NAIDOC Round McDonald’s WAFL Results

SOME terribly wet and cold weather greeted WAFL NAIDOC Round on Saturday and the result was some upset victories with Claremont and Perth beating the top two teams while West Perth moved closer to a top two spot and East Perth entered the top five.

Cold weather and at times torrential rain certainly didn’t lead to much attacking and attractive football across the four games, but it meant that tough, determined and efficient football was the order of the day and it was Perth, West Perth, Claremont and East Perth who ran out victorious.

Perth won its third straight match on the back of a tremendously hard-nosed performance beating the league-leading Subiaco 6.6 (42) to 4.3 (27) at Lathlain Park.

The second last placed Claremont also caused an upset beating the second placed South Fremantle 11.3 (69) to 5.8 (38) at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

West Perth made it nine wins from its last 10 matches kicking the last eight goals of the game to defeat Peel Thunder 8.7 (55) to 1.5 (11) at Bendigo Bank Stadium.

East Perth then replaced Peel in the top five by winning a third straight match beating Swan Districts 8.10 (58) to 2.6 (18) at Steel Blue Oval.

The only game of the round featuring two teams inside the top five took place at Bendigo Bank Stadium, but by the end of the day West Perth was just percentage off second spot while Peel fell out of the top five altogether.

The Thunder started well with the opening goal of the game and the only major of the first quarter, but it was all the Falcons after that. West Perth kicked the only two goals of the second quarter, the only four of the third and only two of the last to win by 44 points.

West Perth has improved to a 10-5 record to be just percentage behind the 10-4 South Fremantle with the Falcons a chance to move up into second next Saturday with a win over East Perth with the Bulldogs having the bye.

West Perth did lose Luke Meadows and Aidan Lynch coming into the game with Kody Manning, Nick Rodda, Trent Manzone and Matt Guadagnin still missing, but it didn’t hinder the Falcons.

Max Duffy continued his good form up forward with two goals against his former team as the only multiple goal kicker in the game.

Shane Nelson racked up another 33 possessions for West Perth with Aaron Black gathering 32 disposals, Blake Wilhelm 29, Tyler Keitel 26, Rohan Kerr 25, Jay van Berlo 25, Joel Leeson 22, Steven Browne 19, Drew Rohde 19, Kris Shannon 19 and Steve Potente 19.

Chris Keunen also worked hard in the ruck for 17 possessions and 17 hit outs.