Sharks survive the wet to make Foxtel Cup deciderWednesday, July 10, 2013 - 3:01 PM - by Chris Pike

EAST Fremantle is through to the 2013 Foxtel Cup grand final after beating a North Melbourne-boosted Werribee in torrential rain and incredibly wet conditions at Patersons Stadium on Tuesday night.

After the Sharks won their opening Foxtel Cup clash against Norwood on another wet night at AAMI Stadium back on May 21, the rain that poured down in Perth on Tuesday was amazing to see.

It made the conditions difficult for both teams in the first half but the rain started pouring down at torrential levels and huge puddles of water developed on the Patersons Stadium surface in the second half.

The players were slopping through the water drenched ground with the ball virtually not bouncing or moving whatsoever along the ground.

It made for quite the spectacle to watch on and a rare opportunity for the players to take part in such conditions, and East Fremantle adapted the better to come away with the 6.4 (40) to 2.4 (16) victory.

With the conditions not quite so bad in the first quarter, East Fremantle kicked the only three goals to open up a handy lead early and the Sharks were never seriously headed from there despite the star-studded nature of the Tigers line-up.

The Sharks then added another three goals in the second quarter to just one from Werribee to lead by 29 points at half-time.

The rain then really poured down after half-time and that restricted East Fremantle to kick just one behind as the only score of the third quarter, before the Sharks added another point in the final term to 1.1 from Werribee as East Fremantle ended up winning by 24 points.

East Fremantle's experienced midfield brigade led from the front with Richard Hadley finishing with 20 possessions, seven tackles, six clearances and seven inside-50 entries.

Rory O'Brien racked up 19 disposals as well to go with one of just 10 goals for the game.

Captain Mark McGough finished with 14 possessions, Aidan Tropiano 14 and Mitch Boyle 12 to go with a goal as well.

The Sharks' defence held up well led by Tom Howlett, Andrew Stephen and Brad Cooper. Howlett took seven marks to go with 14 possessions with Stephen also collecting 14 touches and Cooper 11.

West Coast's Brad Dick made his return from a hamstring injury and kicked two goals to be the only multiple goal scorer on the ground. Tropiano and Ryan Lester-Smith were East Fremantle's two other goal scorers.

Former West Coast, North Melbourne and East Perth forward Ben McKinley kicked one of Werribee's goals for the night with the second coming courtesy of Cameron Tudor.

Ben Brown was the most impressive big man on the ground for either side and was Werribee's best player with 18 possessions, four marks and three clearances.

Will Sierakowski had 16 disposals, Ayden Kennedy 15, Michael Sodomaco 15, Tim McGennis 14, Sam Wright 14, Jordan Gysberts 13, Kieran Harper 14 and Jack Purton-Smith 13. Ben Speight had 12 touches to go with seven tackles.

East Fremantle did particularly well holding Majak Daw to two disposals, Ben Warren to six, McKinley to six, Scott McMahon to seven and Addam Maric to seven.

East Fremantle now qualifies for the Foxtel Cup grand final in its first year in the competition and the Sharks will play the winner of the West Adelaide-Claremont clash at AAMI Stadium next Tuesday. The grand final will take place on Tuesday August 6.

EAST FREMANTLE 3.0 6.2 6.3 6.4 (40)
WERRIBEE 0.3 1.3 1.3 2.4 (16)

EAST FREMANTLE – Goals: Dick 2; O'Brien, Tropiano, Boyle, Lester-Smith.
Best: Hadley, Howlett, O'Brien, Stephen, McGough, Tropiano.
WERRIBEE – Goals: Tudor, McKinley.
Best: Brown, Sierakowski, Speight, McGennis, Sodomaco, Kennedy.