Subiaco have stormed into the top five after they snapped East Fremantle’s three-game winning streak with a 25-point victory in a war of attrition at Sullivan Logistics Stadium on Saturday.

Jarrad Schofield’s side kicked eight goals before they registered their first behind early in the third term, but struggled to put the visitors away despite their best efforts.

It took until the final quarter for the Lions to secure a comfortable lead, kicking the only two goals of the term to record an 11.6 (72) to 7.5 (47) triumph.

For the Sharks, the loss could prove to be costly to their finals hopes as they prepare to face four of the in-form sides in Claremont, West Coast, Peel Thunder, and Perth over the next month.

Still without star forwards Ryan Borchet and Ben Sokol, Schofield continued to play recruit Nick Girolami forward, and the former Richmond VFL utility didn’t let him down, kicking three pivotal first-half goals.

Former Claremont utility Steven Miller (36 hit-outs and 11 disposals) was strong in the ruck on debut for the Lions, which allowed Jack Mayo (three goals) to spend more time in attack alongside Girolami.

While down back, Patrick Mullane was superb on in-form Sharks forward Liam Robinson (two goals), who had to shoulder a lot of the attack in the absence of goalsneak Oskar Smartt.

It was an ambush early by the home side, as Subiaco kicked the first three goals within eight minutes on the back of dominance at the clearances.

East Fremantle took several minutes to settle, but they gained momentum on the back of an increase in pressure, eventually taking the lead with the next three majors.

The contest became an arm-wrestle with neither side able to gain ascendancy for longer than a few minutes for much of the contest.

After a quiet start, Sharks duo Jack Cleaver (23 disposals and six tackles) and Tom Joyce (27 disposals) began to have a significant influence in the second term.

But the lack of a focal point up front, with Robinson well held, allowed the Lions’ defenders led by Jacob Blight (21 disposals) to hold the Sharks at bay when they had the game on their terms.

Ultimately, it all came down to a tense final term when a fitter looking Subiaco began to stamp their authority on the contest.

Lions’ midfielders Marlin Corbett (23 disposals and eight inside 50s) and Stefan Giro (24 and eight) upped the ante, and East Fremantle simply couldn’t go with them as Subiaco claimed their fifth win from 10 games.

SCOREBOARD

SUBIACO 4.0, 7.0, 9.3, 11.6 (72)

EAST FREMANTLE 3.1, 5.3, 7.4, 7.5 (47)

Goals – SUBIACO: N Girolami 3 J Mayo 3 S Siano 2 J Faraone S Giro T Schofield. EAST FREMANTLE: L Robinson 2 C Eardley T Grylls P Knight J Marsh G Vladich.

Best – SUBIACO: M Corbett S Giro L Hickmott S Miller P Mullane J Blight. EAST FREMANTLE: J Cleaver T Joyce C Eardley L Marlin J Jansen Z Rankin.

Injuries – SUBIACO: N Girolami (knee) J Petruccelle (hamstring) replaced in the selected side by J Faraone. EAST FREMANTLE: E Burrows (leg).

Umpires: O Wharton M Adams M Forsyth L Jago. Crowd: About 1100 at Sullivan Logistics Stadium.