Claremont chase redemption in WAFL reserves grand final with five Great Southern products in the mix

Five Great Southern footballers are in the mix to be selected in Claremont’s reserves team against East Perth for the WAFL grand final at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Sunday.

The Tigers reserves will be out to exact revenge for their heartbreaking grand final defeat last year to West Perth, after losing one game all year before the painful result on the big stage.

This season the Tigers finished in third position and had to get to the decider the long way, defeating South Fremantle in their semifinal before knocking out Subiaco in straight sets to set up a grand final showdown with the Royals.

Former Railways duo Bailey Bennett and Jye Clark will take their place in the team alongside North Albany sharpshooter Corey Hitchcock after the Great Southern trio played in their 52-point preliminary final win last Sunday.

Bennett, Clark and Hitchcock have played all nine games this season.

Former Albany defender Dylan Smallwood played seven league games this season before injuring his hamstring but he returned through the reserves in the preliminary final.

Ex-Mt Barker ruckman Jordan Reid has played five games this season, including the first final.

He was omitted for the preliminary final but remains in the selection mix for the grand final.

Hitchcock looms a key in attack for the Tigers after booting 11 goals this season.

Clark, who was a part of the Tigers colts’ premiership last season, will play an important role off half-back.

Bennett has played 13 league matches in his time with the club and will be a key figure in their midfield if the reserves are to win their first premiership since 2016.

In their only encounter against the Royals this season, the Tigers suffered a narrow four-point defeat in round five, which featured Bennett, Clark, Hitchcock and Reid.

The game will kick off at 9.15am on Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.