Great Southern trio shine in Claremont’s 57-point WAFL defeat to East Fremantle

Great Southern trio Morgan Davies, Talon Delacey and Kieran Gowdie were all named among the best players in Claremont’s 57-point loss to East Fremantle in the WAFL reserves competition.

Eight players from the region played in the clash, including returning duo Timm House and Gowdie.

House (Gnowangerup), Gowdie (Albany), Coen Jackman (Railways), Talon Delacey (North Albany), Heath Ravenhill (North Albany), Morgan Davies (Albany and Royals), Bailey Bennett (Railways) and Rhori Williams-Jolley (North Albany) made up the big group.

Gowdie returned for the first time since last year’s reserves preliminary final, having missed the majority of 2023 with a back injury.

The 21-year-old returned with a bang, tallying 33 hit outs, 12 disposals, five marks, three tackles and a goal in the 7.7 (49) to 15.16 (106) loss.

Davies gathered 25 touches, six marks and one tackle while Delacey finished on 15 disposals, six marks, four tackles and an inside 50.

House, who suffered a meniscus injury playing for his home club Gnowangerup in early April bounced back strongly, collecting 15 touches, eight marks and one tackle.

Bennett (18 disposals and four tackles) and Jackman (six disposals and three marks) also played their part.

Claremont sit in fourth spot on the reserves ladder with three rounds left to play in the season.

The Tigers league side went down by 20 points in their clash with ladder-leaders East Fremantle and remain fifth on the ladder.

They are in the box sear to secure a finals berth, sitting eight points in front of West Perth ahead of the final three home-and-away rounds.

Borden’s Anthony Davis had 18 touches, six marks, two tackles and four inside-50s while Royals and Albany product Tyron Smallwood finished with five disposals and two tackles in the 7.14 (56) to 11.10 (76) loss.

Ex-Royals forward Tom Edwards kicked one goal to go with four marks and four tackles in Swan Districts’ 13.9 (87) to 7.8 (50) win over South Fremantle.

Railways junior Jacob Blight gathered 15 touches, five marks and three tackles in Peel Thunder’s 19.18 (132) to 5.4 (34) thrashing of West Coast.