CLAREMONT has steamrolled an inexperienced Port Melbourne by 50 points at Patersons Stadium on Saturday evening to book its spot in the Foxtel Cup Grand Final against Werribee.
The Tigers booted five goals to nil in the second quarter to break the game open and they carried that vigour on in the second half to win 13.10 (88) to 6.2 (38).
Former Fremantle-listed player Andrew Foster (18 disposals) provided great drive, while ex-Hawthorn midfielder Jarryd Morton (22) was also busy.
Claremont's advantage began in the ruck, as Mitchell Andrews quickly became the engineer of an abundance of forward movements.
Andrews' dominance of the ruck (36 hit-outs) allowed the Tigers to split the game open after quarter-time and take advantage of their flood of forward 50 entries (39-23), as they booted 10 goals to four from that point on.
Forward Tom Lee looked a likely prospect, using his athleticism and bodywork in contests to boot three goals and snare eight marks.
Lee was ably supported by Alistair Gillespie (three goals and 16 possessions) and West Coast forward Anton Hamp (two goals and 11 marks) - who impressed with his continual presentation to the ball carrier.
While Port Melbourne was resoundingly beaten, former Freo midfielder Clayton Hinkley (18 disposals) and Stephen Brewer (22) were the pick of the bunch.
Claremont will now appear in its second consecutive Foxtel Cup Grand Final, as they prepare to face Werribee in the decider, scheduled for August 4.
CLAREMONT 3.2 7.4 10.7 13.10 (88)
PORT MELBOURNE 2.0 2.0 3.4 6.2 (38)
GOALS
Claremont: Gillespie 3, Lee 3, Hamp 2, Blackwell, Morton, Schammer, Suban, Yu
Port Melbourne: Allan, Breust, Hinkley, Mascitti, Pitt, Thornton
BEST
Claremont: Lee, Andrews, Gillespie, Foster, Morton, Hamp, Schammer
Port Melbourne: Brewer, Hinkley, Langford, Pitt, Wall
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
