SWAN Districts has settled a 12-month score in the most fitting way imaginable, holding off reigning back-to-back premiers Claremont by a solitary point to storm straight into the WAFL Women’s Grand Final, 5.4 (34) to 4.9 (33), at Steel Blue Oval.

Just 12 months on from losing the decider to the same opponent by the same margin, the minor premiers found themselves on the right side of the ledger this time, and they did it while being comprehensively beaten for territory. Claremont piled on 36 inside 50s to 21 and generated 13 scoring shots to nine, but converted at just 31 per cent to the Swans’ 56 per cent. Nine behinds told the story of the Tigers’ afternoon. The result sent Swan Districts through to the grand final with a fortnight to freshen up after a 14-2 home-and-away campaign, while Claremont, chasing a fourth flag in five seasons, must now win a preliminary final to defend it.

Claremont set the tone territorially inside the opening 10 minutes but could not make it count. Bec Anderson found Taylah Orzel on the goalline near the behind post with the Tigers’ first genuine look, only for the ball to be rushed through across the face. Orzel’s long-range attempt shortly after bounced into the behind post, Eva Campo was a fraction late soccering at a loose ball already over the line, and when Amy Evans won a high free at the 10-minute mark, her set shot drifted left. Three behinds, no goals, and a growing sense of unease.

Swan Districts needed one clean look to punish it. At the 13-minute mark they rushed the ball the length of the ground and Grace Hirst turned and snapped truly with the Swans’ first meaningful entry of the quarter. Taylah Edwards could not get boot to ball in the goalsquare two minutes later, the ball went end-to-end, and Jayde Musika gathered a quick handball receive and snapped Claremont’s opener. An Ashley Sharp left-foot snap missed to the left to leave the Tigers a point up at the first change, 1.3 (9) to 1.2 (8).

The second term followed the same pattern. Summer Yarran won a terrific 1v1 in the middle, marked, played on and hit up Chloe Reilly, who slammed home the Swans’ second three minutes in. Claremont kept peppering, but with Swan Districts’ defence forcing the Tigers to bomb long, the entries kept coming back or dribbling through for minor scores. The breakthrough arrived with 90 seconds left in the half when Rachel Ortlepp took the contact inside 50 and handballed clear to the loose Anderson, who turned and goaled from the goalsquare. Ortlepp nearly added another late, only for it to be rushed, and Claremont led at the main break, 2.6 (18) to 2.3 (15), with little to show for a half of forward-half dominance. Musika’s afternoon had ended midway through the term when she hurt her wrist and had to be helped from the ground.

The third quarter was where the game turned, and it turned on accuracy. Ruby Sargent-Wilson opened with a behind from half-forward before Hannah Seaborn marked 45m out and delivered a lovely low ball to Ortlepp, who converted to push the margin to 10. From there Swan Districts kicked 3.0 to 0.2. Sharp goaled directly out of a ruck contest at the five-minute mark, Anderson’s tight-angle set shot from 15m went across the face, and Summer Ajduk turned and slotted one at 11.5 minutes to hand the Swans the lead for the first time since the opening term. Sharp’s second, read beautifully in the forward pocket and bounced home, made it 33-26 at the last change, and when Orzel’s late set shot fell short and Claremont’s return entry beat the siren, the premiership quarter belonged to the home side.

The last quarter was an arm-wrestle played almost entirely in Claremont’s attacking half. Campo’s snap from a forward stoppage missed to the left to cut it to six, and a minute later Anderson won a holding free 30m out and levelled the scores at 33-apiece. It stayed that way until Shaya Yarran worked the ball forward and kicked what became the match-winning behind with five minutes to play. Claremont went forward inside the final 20 seconds, but a Swan Districts free kick in a tackle sealed a one-point result.

Isabella Edgley was immense in defence in the biggest game of the season, gathering 17 disposals, 14 of them by foot, with three marks, four tackles and three free kicks won as she repelled entry after entry. Jaime Henry added another chapter to a Dhara Kerr Medal-favourite season with 23 disposals, six marks and a game-high 12 tackles, while Tamzyn Beros (10 disposals, four marks, four hitouts) and Kayley King(14 disposals, four marks, six tackles) were both prominent.

Jemma Sly racked up 20 touches, remarkably 18 of them kicks, and Jessica Cox contributed 18 disposals, five marks, six tackles and three inside 50s. Lauren Quaife won the ruck battle with 38 hitouts to go with 10 disposals and six tackles, while Luka Davis (12 disposals, three inside 50s) and Naomi Baker (12 disposals, six tackles) worked hard through the middle. Sharp’s two goals from just five touches were the definition of forward efficiency.

For Claremont, Hayley Bullas was enormous with a game-high 29 disposals, 11 tackles and three inside 50s, matched for effort by Jayme Harken (20 disposals, 11 tackles, three free kicks). Evans finished with 20 disposals and a game-high six inside 50s but will rue 0.2, as will Sargent-Wilson (15 disposals, six tackles, 0.2).

Megan Green (11 disposals, three inside 50s), Georgia Webb (17 disposals) and Sarah Viney (17 disposals, six tackles) all had plenty of the ball, while Ortlepp’s 14 disposals, five marks and a goal made her one of the Tigers’ more damaging users. Matilda Husband had 28 hitouts and six tackles, and Anderson’s two goals and eight hitouts kept her side within touching distance to the very end.

The bottom-agers were not shielded from the moment. Seaborn’s pinpoint delivery to Ortlepp was the assist of the day and she added five tackles and three marks from six disposals, while India Bonadeo (eight disposals) and Lucy Gilbey (nine disposals, two marks) were quieter than their standout Round 18 outings against a disciplined Swans structure.

At the other end, Ajduk’s goal was the swing moment of the third term from 14 disposals and two inside 50s, and Yarran’s nerve to take the shot that decided a final says plenty, the small forward also chipping in nine disposals, four marks and five tackles. Hirst kicked the first goal of the match from nine disposals and Makaela Grau laid five tackles in a role-playing effort behind the ball.

SWAN DISTRICTS 1.2 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 5.4 (34)
CLAREMONT 1.3 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 4.9 (33)

GOALS:
Swan Districts: A. Sharp 2, G. Hirst, C. Reilly, S. Ajduk
Claremont: B. Anderson 2, J. Musika, R. Ortlepp

RMC BEST:
Swan Districts: I. Edgley, J. Henry, T. Beros, K. King, J. Cox
Claremont: A. Evans, H. Bullas, M. Green, R. Sargent-Wilson, R. Ortlepp