Four goals from Craig Milward and a stellar performance from brother Brett helped Pinjarra to a third straight win as they comfortably toppled South Mandurah at Sir Ross McLarty Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers dominated the opening half before continuing their solid form in the second to lock down the 17.15 (117) to 3.10 (28) victory, keeping them deadlocked with Rockingham and Baldivis atop the league ladder.
To their credit South Mandurah opened the game with some strong passages of play out of the centre stoppages, but booting just the six behinds in the opening term crippled their chances as the Tigers made the most of their opportunities.
Both Joe McConnell and Brody Wemm gave solid efforts around the ground in the game's initial stages, but their work went for naught as Pinjarra's Harley Divitini booted the opening goal, carrying on from his five majors the week prior.
The Falcons tried hard to keep up but Robert Bird kicked truly to spark a barrage of goals.
Michael Hansen, Riley Vidovich and Nick Merritt all followed suit as Nixon Purser and Dean Miller won battles around the ground to see the home side leading by 31 points at the first change.
The Tigers continued to pepper the Falcons defence early in the second term, and for a chunk of the quarter the visiting repelled their attacks, but they eventually broke through when Paul Galloway found the middle of the sticks.
Brett Milward slotted his first soon after, with Craig Milward going on to snare back-to-back goals in his wake.
By the time Vidovich and Galloway had both scored their second majors, Pinjarra had notched the game's first 11 goals.
Their streak came to an end when Nathan Hutchison booted the Falcons' first, but Galloway answered with his third for the term to see the Tigers close out the first half with a 70-point buffer.
South Mandurah opened the second half on a positive note with James Fenton snaring himself a goal, but the efforts of Robert Bird and Brock O'Brien shone through as Pinjarra refused to ease up.
Craig Milward and Merritt both bagged a pair of goals in the third term, before Divitini capped off the day with Pinjarra's sole major in the fourth.
Nathan Burleigh ended the Falcons' day with the game's final goal.
The win keeps Pinjarra tied up with the Rams and Brumbies atop the ladder for the third straight week with each sharing a 13-3 record.
But they will break that tie this coming weekend, with the Tigers hosting a blockbuster clash against the Rams on Sunday afternoon.
The loser of the game can likely kiss their hopes of a minor premiership goodbye.
The game kicks off at Sir Ross McLarty Oval on Sunday, 3pm.
Meanwhile South Mandurah takes on Waroona in a bid to avoid the wooden spoon, with their meeting scheduled for Sunday, 2.30pm at Falcon Oval.
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
