Round 8 League Wrap

SWAN DISTRICTS 11.9 (75) defeated PERTH 7.6 (48)

Swan Districts turned spoilers at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday and might well have ended Perth's hopes of ending its finals drought in the process of winning big to celebrate the 200th game of Matt Riggio.

Perth were the heartbreak story of the 2019 WAFL season after sitting inside the top five for most of the season before falling away late in the campaign and ending up only narrowly missing out on ending a finals drought that stretches back to 1997.

Then after the agonising wait to finally start the 2020 season after the COVID-19 induced delay, the Demons came out on fire winning the first three games and given it was just an eight-game season, they looked well on track to end that finals-less period at 22 years.

But coming into Saturday's game, Perth had lost three of its last four games and still needed to win one of its last two matches to lock in a top four match.

Without any disrespect, Swan Districts had won just once so far in 2020 and with the undefeated South Fremantle to come for the Demons, this week's game did look like the one that was there for the taking.

That proved to be anything but the case with Swans coming out and playing their best game of the season to farewell their home ground at Bassendean for 2020 on a high note.

It was an even first quarter with three goals apiece with Swan Districts up by a point at quarter-time, but the black-and-whites then really pulled away in the second term with six goals to three and that saw them lead by 22 points at the long break.

Neither team managed a goal in the third term with Perth kicking four behinds and Swan Districts failing to score, but then Swans closed the deal in the fourth quarter with two goals to one to end up winning 11.9 (75) to 7.6 (48).

The result improves Swan Districts to a 2-5 record on the season before they finish away to East Fremantle on Sunday while Perth has no choice but to give South Fremantle its first loss of 2020 if they want to play finals when they meet at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday.

Leigh Kohlmann kicked three goals for Swan Districts from four kicks and three marks while 244-game veteran Tony Notte added two majors as well.

Corey Gault was outstanding again in the ruck for Swans with another 21 possessions and 25 hit outs while Matt Riggio celebrated his 200th WAFL game in style. The dual fairest and best winner, premiership star finished with 14 possessions and a goal.

Jesse Turner racked up another 27 disposals for Swan Districts, Frank Anderson 24, Sam Fisher 23, Josh Cipro 21 and Steven Payne 16.

Logan McDonald kicked another three goals for Perth to retain his hopes of winning the Bernie Naylor Medal in his rookie season after he had a fascinating battle with fellow draftee later this year from Swans, Denver Grainger-Barras.

Fraser McInnes and Marshall Jones also kicked two goals each for the Demons.

The Demons just couldn’t find enough ball winners on the day with McInnes ending up having a fascinating ruck battle for much of the day adding to his two goals with 16 possessions, seven marks and 19 hit outs.

Brady Grey collected 16 disposals, Nathan O'Driscoll 15, Austin Davis 15 and Matthew Taylor 14.

Originally posted here.