WERRIBEE Tigers were bitterly disappointing in a 44-point loss to Claremont in a one-sided 2012 Foxtel Cup grand final at Patersons Stadium in Perth tonight.
The Tigers came off a short five-day turnaround and a hectic travel schedule that might have contributed to a deflated performance.
From the outset, it was hometown Claremont that looked the most likely, banging in the first goal just seconds into the game.
It was a warning goal from energetic forward Tom Lee, who booted the first of his six goals en route to a best-on-ground medal.
Click on the image below for a gallery from the game.
This was the first of four unanswered Claremont goals to start the game as they took a 26 to nil lead.
Werribee finally arrived in the contest when a double 50-metre penalty gifted defender Leigh Harding a goal from point blank range.
A scuffle broke out inside the Tigers 50 after Harding’s major, resulting in a free kick to Ben McKinley, who made it back to back goals.
Another free kick, this time to Ben Warren for a hold in the passage of play 25 metres out directly in front, resulted in a third consecutive goal for the Tigers and the deficit at quarter time was suddenly reduced to just eight points.
After a free flowing, high scoring opening quarter, the game changed complexion in the second term, turning into a hard in-and-under contest with stoppages breaking out all over the ground.
You got the feeling that the second quarter would be the premiership quarter for the Tigers, remembering the shorter quarter lengths in the Foxtel Cup made it harder for teams to come back from deficits.
Werribee made a positive start to the second period, lifting their intensity around the packs and using the ball much better than in the first term.
However, for all their endeavour, it was Claremont who got the first goal of the second term through Jeremy McGovern.
The Tigers would again be the beneficiary of a 50-metre penalty and their best player on the night, Levi Greenwood, hit a crisp set shot from 50 metres to cut the lead to nine.
The sides went goal for goal, first it was Jack Bradshaw for Claremont, then Scott Sherlock for the Tigers made it a tiny five-point difference.
Sherlock’s running goal was the end of a nice piece of build up play from the Tigers, where Greenwood produced one of the tackles of the competition on the wing to create a spill of the ball, Ben Ross ran hard and instead of blazing away from beyond 50, produced a neat kick to find Sherlock unmarked, who goaled from 40 metres out.
It was supposed to be the team lifting goal for the Tigers, but it would be the closest they would get for the rest of the night.
Claremont booted a late goal before half-time through Lee, sapping whatever momentum the Tigers had built in the second quarter.
The second half was all one-way traffic.
Claremont, still stinging from last year’s loss at the same stage to Williamstown, had a point to prove and they showed it in a sizzling second half.
The WAFL club kicked eight of the last 11 goals of the match to run out big winners.
The Tigers had few clear winners on the night.
Greenwood was the most consistent Tiger over four quarters.
His head-over-the-ball approach and immense tackle pressure set the example for his side
Ayden Kennedy had a sensational first half, being involved in all that was good for Werribee and impressing with his run and carry, booming kick and well-timed spoils.
Even he could not stop Lee, who got the better of him early in the third quarter when he was moved onto the dangerous forward.
Leigh Harding was easily the Tigers best defender for the duration of the game.
The veteran never stopped throwing his body into the line of fire and used the footy with precision out of the back half.
Ben Warren finished with three goals, a reward for his hard work until the final siren.
Tigers captain Robbie Castello spoke briefly to the crowd in the presentation area after the game, saying his side must re-focus on the Victorian Football League competition, where they are a big chance of going all the way this season.
”To Claremont, just too good on the day,” he said.
”To our boys, a bit of a learning lesson, and we just bounce back.
”We’ve got three games to go and then finals.”
Foxtel Cup
2012 Grand Final
Claremont 15.9 (99) d Werribee 8.7 (55). Werribee Tigers – Goals: Warren 3, Greenwood, Harding, McKinley, Sherlock, Speight. Best: Greenwood, Harding, Speight, Sherlock, Kennedy, Warren. Claremont – Goals: Lee 6, Bradshaw 2, Suban 2, Gillespie, Gilligan, McGovern, Morton. Best: Lee, Ruck, Gilligan, McGovern, Suban, Gillespie.
