South Perth Lions 21 – Fremantle Roosters 6
By PETER ROWE
South Perth Lions put 12 years of pain behind them at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday evening with a dominating performance to defeat the Fremantle Roosters 21-6 in the Fuel to Go & Play Premiership grand final.
The Lions kept the Roosters to a single penalty score for 76 minutes of the game as they took the flag for the first time since 2014.
“We knew we had to dominate the middle and the ruck and I think we did,” veteran Daniel Green said on the field minutes after the siren.
And for halfback Eddie Proudler it was his third grand final winners’ medal.
“There were a few of us who didn’t play last season who had something to prove and I think we did that,” Proudler said.
“John (Crawford) has been a superb coach all year and it’s so good to be a winner.”
Proudler’s clever kicking was a highlight of the game, but the man of the match went to big centre Corban Daniels, who had a hand in a try and kept Fremantle’s danger man Ryan Woolley quiet all night.
Daniels beat forward Mathias Tomuli Ah Kuoi to the award, the prop had a superb game, with several big hit-ups and two tremendous tries.
Crawford also spoke highly of backrower Hal Day, a player often overlooked when awards are handed out.
“He had a superb 80 minutes, lots of effort. A bit like a young version of Greenie. He was my pick,” he said.
But it was Fremantle who scored first, on the back of consecutive offside calls, as former Lion Harry Debique kicked them in front.
The lead lasted barely 11 minutes as halfback Hohepa Taiatini beat two defenders to score the first try of the night.
An arm wrestle ensued as both sides attempted to find more points, but it wasn’t until the half-hour mark that saw Ah Kuoi punch his way through the Fremantle defence on last tackle from a few metres out to extend the lead.
Proudler kicked the extras and the teams went to the sheds with South Perth holding an eight-point advantage.
“We were clunky in the first half, and a bit nervous,” Crawford said. “An average performance, I told them to relax and keep to the process and we were much better from there on.”
Without Ken Allen Medal winner Kade McDonald, who pulled out on Friday evening after failing a fitness test on a hamstring injury, the Lions took complete control in the second half as their forwards held the middle, forcing Fremantle to look elsewhere for space to run the ball.
“Losing Kade with an injury wasn’t great, but I don’t think it affected our performance,” Crawford said.
“We had a plan to control the middle and use the edges when we needed to and it worked.”
Nine minutes into the half Ah Kuoi was at it again.
Off the back of a penalty when kicker Proudler was hit late, the Lions surged forward and the former Canberra Raider SG Ball player was there to barge over.
“He was unstoppable,” Crawford added.
Proudler’s kick added two more and from there it was South Perth’s game.
Five minutes later Daniels slipped winger Finley Ako Buka a superb short pass to add four more as the Lions rotated their forwards to maintain pressure.
Fremantle tried, but couldn’t get across the advantage line as South Perth’s defence remained solid until the final minutes.
With Billy Judge putting in a superb performance at fullback, there were very little options for the Fremantle attack.
“Billy has had a great season, so to come away with a winners’ medal is just rewards,” Crawford said.
“When they moved Ezra (Taimoa) to the edges, we made a change and I rested Mason (Hiko) and Greenie either side of the halftime break. When they went back on refreshed it was still only 10-2, and they then locked down the middle and the rest is history.”
The Roosters had chances, but errors and a big goal-line defence from the men in red and white kept them at bay before a field goal with ten to go from former Rooster, hooker Luke-David Wells Talamaivao, extended the lead again, albeit by one point.
To their credit the Roosters didn’t give up and were rewarded with a consolation try four minutes from time when Woolley grabbed a kick to the corner from Debique to cross.
“It wasn’t our day,” coach Duane Buter said. “We didn’t perform and fair play to South Perth, they outplayed us and controlled the middle.”
But the day did belong to South Perth, winners in both Val Murphy (28-22 over North Beach) and the Premiership.
“The last time we won both reserves and first grade was in 2009, so 17 years ago. Saturday night was one big party.
“The older guys getting reward for the long service to the club – and enjoying it – and the younger guys enjoying as well, but hopefully with more days like Saturday to come.”