Elliott key for Tigers with exuberance of youthThursday, September 29, 2022 - 12:12 PM - by Chris Pike

THE emergence of Ben Elliott in the Claremont midfield has had such a flow on effect to be instrumental in the Tigers reaching the 2022 WAFL Grand Final, but remarkably it will be his time ever playing West Perth and their bevy of midfield veteran stars.

Elliott had only played four league matches for Claremont coming into 2022, but he had served a strong apprenticeship with 25 colts games and 24 in the reserves, and he grabbed his chance in Round 2.

That initial opportunity might have been because of the Tigers players missing through COVID, but he was so good with 32 possessions and three goals against Subiaco that he showed that he belonged, and has virtually never looked back since.

There was an injury hiccup late in the season, but the 20-year-old has been back the last four weeks and been instrumental in Claremont reaching the Grand Final including 24 touches and a goal last week in the preliminary final win over East Fremantle.

The added bonus of Elliott, along with Ben Edwards, Ronin O'Connor, Max Spyvee and Oliver Sheldrick spending more time in the midfield, is that it's allowed superstars Jye Bolton and Bailey Rogers to not be relied upon as heavily and for them to play other roles.

Elliott now can't wait to add that youthful exuberance on Grand Final day to the experienced core at Claremont chasing that elusive premiership.

"Some of those boys have been in the team for almost 10 years now and have had a huge crack at it like Bolton, Bailey, Limmy, Dec Hardisty and heaps of others," Elliott said.

"They had a crack in a Grand Final a couple of years ago so now we are going to all just try our hardest to get that ultimate reward. If we can get out there and do it on Saturday it will be amazing."

Coming off the qualifying final loss to East Fremantle by 48 points, Claremont knew that if they didn’t want 2022 to end up in more finals disappointment that they had to take stock and do something about it.

It's fair to say whatever they decided to change it worked because their last two performances against Peel and East Fremantle to win by a combined 87 points to earn their way into the Grand Final.

They could have very well been Claremont's two best games of the season and Elliott now is confident they can keep that momentum rolling on Saturday.

"After that last East Fremantle game we had a couple of honest conversations at the club and Fossy, our midfield coach, brought us in and told us to have a real play on them kind of mindset," he said.

"Our focus was on not leaving the body first, playing on them and just hunting, tackling and applying as much pressure as you can. 

"I reckon that's what has changed really, we've been playing on them rather than being hunted. Against Peel it worked well and again against East Freo, and it makes playing with the boys so much fun. It's really built up the trust over the past two weeks."

Coming into this season Elliott might have been hopeful of more league opportunities, but he was certainly not guaranteed of anything. 

He had it pointed out to him that he needed to improve his fitness to play midfield at WAFL level and then he found two perfect teammates to try and replicate their traits, and it's all paid off for him.

"Early in the year Kepler Bradley brought me in to tell me to get my fitness up because that hadn’t been my strongest point the last couple of years, and then I started following Bailey Rogers and Ben Edwards around training because I liked their game style and how they went about it," Elliott said.

"I tried to get under their skin, kick with them as much as possible and follow them around at training. I feel like that's really helped me out this year and to get a full year just about in the league has been good. I feel comfortable in there which is good leading into the Grand Final."

Elliott's breakout performance came in Round 2 with the Tigers ravaged by player availability through COVID and he stepped up remarkably with 32 possessions and three goals in the win against Subiaco.

That was the moment he truly believed he could make it at league level and he's just tried to continue to play whatever role asked of him since.

"That was a great game for me and that's when I was really able to understand what I could do at league level," he said.

"What you can see is that any player can step up from the reserves and play a role in the league team, and that's what I've tried to do. That's what is so exciting at Claremont because we have guys who can come in and the team still plays well and wins. 

"From that game on I've just tried to play my best all year. I had a couple of stints in the twos after injury, but I don’t reckon I've looked back really after taking the confidence from that game."

The great bonus of the emergence of players like Elliott at Claremont is that it's opened up the chances for coach Ash Prescott to use some of his stars in other roles too without taking away from what they can do in the middle. 

"It's good that Ash can trust us playing whatever role possible. If they want to throw Jye back or Rogers forward or me, Max Spyvee or Ollie Sheldrick in the midfield he knows he can," Elliott said.

"It's good to have so much depth and even Ben Edwards on the wing on the weekend just shows that anyone can play any role they are asked on the team so it's been good."

Speaking of Prescott, he is now about to coach Claremont in his fourth Grand Final and first since 2007 as he chases that elusive first premiership. 

Elliott might have just been a baby for the first one back in 2004, but would certainly love to help Prescott become a premiership coach come Saturday.

"I was probably only three years old back then but he has been great really," he said.

"He calls you and texts you every week to ask you how you're going and he gives you good feedback, and he's just been great. I would love to win one for him and so would the rest of the team really."

While Saturday's Grand Final will be Elliott's 18th league appearance, it's his first against West Perth and it means locking horns with the likes of Aaron Black, Shane Nelson, Luke Meadows and company for the first time.

"They are big players in the WAFL and I haven’t had a chance to go against them yet so I can't wait to get out there on Saturday," Elliott said.

"We know they've got strong, big, massive bodies all round the ground especially in the midfield and I've never actually played a league game against them. 

"I wasn’t in the team the two times we played them this year, but you know what they are going to bring and they are a big contested ball team. So if we can just beat them at the source I think we can get it done."

Elliott now can hardly contain his excitement for what is to come on Saturday in the Grand Final. He might have tried to stay as busy as he can during the week, but he is chomping at the bit for Saturday to arrive.

"Obviously you're going to be excited all week but still have uni to do and a bit of work to do so I'll just try to keep it as normal as possible and to stay busy. But from about midweek on, it will be all eyes on Saturday and the Grand Final," Elliott said.

"It's super exciting really and I haven’t been in this position before. I can't wait to get out there on Saturday really and how the boys played in the prelim was insane with that hot start. 

"We never really let them back in the game so it was good. The form going into the Grand Final is huge so the past two weeks have been great and we're really excited now about Saturday."