Claremont aim to bounce back in Albany

A Claremont league side featuring at least four Albany products are eager to make a strong impression in front of what is expected to be a large crowd at Centennial Stadium when they play South Fremantle in the commemorative Anzac fixture on Saturday afternoon.

Claremont league coach Darren Harris all but confirmed yesterday that Great Southern footballers Beau Maister (Railways), Morgan Davies (Royals), Matt Palfrey (Railways) and Bailey Bennett (Railways) would remain in the senior team for the country clash.

The Tigers were defeated by 86 points at the hands of premiership fancies Subiaco last Thursday in Maister’s 150th game but Harris was encouraged by their first half display and hopes his side can carry that on in Albany.

“We thought against Subi, up until half-time we had really taken it up to them and the last quarter really hurt us,” Harris said.

“Every one of the regular games is important for us and we are certainly going to be up for it.

“It’s our zone and we want to give a really good account for ourselves.

“South Fremantle are a mature side, Todd Curley has built that side up and we’re chasing the likes of Subiaco and South Fremantle.”

Maister, who played with West Coast and St Kilda, will play a key role up forward for the Tigers while Davies has been terrific in the midfield this season where he averages 20 disposals.

Palfrey produced a brilliant first half last week, kicking three goals before half-time in his second league game of the year while Bennett has impressed in the reserves with his fierce pressure and ball-winning ability and forced his way into the league team last week.

“We have match committee tonight (Wednesday) but I’m pretty sure those (four) blokes will be playing,” Harris said yesterday.

“We were pretty happy with last week so I’d say we wouldn’t be making too many changes.”

The Tigers won their last trip to the Great Southern region in 2015, downing Swan Districts by 11 points at Mt Barker’s Sounness Park while in 2009 the Bulldogs were 17-point winners over the Tigers at Collingwood Park.

Saturday’s special fixture is likely to feature six Great Southern products with Ben Saunders (Mt Barker) and Steven Edwards (Royals) set to play for the Bulldogs.

Edwards missed last week’s league match due to illness but trained this week in a bid to prove his fitness.