A dominant performance from ruckmen Zac Clarke and Jack Hannath set the groundwork for Peel Thunder to win their first ever finals game.
Led by Fremantle midfielders Matt de Boer (31 disposals and 10 tackles) and Connor Blakely (25 disposals), Peel defeated East Perth 12.14 86 to 5.7 37 in beautiful conditions at Rushton Park.
In a physical encounter which saw Peel lay 67 tackles, midfielder Nick Suban said the team was well led by the senior players.
“I though the boys were really good today, led by Jack Hannath, Zac Clarke and Matt de Boer in midfield,” he said.
“The boys were very physical which was good.”
Shane Yarran was in mercurial form, finishing with three goals, as he and Michael Apeness stretched East Perth’s defence.
Apeness, who was reported in the second term, finished the game with 17 disposals and a goal.
Alex Silvagni was solid in defence, finishing with 18 disposals and 11 marks, as he combined with Sam Collins to keep West Coast listed forward Pat McGinnity and William Maginness to just three goals.
Anthony Morabito, who had started the game strongly across half-back, left the ground in the opening quarter with what appeared to be a quad injury.
Suban, who finished with 21 touches, said the team was proud to create history for Peel.
“It’s a great feeling, the supporters are really happy and the boys are really happy,” he said.
“It was good we put in a really good effort for three quarters, although we probably didn’t quite the four quarter effort but we’re very pleased.”
Early goals to Rory O’Brien and Yarran saw Peel jump out of the blocks in the first term, going inside 50 on six occasions in the opening 10 minutes.
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Wayward kicking from the Thunder kept the Royals in the game as they managed 4.6 to East Perth’s two behinds.
Peel picked up where they left off in the second term, as Ed Langdon strolled into an open goal to kick the Thunder’s fifth after just four minutes.
Three quick goals to the Royals mid-way through the term cut the margin to 16 points before two late goals to the Thunder saw them lead by 28 points at the main break.
Peel struggled to enter their attacking 50 despite kicking with the breeze in the third term before Pat McGinnity kicked the first major for the Royals after de Boer conceded a 50-metre penalty.
The Thunder managed just a single goal for the term through Yarran as they went into the final change with a 22-point lead.
Peel started brightly in the final term but couldn’t make their territory count on the scoreboard, adding just two behinds to their three-quarter time score before three late goals put the result beyond doubt.
Peel face West Perth in the semi-finals in Joondalup on Sunday 11 September.
