Sharks crush Swans to move into 3rd Spot

East Fremantle not only confirmed their place in the 2014 WAFL season, but could possibly host the first final against the same opponents, after a comprehensive victory against Swan Districts at ATOM Stadium on Saturday. The East Fremantle Sharks recorded their second biggest win of the season to move above Swans on percentage into the crucial third spot.

After the game, the directors and players took part in the ice bucket challenge to raise awareness and funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association of WA. To donate to this great cause go to https://icebucketchallenge.everydayhero.com/au/effc

From the first bounce the Sharks boys were fierce at the ball and the ball carrier, forcing the Swans team in to error and capitalising at the other end.  Although the boys controlled much of the first quarter Swan Districts were able to score 4 goals straight, the first within the 40 seconds of the start due to a free kick awarded to Tim Geappen.  The Sharks responded quickly, kicking the next three goals, one an excellent goal on the run by Jayden Schofield, who was playing his 50^th League match for the Club.  The rest of the first quarter went score for score and at quarter time the Sharks led by 9 points. 

Our boys lifted the pressure even more in the second quarter and kicking with the wind were able to score goals in succession.  Brock O’Brien, playing well in defence, moved forward briefly to man up on the Swan’s loose defender and hit the scoreboard twice himself within the first five minutes of the quarter and when Tyler Chalwell, playing arguably his best league game for the Club, kicked truly from a tight angle the lead had extended to 27 points.  The remainder of the quarter belonged to the Sharks as they piled on 7 goals to 1 to open up a 45 point lead at the main break.

The third quarter was more a defensive slog and our boys were unable to capitalise on the opportunities.  The highlight of the quarter was a dashing run form the speedy Boston Williamson, who took the ball off half back and took a number of bounces being chased by Kirk Ugle from Swans.  Williamson pulled away from Ugle, who is not slow himself, and the only thing that would have topped it off would have been for Boston to kick a goal, much to the ABC commentator’s disappointment.  After kicking two goals to one for the quarter the lead had extended to 51 points.

Swan Districts threw everything they had at our boys early in the last quarter, kicking the first two goal by the 4 minute mark to reduce the lead to just over 6 goals, but with a midfield racking up the possessions, feeding a dangerous forward line and a defence repelling everything from that point on, East Fremantle was able to control the rest of the match, kicking four more goals in the process to win by a very healthy 62 points.  The Sharks had an amazing 13 goal kickers for the game.

The convincing win elevated the Sharks to third on the ladder with a superior percentage over the Swans and the real possibility of a home final in the first week of the finals.

East Fremantle                  18.14 (122)     def      Swan Districts     9.6 (60)

GOALS: 3 B.Williamson, 2 B.Peake, B.O'Brien, J.Schofield, 1 S.Hancock, T.Chalwell, S.Henson, B.Dalziell, R.Young, M.Edwards, J.Bristow, R.O'Brien, M.McGough

BEST: B.O'Brien, R.O'Brien, A.Stephen, S.Dodd, M.Jupp, T.Chalwell, J.McNamara