Tighe named AAMI WAFL Player of the Week

SOUTH Fremantle ruckman Sean Tighe was unlucky to be left out Western Australia's State team against Victoria and came out with a best on ground display on Saturday to lead the Bulldogs to their first win of the 2013 season against Peel Thunder.

Tighe put in a dominant performance to lead the Bulldogs to the 14.15 (99) to 11.18 (84) victory and as a result has been named the AAMI WAFL Player of the Week and puts him in contention for the overall $5000 AAMI WAFL Player of the Year Award.

While South Fremantle had a host of key contributors in Saturday's win with Ashton Hams kicking four goals and Ben Saunders three, and Kris Miller, Ryan Cook, Mitch Banner, Toby Bairstow, Shannon Burnett, Sam Lowrie and Jacob Martinez strong contributors, it was Tighe who was the star.

The 22-year-old put in a complete performance carrying South Fremantle's ruck as he has all season finishing with 31 possessions, seven marks, seven clearances, four entries inside the forward 50 and 33 hit outs.

It continues Tighe's tremendous second season with the Bulldogs where he has emerged one of the best ruckmen in the competition.

Tighe did arrive at South Fremantle at the start of the 2012 season from VFL club Werribee having spent most of his career up to that point as a centre half-back or centre half-forward, but at 200cm he has size on his side and is now developing himself into a terrific tap ruckman who picks up plenty of the ball around the ground.

South Fremantle coach Paul Hasleby is delighted with the continued form of Tighe and never had any doubt about his ability to develop himself into an outstanding ruckman when he recruited him.

"He's an outstanding ruckman and I always thought he would become a very good player for us in that position when there were others who had their doubts about him as a ruckman," Hasleby said.

"I love a guy who competes like he does and we've been doing really well in the clearances for most part of the year and he just becomes another midfielder around the ground.

"He certainly knows how to get high possessions which was evident by his 31 on the weekend to go with seven clearances and nine marks. It was a very good game."

Tighe never expected to spend as much time in the ruck as he has when he arrived at South Fremantle, but is enjoying the challenge of it.

"I feel I'm getting more used to playing in the ruck the longer I keep doing it and I suppose I'm playing against so many different ruckmen so you learn different tricks of the trade from doing that. I'm really enjoying it and the big grounds in WA definitely help me as well," he said.

"It might be nice to go back to playing centre half-back or centre half-forward, but for now I'm happy to play my role for the team. You have to work to your strengths and I've tried to become more of that spreading-type ruckman who picks up possessions and I try to get forward as much as I can.

"When I'm not in the ruck I go forward, but I'm just happy to play my role for the team and to keep getting a game."

By Chris Pike