Tigers seeking to snap four game losing streak

Claremont ruckman Oliver Eastland says belief at the club is still high despite their four-game losing streak.

The Tigers sat second on the ladder after round 15 but have skidded since, dropping down to fifth with their finals place coming under increasing threat from a resurgent West Perth.

Eastland told Sports Breakfast the competition was as tight at the top as he had ever seen.

“It’s been probably the toughest month of footy I’ve had being a part of Claremont,” Eastland said.

“We just haven’t got going. We’ve been a bit unlucky in a few games, we’ve played good footy, we’ve lost a few games we probably should’ve won.

“We came into the East Perth and we could’ve gone clear at the top of the comp and we didn’t put our best foot forward. East Freo and West Perth were just too good for us and then on the weekend, we were good for patches but we just couldn’t finish it and Peel were too strong in the end.

“It’s getting a bit frustrating and we’re going to have to turn it around.”

Eastland said his midfield group was missing injured pair Declan Mountford and Ronin O’Connor, but the club captain is likely to return this week.

“We have patches where we’re really good and strong and physical,” he said.

“We know we can beat any team, that’s why we’re not too worried at the moment.

“Our focus for the next two weeks will be having a four-quarter performance.”

The Tigers’ destiny is in their own hands as they will feature in September if they win their remaining two games, with Eastland saying his team was treating this weekend’s clash with Swan Districts like a final.

“If we can bring that heat in the first quarter and make it really hard for them and put them off their game, we’ll see how we go,” he said.

“We’re really confident if we can start well and play four quarters of footy, we can beat them.”

The clash between Claremont and the Black Ducks gets underway at 2:10pm at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday.

IMAGE: Claremont FC