Round 7 – West Perth v Perth Match ReportMonday, May 1, 2017 - 12:39 PM - by Chris Pike

WEST Perth and Perth had excitement machines at either end putting on a show at HBF Arena on Saturday with Rudy Riddoch and Brennan Stack combining for 13 goals in a 19-point Falcons victory.

It was a remarkable performance by the two exciting forwards who both had the best games of their careers in West Perth's 15.19 (109) to 14.6 (90) victory.

Riddoch was playing just his third game with West Perth having joined the Falcons from Swan Districts where he had played 32 league games for 34 goals.

He is a player who has always shown enormous potential with speed and agility defying his size while his power and bulk make him impossible to tackle and his lethal right boot has always been deadly.

But for whatever reason he just has never been able to deliver a performance like he did on Saturday.

Riddoch had kicked four goals for Swans back in Round 5, 2015 but in his last 16 games for his old club he had managed no more than two goals.

He showed his full potential on Saturday, though, with six goals from 11 kicks. He had four goals up until the 19-minute mark of the second term before kicking two in the space of three minutes in the last to seal West Perth's win.

Stack, too, has always been a player of immense potential for Perth since returning from the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. But consistency, form and fitness issues have at times plagued him.

He showed some terrific form back in 2012 and 2013, in particular, and there was a three-game patch in 2013 when he kicked 16 goals including his then career-best of six in Round 9.

He has kicked five goals another five times for the Demons but not since Round 24, 2013.

That all changed on Saturday with him delivering his career-best haul of seven goals from 14 possessions, eight marks and five tackles. He had just two goals to half-time but kicked three in the third quarter and another two in the last.

Without question it was a day to savour the talents of Riddoch and Stack, but it was also a big win for West Perth who have now won three straight since a 103-point loss to South Fremantle.

The Falcons were also celebrating the 150th game of captain Jay van Berlo who had 19 possessions, five marks and four tackles while also kicking his team's last goal of the game. His younger brother Mitch van Berlo also came into the team to celebrate the occasion with him.

Shane Nelson had a big day in the midfield for West Perth racking up 41 possessions to go with seven marks and a goal. Aaron Black also had 32 disposals while Aidan Lynch finished with 28 touches, Kody Manning 27, Luke Meadows 27 and Trent Manzone 19.

Scott Simpson couldn’t quite have the impact in the ruck he has the past two weeks with Mark Hamilton spending more time in the middle and having 21 touches and 12 hit outs. Simpson went down back for most of the second half and had 20 disposals and five marks for the day.

Tyson Moulton also kicked three goals for West Perth and Corey Chalmers two.

Along with Stack's seven goals for Perth, small forward Cody Ninyette again showed exciting signs booting two majors to go with 17 disposals and four tackles. Sam Garstone also kicked two goals in the absence of Spencer White.

Christian Eyres worked hard in the ruck for Perth with 14 possessions, seven marks and 43 hit outs.

Captain Clint Jones was again prolific racking up 34 possessions while Aidan Tropiano collated 30 disposals, Laine Wilkins 22, Corey Byrne 22, Liam McKenna 21 and Devin McFarlane 20.

Reigning fairest and best winner Michael Sinclair was tremendous down back again for Perth with 29 possessions and playing above his height to limit the impact of West Perth's Michael Lourey.

It took 10 minutes for the first goal of the game and that came to West Perth courtesy of Moulton. Chalmers then added another at the 19-minute mark and the Falcons were off to a good start.

The Demons did respond through Sam Garstone but on the siren Riddoch kicked his first of the day and West Perth led by 14 points at quarter-time.

The Demons turned on a scintillating start to the second quarter with goals to Ninyette, Jones and Stack in the opening eight minutes and suddenly the visitors were in front by two points.

The next three goals of the game were all West Perth's and all through Riddoch as the Falcons steadied to lead by 18 points. Again Perth wouldn’t go away and two goals to Ninyette and Stack made the margin six points once more. 

It was back out to 11 by half-time following a goal to the Falcons for Chalmers.

By the time Moulton booted his third goal 20 minutes into the third quarter, West Perth was out to a 20-point lead and looked to cruising to the win.

The lead got out to as much as 22 points but Perth again responded with the next three goals either side of three quarter-time to get within five points again.

However, West Perth continued to have the answers and two more goals to Riddoch steadied the ship and the home team would go on to win by 19 points.

West Perth heads to East Fremantle Oval to play the winless East Fremantle next Saturday while Perth returns home to host the league-leading South Fremantle at Lathlain Park.

WEST PERTH            3.5    7.9    11.15    15.19    (109)
PERTH                1.3    6.4    11.4    14.6    (90)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Riddoch 6; Moulton 3; Chalmers 2; Lourey, Shane Nelson, J van Berlo, Rodda.
Best: Riddoch, Shane Nelson, Black, Lynch, Manning, Hamilton, Meadows.
PERTH – Goals: Stack 7; Ninyette, Garstone 2; Roe, Jones, Narrier.
Best: Sinclair, Stack, Tropiano, Jones, Ninyette, Wilkins.