1988, April, West Australian, story and photo headlined ” Claremont con trick”. Subiaco fall for Neesham sting. Claremont have pulled off the great West Australian con. In the pre season gambit coach Gerard Neesham consistently lamented the player drain from last year’s premiership side. It will take time he said for the Tigers to replace Warren Ralph, Derek Kickett, Darren Klemm, Steven Goulding and Guy McKenna. Take time ””nonsense. It took one game to prove that Claremont have adequately covered these losses.
The veteran of more than 200 games, Gerard Neesham controlled the match as a ruck rover combining with Ben Allan, Mark Hann, Tony Begovich and Peter Thorne to give Claremont total midfield supremacy. The defence was well led by Mark Brayshaw with the help of Peter Owens, John Scott, Grant Povey and Cam Lewis.
