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Round fifteen of the WAFL displayed the closeness of the competition, with two single-digit results and no winning margin exceeding five goals.
East Perth deposed Claremont at the top of the ladder, winning their seventh game in a row with a 24-point takedown at Leederville Oval.
The Royals got on top in the battle between the competition’s two best midfields with Hamish Brayshaw (32 disposals, two goals), Mitch Crowden (32 disposals, five tackles), and Angus Schumacher (27 disposals, five tackles) all exceptional, while Jye Bolton (30 disposals) and Declan Mountford (22 disposals, nine tackles) gave their all for the Tigers.
Swan Districts have been on the wrong end of several close results this year but finally won one of their own, beating Subiaco in a 2-point boilover at Steel Blue Oval.
It looked like the same old story when the Lions hit the front in the final term but the dynamic Tom Edwards (24 disposals) came alive to see the Black Ducks home, kicking two goals in red time to add to his pair from earlier in the quarter.
East Fremantle brought home the four points from their trip to Geraldton, defeating Peel Thunder by 19 points.
The game was something of a sideshow to the curtain-raiser which saw Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras play for the Northampton Rams, but Harrison Marsh (32 disposals, one goal) was exceptional for the Sharks while draft prospect Clay Hall (23 disposals) stood out on his return from state underage duties for the Thunder.
South Fremantle snapped a four-game losing streak by holding off Boorloo (Perth) by 7 points at Mineral Resources Park.
Charlie Thompson (30 disposals, two goals) and Corey Byrne (30 disposals, one goal) were again exceptional from the Demons but could not quite get them across the line, as the Bulldogs bravely held on with two on the bench after losing state representatives Toby McQuilkin (concussion) and Chad Pearson (knee) to injury early in the day.
A West Coast lineup strengthened by the return of nine AFL-listed players from injury produced a competitive effort, losing to West Perth by 28 points.
Xavier O’Neill (32 disposals, seven tackles), Isiah Winder (27 disposals), and Greg Clark (23 disposals, five tackles) were the best of the comeback Eagles, while the win closes the gap between the reigning-premier Falcons and the top five to two games.
IMAGE; WA FOOTBALL