ANOTHER chapter was added to the rivalry between East Fremantle and Claremont on the weekend, with the former getting up in a tight contest over the latter to advance through to the 2024 WAFL Women’s Grand Final. The Sharks have won 12 on the trot now since losing in Round 3 to the Tigers, and while Claremont’s form over the last couple of months had been patchy, the Tigers got within a kick of automatic passage into the the decider.

The match was once again on a knives edge for the most part, and while the Sharks raced out to a 13-0 lead, Claremont quickly evaporated that gap to instead lead itself at half-time. A crucial juncture came 10 minutes into the first term when forward Mylee Leitch attempted to soccer it off teh deck to put her side 19-0 up but could not get a clean boot to it, and instead the Tigers race it up the other end and Rachel Ortlepp kicked her team’s first.

A few minutes later, Adele Arnup was on the board, and for all of East Fremantle’s great work in the opening 10 minutes just one point separated them. The Tigers defence, led by Claire Ortlepp was rock solid after that opening half of the first term, restricting the Sharks to just two more goals for the rest of the game.

After missing a few chances that fell short and were rushed through by Zippy Fish and Leanne Gubbins followed by a poster from Jacinta Valentini, a clever kick from Juliet Kelly set up Bec Anderson to hand the Tiger a seven-point lead midway through the term.

It was largely an armwrestle for the most part up until Emmelie Fiedler got involved late. In her first one-on-one with 20 seconds left she was deemed to have infringed on her opponent against Eva Campo, only for Campo’s kick to turn over and the pair of Sharon Wong and Fish to combine to hit-up Fielder. The set shot after the siren looked to have been a goal but with Claremont players claiming touched, it was eventually ruled a behind, and a six-point margin stood at the main break.

Fiedler would get some satisfaction in the third term, converting the goal after being awarded a free kick herself, as East Fremantle peppered the goals. The Sharks really controlled field position in the premiership quarter and were unlucky not to be further ahead. Despite brave defending from the likes of Claire Ortlepp and Claudia Wright, and outstanding kick inside 50 from Fish spotted Siena Jezierski-Brown who had snuck out the back and marked all alone in the goalsquare.

The Sharks went nine points ahead at the break, a lead they held until midway through the last term. Always an arm-length clear of the Tigers, classy forward Eva O’Donnell created something out of nothing with a brilliant snap that bounced over the heads of the one-on-one contest closer to goal without being touched and went through.

The deficit was back to three points with still eight minutes to play.

Over the course of the next seven minutes it was a tight tussle with the Sharks able to keep the Tigers at bay, though a last ditch effort from the second placed side lifted the feeling around the ground. One of the best all day, Claire Ortlepp thumped the ball to half-forward, where it went inside 50 for the final 30 seconds. Time and time again the Tigers tried to exit but were immediately broguht down.

In the last few seconds of the match Wright took it but could not get boot to ball, then teammate after teammate tried but Fish laid a great tackle as the siren sounded to not only lock up the ball for a stoppage, but a spot in the grand final as well.

Fish might not have had as much of the ball as she usually does, but was still deadly by foot, finishing with 17 disposals, two marks, six tackles and four inside 50s, setting up multiple goals and scoring shots. Fiedler was enormous through the ruck with 33 hitouts, sharing the load with Laura Catherine (35 hitouts) helping the Sharks dominate the hitouts 69-30. Tiani Teakle and Gubbins were strong in defence, while Leitch was dynamic in attack, and Chloe Wrigley and Beth Beckett fierce through midfield.

Claremont midfielder Jayme Harken had a day out with 30 disposals, three marks, five tackles and five inside 50s, while the experience of wing Kate Orme (16 disposals, six tackles and seven inside 50s) and Claire Ortlepp (12 disposals, five marks) was on display. Sarah Viney and Kelly were also impressive despite the defeat.

EAST FREMANTLE 2.2 | 2.3 | 4.6 | 4.7 (31)
CLAREMONT 2.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.4 (28)

GOALS:
East Fremantle: S. Jezierski-Brown, C. Reilly, S. Wong, E. Fiedler
Claremont: A. Arnup, R. Ortlepp, E. O’Donnell, B. Anderson

RMC BEST:
East Fremantle: Z. Fish. T. Teakle, M. Leitch, E. Fiedler, S. Wong
Claremont: C. Ortlepp, J. Harken, K. Orme, J. Kelly, S. Viney