Rogers Cup debutants make an impression in must-win clash as two more Great Southern athletes join the fray

Three Great Southern footy talents made their debut for Claremont in a must-win Rogers Cup victory over South Fremantle on Sunday. North Albany’s Maisie Mitchell, Railways’ Georgia Whitelaw and Denmark-Walpole’s Esme MacDonald joined seasoned campaigners Mabel Markey and Pippa Wilson in the Tigers’ line-up for round 14 of the top junior competition. The Great Southern contingent helped their side win 6.5 (41) to 4.8 (32). And after clinching a victory which should secure a finals spot, they will be joined for this Sunday’s round 15 contest against premiership favourites East Fremantle by Tigers’ Chelsea Geddes and Magpies’ Indi Coates-Ahomiro. Whitelaw, who was best and fairest in the Great Southern Football League’s youth girls competition last season, and MacDonald will play again, while Mitchell is a doubt with a sore back. The Rogers Cup is for players aged under-19 and is a key pathway for developing talent. Jack Schwarze, Claremont’s head of female football, said the three debutants had done well, especially as they had come straight into the team without having had a chance to train with the club. “They were up as part of (school) country week, so they played having not really met anyone,” he said. “To be able to play like that was pretty impressive. “It was still a bit of a step up, but they all showed multiple moments and once they know their teammates a bit better, they will be able to impact a lot more. “It’s a very good Great Southern contingent and it was very helpful that they came up for that game. “If we had lost against South Freo, we would not have been able to make finals – it was them or us.” Claremont defeated their hosts by nine points with Mitchell named in her side’s best players. Both sides scored majors in the first quarter, but South Fremantle led the way after adding four behinds. However, Claremont had got in front by half time, kicking the only major of the second term. The third quarter was close but the Tigers still led by four points before adding two majors in the final term to close the game out.