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RIDDOCH'S SIX LIFT FALCONS OVER DEMONS IN VB'S 150TH

Monday, May 1, 2017 - 1:02 PM by Chris Pike

RUDY Riddoch delivered a performance to suggest he could be just the X-factor West Perth has been after with his six goals lifting the Falcons to a 19-point win over Perth at HBF Arena on Saturday.

The Falcons were also celebrating the 150th game of captain Jay van Berlo up against the Demons and it was six goals from Riddoch that proved instrumental in the win despite seven majors for Perth from Brennan Stack.

It was a remarkable performance by the two exciting forwards who both had the best games of their careers in West Perth's 15.19 (109) to 14.6 (90) victory.

Riddoch was playing just his third game with West Perth having joined the Falcons from Swan Districts where he had played 32 league games for 34 goals.

He is a player who has always shown enormous potential with speed and agility defying his size while his power and bulk make him impossible to tackle and his lethal right boot has always been deadly.

But for whatever reason he just has never been able to deliver a performance like he did on Saturday.

Riddoch had kicked four goals for Swans back in Round 5, 2015 but in his last 16 games for his old club he had managed no more than two goals.

He showed his full potential on Saturday, though, with six goals from 11 kicks. He had four goals up until the 19-minute mark of the second term before kicking two in the space of three minutes in the last to seal West Perth's win.

Stack, too, has always been a player of immense potential for Perth since returning from the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. But consistency, form and fitness issues have at times plagued him.

He showed some terrific form back in 2012 and 2013, in particular, and there was a three-game patch in 2013 when he kicked 16 goals including his then career-best of six in Round 9.

He has kicked five goals another five times for the Demons but not since Round 24, 2013.

That all changed on Saturday with him delivering his career-best haul of seven goals from 14 possessions, eight marks and five tackles. He had just two goals to half-time but kicked three in the third quarter and another two in the last.

Without question it was a day to savour the talents of Riddoch and Stack, but it was also a big win for West Perth who have now won three straight since a 103-point loss to South Fremantle.

The Falcons were also celebrating the 150th game of captain Jay van Berlo who had 19 possessions, five marks and four tackles while also kicking his team's last goal of the game. His younger brother Mitch van Berlo also came into the team to celebrate the occasion with him.

Shane Nelson had a big day in the midfield for West Perth racking up 41 possessions to go with seven marks and a goal. Aaron Black also had 32 disposals while Aidan Lynch finished with 28 touches, Kody Manning 27, Luke Meadows 27 and Trent Manzone 19.

Scott Simpson couldn’t quite have the impact in the ruck he has the past two weeks with Mark Hamilton spending more time in the middle and having 21 touches and 12 hit outs. Simpson went down back for most of the second half and had 20 disposals and five marks for the day.

Tyson Moulton also kicked three goals for West Perth and Corey Chalmers two.

It took 10 minutes for the first goal of the game and that came to West Perth courtesy of Moulton. Chalmers then added another at the 19-minute mark and the Falcons were off to a good start.

The Demons did respond through Sam Garstone but on the siren Riddoch kicked his first of the day and West Perth led by 14 points at quarter-time.

The Demons turned on a scintillating start to the second quarter with goals to Cody Ninyette, Clint Jones and Stack in the opening eight minutes and suddenly the visitors were in front by two points.

The next three goals of the game were all West Perth's and all through Riddoch as the Falcons steadied to lead by 18 points. Again Perth wouldn’t go away and two goals to Ninyette and Stack made the margin six points once more. 

It was back out to 11 by half-time following a goal to the Falcons for Chalmers.

By the time Moulton booted his third goal 20 minutes into the third quarter, West Perth was out to a 20-point lead and looked to cruising to the win.

The lead got out to as much as 22 points but Perth again responded with the next three goals either side of three quarter-time to get within five points again.

However, West Perth continued to have the answers and two more goals to Riddoch steadied the ship and the home team would go on to win by 19 points.

The day at HBF Arena began with the colts contest with Perth winning over West Perth 12.6 (78) to 6.6 (42).

Connor West kicked two of West Perth's six goals for the game to go with 16 possessions.

Nathan Murray gathered 21 disposals for the Falcons, Dylan Yem 20, Josh Hunter 19, Tyrese Miller 18 and Bailey Chalmers 18.

Then in the reserves contest at HBF Arena, Perth recorded a 19.9 (123) to 10.11 (71) victory over West Perth.

Joel Bennett kicked three goals for West Perth while Brayden Antonio had another good performance with two goals from 22 possessions.

Mitch Peirce picked up another 27 disposals for the Falcons, Conal Lynch 20, Tom O'Brien 18, Kael Coleman 17 and Jordan Mills 17.

West Perth heads to East Fremantle Oval to play the winless East Fremantle next Saturday.

WEST PERTH            3.5    7.9    11.15    15.19    (109)
PERTH                1.3    6.4    11.4    14.6    (90)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Riddoch 6; Moulton 3; Chalmers 2; Lourey, Shane Nelson, J van Berlo, Rodda.
Best: Riddoch, Shane Nelson, Black, Lynch, Manning, Hamilton, Meadows.
PERTH – Goals: Stack 7; Ninyette, Garstone 2; Roe, Jones, Narrier.
Best: Sinclair, Stack, Tropiano, Jones, Ninyette, Wilkins.