CLAREMONT has booked its place in the Foxtel Cup Grand Final with a 16-point win over Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium on Saturday.
The Tigers burst out of the blocks with five-goals-to-none in the first quarter, setting up the 11.7 (73) to 8.9 (57) win.
Fremantle listed player Byron Schammer was lively early with the first two goals courtesy of a dominant forward press.
West Coast's Tom Swift found plenty of the ball (24 possessions) as Anton Hamp bobbed up for the third with a solid mark and goal.
Port Adelaide went forward and found 2009 NAB AFL Draft pick John Butcher, but he failed to convert.
A mistake from a kick in and a series of swift handballs led to Claremont's fourth goal through Jake Murphy.
Another brilliant running goal to Hamp and Claremont were out by 31 points at quarter-time.
Claremont utility Tom Willett kicked a solid goal from a set shot to put the Tigers up by 38 points early in the second term.
Swift found plenty of the footy working well with fellow Eagle Patrick McGinnity (16 possessions).
Port then shut down the free-flowing Claremont attack to get itself back in the match, Terry Milera kicked the Magpies' first goal following a set shot from 30m.
Port Adelaide worked hard down back and gained the ascendancy in the midfield, but for all its persistence failed to put on any scoreboard pressure.
A mark on the half-time siren to Milera produced the side's second goal to give the Magpies some momentum, despite Claremont holding a 25-point lead.
The Magpies' forward pressure created the opening two goals of the third quarter to move to within 12 points.
The second came from a great turnover that led to a Butcher mark, before he handballed to Shane Harris who ran into an open goal.
The tide appeared to be turning as Magpies' Luke Harder and Jacob Surjan lifted their work rate around the stoppages.
Claremont finally woke from its slumber through a lucky soccer goal to tall forward Chad Jones.
This sparked a third-quarter revival with another to Jones, while Andrew Browne and Trinity Handley both added one to see the Tigers to a 35-point lead at three quarter-time.
Port Adelaide needed a strong start and found it through the opening goal to Jarrod Young before former Hawthorn player Josh Thurgood scored from a set shot to give the Magpies a sniff.
A controversial 50m penalty led to a Kane Mitchell goal for Claremont and effectively handed it the match as the Tigers booked their place in the first Foxtel Cup Grand Final against VFL side Williamstown.
MATCH DETAILS
Claremont 5.3 6.4 10.4 11.7 (73)
Port Adelaide 0.2 2.3 5.6 8.9 (57)
GOALS
Claremont: Hamp 2, Jones 2, Schammer 2, Browne, Handley, Mitchell, Murphy, Willett
Port Adelaide: Milera 3, Harris, Thurgood, Yeomans, Young, Grove
BEST
Claremont: Swift, Mcginnity, Browne, Schammer, Mitchell
Port Adelaide: Young, Milera, Butcher, Hoskin, Surjan, Harder
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
