SUBIACO has advanced to its second Simply Energy WAFL Colts Grand Final in three years, after defeating East Fremantle by 62 points in the Preliminary Final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Within the first minute of the game, Lachlan McKay slotted the first goal from a set shot, after he was awarded a free kick for being pushed in the back. Five minutes later, Lachlan Vanirsen snapped through a goal. Soon after, Connor Patterson banged through another, and moments later, Jaxon McGowan intercepted an East Fremantle rebounding 50, and then launched through one more major for the Lions. Late in the quarter, McKay, roved a pack expertly and drilled through his second goal, to give the Lions a 33-point lead at quarter time.

In the opening stages of the second quarter, Vanirsen crumbed a pack brilliantly and nailed his second goal. Jaxon Bilchuris then snapped through his first goal. It took until the 12th minute of the second quarter for East Fremantle to register its first goal of the contest. Ethan Paholski was able to get the ball inside 50, where Jack Williams took a strong contested mark. Williams went back and slotted the goal. In the eighteenth minute, Ezekiel Bolton soccered through another for the Lions.

After the main break, Matthew Johnson spotted up Connor Faraone inside 50. Faraone went back and converted his set shot. A few moments later, Jacob Evitt snapped through his first goal. In the fourteenth minute, Jack Gouge dribbled through the first goal of his Simply Energy WAFL Colts career, and all of his team-mates got around him. Late in the quarter, Lachlan McGrath drilled through a goal for the Sharks, but Evitt scored the instant reply when he was able to get the ball out the back of a pack and dribbled through his second goal.

In the early minutes of the final quarter, Johnson kicked a goal, after he was received a downfield free kick. Alex Crowe and Williams both scored goals for the Sharks in the loss.

Subiaco vice-captain Lachlan Vanirsen was best afield, finishing with 29 possessions, seven tackles, four marks, three inside 50s and two goals.

Jaxon McGowan (19 possessions, six marks, three tackles, three inside 50s, one goal), Matthew Johnson (16 possessions, six marks, five tackles, four inside 50s, one goal), Jacob Evitt (15 possessions, four tackles, three marks, three inside 50s, two goals) and Lachlan Henderson (15 possessions, five marks) were amongst the Lions’ best.

For East Fremantle, Finn Gorringe tried his heart out with 24 possessions, 10 marks, two tackles and two inside 50s.

Jed Hagan (19 possessions, seven marks, seven tackles), Keanu Haddow (17 possessions, 5 marks) Ethan Paholski (14 possessions, four tackles, three marks, three inside 50s), and Lachlan McGrath (nine possessions, 16 hit-outs, five tackles, four inside 50s, three marks, one goal) competed strongly for the Sharks.

Next week, Subiaco takes on Claremont in the 2020 Simply Energy WAFL Colts Grand Final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

SUBIACO                     5.3 8.5 12.6 13.12    (90)
EAST FREMANTLE       0.0 1.1 2.3 4.4        (28)

GOALS:

SUBIACO: Vanirsen, Evitt, McKay 2, Patterson, McGowan, Faraone, Johnson, Bolton, Gouge, Bilchuris
EAST FREMANTLE: Williams 2, McGrath, Crowe

BEST:

SUBIACO: Vanirsen, Johnson, McGowan, Evitt, Henderson
EAST FREMANTLE: Gorringe, McGrath, Haddow, Hagan, Paholski