FINISHING as it had started, there was nothing easy about Claremont’s 2025 finals campaign, but the Tigers – who have built an incredible dynasty under coach Jack Schwarze – could not care less. Claremont won its third WAFL Women’s flag in four seasons, with the 2025 edition coming down to the last few seconds of the match before enjoying a 3.6 (24) to 3.5 (23) victory.

The game was on the boot of experienced Swan Districts forward Emily McGuire from the boundary in the last minute of the match. Seconds earlier, Mackenzie Webb had tried to toepoke the ball towards the boundary in the back pocket for a teammate to rush it over and buy more stoppage time. However the ex-Eagles talent accidentally put a little too much on the poke and it went straight out of bounds for a deliberate call.

As if déjà vu from their first final when the Tigers withstood two late shots from Subiaco to advance through to the grand final, Claremont players, coaches and fans watched as McGuire attempted to thread the needle. Any score would do, but unfortunately for those in black and white it missed everything across the face. Claremont desperately held on for the final 20-odd seconds until the siren sounded and jubilation took over.

The side that was on the verge of heading to a preliminary final rather than straight through to the decider, had just done it again – closed out a one-point game despite the opposition owning forward half possession for the last quarter. Claremont did not even score in the final term, but it mattered little in the end.

Claremont lead by as much as 12 points midway through the second term as Swan Districts had peppered the goals early but failed to put one through the big sticks. That was until Summer Yarran stepped up. The talented 20-year-old slotted three goals in 45 minutes and had another just fall short to really give Claremont a scare.

When the Tigers booted a goal with the last kick of the third term off the boot of Matilda Sergeant playing the role of crumber 15 metres out, it gave the reigning premiers some breathing space heading into the final term. Yarran had the hot hands though and even Webb could not stop her in a marking contest, as the Swan Districts forward responded with a goal five minutes into the last.

Swan Districts not only refused to die, but the underdogs lifted the pressure gauge right up in the last and all of a sudden, it was the experienced Tigers who looked a little vulnerable. Some massive holding the ball calls on both sides signalled the umpires were not going to let the players just chew time off the clock without valid cause, as Summer Ajduk and Jaime Henry lead the way defensively.

Last year’s Lou Knitter Medallist Jayme Harken produced one of her best performances of the year on the big stage, collecting a second consecutive best on ground to go with her two premiership medallions. She was huge late as the Tigers did enough once McGuire’s shot drifted, and were able to clear until the final siren sounded.

Harken finished with 20 disposals and a massive 18 tackles, going head-to-head with Swan Districts young gun Carys D’Addario (25 disposals, two marks, nine tackles and six inside 50s) who was clearly one of the Black Ducks’ best. She and Henry (22 disposals, three marks, 22 tackles and three inside 50s) worked tirelessly against a rotational Claremont midfield with the likes of Sergeant (21 disposals, nine tackles and a goal), Sarah Viney (16 disposals, eight tackles and a goal) and Juliet Kelly (18 disposals, eight tackles).

Up either end, Rachel and Claire Ortlepp produced some huge moments for the winners, with the experience of Webb and Kate Orme at times providing critical. Inclusion Bridie Garlick was providing run and carry for the Tigers as father Simon was in Melbourne watching his Dockers – where he is the CEO – defeat the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.

For the Swans, Kayley King provided some run and carry herself, while Yarran (11 disposals, four marks and three goals) had a day out in front of the big sticks, kicking the entirety of Swan Districts’ score. Ajduk (11 disposals, 14 tackles) and Tamzyn Beros (11 disposals, five tackles and six hitouts) were also strong in defeat.

The one-point result was the third of four finals with the same margin, while the ‘blowout’ was a whopping two points, making it an average margin of just 1.25 points per final.

CLAREMONT  1.1 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 3.6 (24)
SWAN DISTRICTS 0.3 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 3.5 (23)

GOALS:
Claremont: R. Ortlepp, S. Viney, M. Sergeant
Swan Districts: S. Yarran 3

RMC BEST:
Claremont: J. Harken, M. Segeant, S. Viney, R. Ortlepp, C. Ortlepp
Swan Districts: C. D’Addario, J, Henry, S. Yarran, S. Ajduk, T. Beros

Lou Knitter Medal: Jayme Harken (Claremont)