THERE is always a lot of uncertainty in the early stages of a new season. Getting a jump on your opposition can certainly be worth its weight in gold. Swan Districts experienced grand final heartbreak in 2018, but are determined to go one step further. So far in 2019, they have been up to that challenge.

Colts wrap: Round Two

Swan Districts 10.12 (72) defeated Perth 6.6 (42)

Swan Districts made it three wins from as many games as they beat Perth by 30 points at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday morning.

The home team made a fine start to the game with two early goals to Kade Walldrot and Bailey Kane. They then pushed the lead out to three goals when Ashley Brockbernd snapped truly. Jamieson Ugle made it four goals in a row to the Black and Whites who were playing with a real sense of freedom. Bottom-age talent Logan McDonald who was Perth’s most lively key target in the first quarter had a chance to get the Demons on the board but his kick on the siren just fell short. Swans were well deserving of their 24-point lead.

The second quarter started with a good move on the outside wing by the Demons which included Simon Hayward who fed the ball to Oscar Morcombe for a astute finish. The presence of Kane was too much for the Demons defenders and he took a great one hander and finished off with aplomb to give back Swan Districts their four-goal lead. The Demons were able to answer through Kaden Elliott and some hard running from Zac Sanderson helped set up Kajie Slater for another goal and the Demons had well and truly worked their way back into the game. A fantastic chase down tackle by Owen McClelland on Jake Pasini set up Morcombe for his second of the half and it was now a goal the difference. A few minutes later, a pin-point kick by Elijah Taylor set up McClelland and remarkably the Demons had locked up the scores at 5.4 a piece on the stroke of half time.

The Demons had now completely turned the momentum of the game on its head and they would have rued the siren as it gave the Swans coaching staff time to speak to their chargers and reset before the second half. One thing for certain was that we were set for a terrific second 50 minutes of action. Swans had taken the ball into their Forward 50 nine more times in the first half (24-15) but their efficiency was not at the level they would like. Zane Trew had the ball on a string in the first 50 minutes with 24 disposals and five tackles while the ever present Walldrot had 13 disposals. For the Demons it was the running power of Regan Clarke and Elijah Taylor who were big factors in getting the visitors back in the game.

It was a real tense and tough first 10 minutes for the third term and the breakthrough finally came through some good quick ball moment ending with Ugle’s second. They followed that soon after with Kade Screaigh setting up Jermarl Daly who finished with a very clever snap. Perth constructed some forward thrusts but they were to no avail with the Swans defence holding strong. Brodie Newman kicked the Swans’ third of the term to give them a handy three goal lead. While that seemed to be a comfortable margin, Perth were kicking to the scoring end in the last term where 12 of the 13 goals had been kicked for the game.

The first 12 minutes of the quarter was a real stalemate. That suited Swans fine as it was the Demons who needed some quick goals. It eventually came when Taylor set up McDonald to cut the margin to 16 points. However, Swans kicked a crucial goal when the hard working Kane set up the running Benjamin Taylor for a goal from the square. The big ruck/forward got his true reward for his hard work kicking his third for the game on the siren giving the Black and Whites their third win from three games to start the season with a 30-point win.

Star of the Day

A superb hard running 41-disposal and 10-tackle game from Zane Trew wins the bottom age midfielder the deserved honour.

However a special mention has to be given to Bailey Kane. The 206cm and 100kg man-mountain from Karratha was a telling presence in the forward 50 with 10 disposals, seven hit-outs, six marks and four tackles. For the gallant Demons, Elijah Taylor set up plenty of forward attacks with his run and finished with 20 disposals, seven tackles and four inside 50s while Simon Hayward was tireless in his efforts with 20 disposals and 13 tackles.

Key factors

The ability of Swans to respond after they had lost momentum in the second quarter. They don’t call the third quarter the ‘Premiership Quarter’ for nothing, and the home team kicked 3.2 to 0.2 which really set up their push for victory. Try as they might, Perth couldn ot find a way back in the last term. You also are not going to win a game of footy by kicking one goal across three quarters which is what the Demons did.

In other games:

Peel 10.11 (71) defeated East Fremantle 6.6 (42)

Peel Thunder are the other team with a 100 per cent record after defeating East Fremantle by 29 points at David Grays Arena.

There was nothing more than a couple of goals between the teams for the majority of the contest, but a 3.4 to one behind final term was all the difference. Tyrone Thorne was a influential figure kicking three goals and constantly pressuring the Sharks defence with eight tackles. Jarvis Pina was also excellent in this regard with nine tackles to go along with 19 disposals. Jai Jackson was tireless for the Sharks with 23 disposals and 12 tackles.

Claremont 10.8 (68) defeated East Perth 6.5 (41)

In keeping with the pattern of the Easter weekend fixtures, The Tigers produced a dominant period of play outscoring their opponents nine goals to one in the second and fourth quarters to set up their victory.

After the Royals held a 21-point lead at quarter time, Claremont responded in kind kicking 5.2 to no score to have a 11 point lead at the long break. Once again the Royals took the honours in the third term kicking two goals to one to cut the margin to seven points, but the final 25 minutes was all Claremont as they kicked the last three goals of the game to seal their first four points of the season.

Fremantle Next Generation Academy player Liam Henry kept up his fine start to the season with 24 disposals, five marks and four goals. He was supported well by Jye Clark who compiled 29 disposals and five marks. Harley Sparks was a ball magnet for the Royals once again with 28 disposals and five tackles. Sparks has averaged 29 disposals from his three games so far.

West Perth 9.7 (61) defeated South Fremantle 8.7 (55)

In the closest game of the round on Easter Sunday, it was West Perth who got the chocolates, defeating South Fremantle by a goal at Fremantle Oval.

The margin did not exceed 14 points throughout the topsy turvy contest. The Bulldogs got out to their biggest lead of the game when Adam Correia put them two goals in front 10 minutes into the final term, but the visitors kicked the final three majors of the contest to seal their second win from three game.

Koopah Todd and Jaxon Prior were two of the key driving forces of the victory. They each accumulated 29 disposals, while also kicking a goal in West Perth’s final term comeback. For the Bulldogs, George Wessels was terrific compiling 28 disposals, ten marks and six tackles.