Aidan Clarke had 28 possessions for Swan Districts in their 36-point loss to the Sharks on the weekend. Picture: Blake Parry

Swan Districts hang onto third spot

The Swans lose their undefeated streak to East Fremantle but remain comfortably placed in third position.
August 15, 2024
Chris Pike

SWAN Districts’ undefeated streak has come to an end but with two rounds of the WAFL season remaining they are still well placed sitting in third position.

Heading to Joondalup Swan Districts had gone undefeated over the past nine games this WAFL season which included eight wins and a draw two weeks ago with South Fremantle.

The challenge on Saturday was taking on the reigning premiers East Fremantle on neutral turf but the Sharks shot out of the blocks with five goals to one in the first quarter and six to three in the second to lead by 47 points at half-time.

Despite Swans kicking five goals to four in the second half, East Fremantle still prevailed 15.10 (100) to 9.10 (64).

Luke Kelly finished up kicking three goals over the afternoon for Swan Districts with key forward pair Leigh Kohlmann and Tom Edwards adding two goals apiece.

Aidan Clarke gathered 28 possessions for the black-and-whites, Jesse Turner 28, Jarvis Pina 22, Josh Cipro 22, Nik Rokahr 21, Jake Pasini 14, Jye Chalcraft 14 and ruckman Nathan Blakely 14 to go with 20 hit outs.

East Fremantle made a blistering start beginning with an early goal to Cam Eardley and then another through former Swan Districts product Blaine Boekhorst.

Cody Leggett, Jono Marsh and Jed Hagan then also combined to give the Sharks the first five goals of the afternoon.

Swans got on the board just before quarter-time with a first career goal from Lewis Tester to bring the margin back to 25 points.

Swan Districts then made it consecutive goals when Tom Edwards opened the second term by also kicking truly, but then the Sharks again hit back with three goals in the space of six minutes.

When Milan Murdock added another it was a 45-point lead for East Fremantle, but Leigh Kohlmann did manage a couple of goals to close the half for the black-and-whites to at least limit the lead for the Sharks to 47 points at the main break.

Swans were in an unfamiliar position this season being so far down coming into the second half and it was East Fremantle who managed the first goal of the second half too to push that advantage out to 50 points.

But Swan Districts then kicked the next four goals of the term firstly through Luke Kelly and then thanks to Edwards, Brad Lynch and a second to Kelly.

Swans were back within striking distance cutting the deficit to 26 points but East Fremantle ended up leading by 33 points at three quarter-time with a late goal from Dillon O’Reilly.

The Swans kicked the first goal of the last quarter thanks to Kelly, but that took more than 15 minutes and then East Fremantle finished the game with two more goals to secure the eventual 36-point victory.

The black-and-whites have games against Peel Thunder and Perth respectively in the next two rounds.

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