a courageous mark moments before three quarter time, the margin was 45 points.

East Fremantle appeared to have one foot in the preliminary final after a dominant 6.2 to one behind third quarter, only for South Fremantle to make an inspired run at the Sharks in the final stanza, slamming on six goals in eighteen minutes of football.

Tom Blechynden and Callum Copeland shared five goals between them as the margin was trimmed to just eight points, six minutes left and Souths with all the momentum.

Key defenders Murphy, Vladich and Jackson McManus were standing tall against a barrage of inside 50’s, able to find teammates in space and kill some time off the clock.

Murphy backed into a pack and pulled down a cluch intercept mark with three minutes remaining, the time ticking away for Souths despite having field position.

Repeat stoppages on South Fremantle’s half forward line saw time tick into the final two minutes, Sanchez clearing the ball beyond the wing for the Sharks.

A brilliant individual effort from Phoenix Knight saw the small forward spoil two Bulldogs defenders, recovering the ball on the ground and running through forward 50, drawing a defender and handballing to Jack Cocking for the game sealing goal.

It was East Fremantle’s only score of the quarter, enough to help them to a 14-point win over their local Fremantle rivals, the biggest margin of victory between the teams at Reserves level in the last six encounters.

Jackson McDonald (26 disposals) was crucial in the clinches all day, Ethan Paholski (22 disposals) continuing his dominant reserves campaign while Vladich was impassable down back with 21 disposals and 7 marks.

Reuben McGuire had 19 disposals and 23 hit outs to partner with Riley Wills to win the ruck battle, while Cocking, Sanchez and Austin combined for eight of their side’s 12 goals.

The win propels the Sharks to the preliminary final against Subiaco, the winner to face Claremont at Optus Stadium on Sunday September 22nd.

The Sharks will be looking to break their duck against the Lions in 2024, Subiaco having won all three encounters this season, the last two matches by under a goal.

The preliminary final will be held at Bassendean Oval this Sunday at 11:25 AM.

Congratulations to East Fremantle young gun Declan Pauline, who was awarded the Jack Clarke Medal on Monday night at the Crown Palladium Ballroom.