Twelve Fremantle-listed players were in action as Peel Thunder ground out a 10-point victory against South Fremantle.

The win sees the Thunder side remain top of the WAFL ladder with two games remaining in the regular season.

The Bulldogs brought the intensity early, giving the home side a two goal lead early in the first quarter.

High intensity from South Fremantle forced turnovers as they committed players forwards with waves of high pressure, restricting Peel's ball movement.

The Thunder broke the deadlock with their first goal of the game coming at the 20 minute mark when Jack Delean booted it through from close range after a tidy pickup in the goal square.

Will Brodie (44 disposals, one goal, three tackles) was the standout performer of the game, and put Peel back in front by one point going into quarter time with a long bomb from distance.

The beginning of the second quarter was largely a stalemate where neither team could break down the opposition's defence.

Peel started to get their short kicking game going out of defence midway through the term.

A free kick twenty metres out from goal gifted the Bulldogs a goal 11 minutes into the term.

But Peel responded when James Aish (28 disposals, four marks) who was playing his first game for the Thunder, swept a loose ball off the deck in the centre of the field and then arrowed a kick to Cooper Simpson (10 disposals, two goals, four marks). The 19- year-old went back and converted the set shot confidently.

The Thunder’s star midfielders Brodie and Neil Erasmus (35 disposals, seven tackles) started to dominate with slick ball movement, and Taj Wyburd kicked his second after a clever handball exchange with Brodie inside 50.

Former Fremantle player Nathan Wilson kicked the goal of the game with a spectacular soccer on the half volley, to which he let out a roar of delight and punched the air in jubilation.

Sebit Kuek (eight disposals, five marks) had a chance to put Peel firmly in control after taking a strong mark in the right forward pocket, but was unable to convert the banana.

The late surge at the end of the first half gave Peel a bit of breathing room going into the main break, up by twelve points, but the game was still firmly in the balance.

Liam Reidy (19 disposals, 54 hit outs) dominated the ruck and started the second half strongly, combining with Nathan O’Driscoll (22 disposals, four marks) for the centre clearance.

The ball was launched inside 50 and spoiled by the Bulldogs, but Luen Colton picked it up and snapped through Peel’s fourth goal in a row.

The resilient Bulldogs refused to fold and fought back with two goals.

The game reverted back to the hotly contested, low scoring battle of the first quarter which was largely played between the two arcs.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Peel scored directly from the centre clearance once again when Wilson snapped through a major.

A few minutes later, the Thunder neatly worked the ball up the field to Simpson who marked 35 metres out, directly in front. Fremantle’s top draft pick from last year made no mistake from the set shot, kicking the goal and stretching their lead to a game high 20 points.

The victory seemed to be secured for Peel, but a turnover gifted the Bulldogs a lifeline.

Moments later the Bulldogs scored again to cut the lead to nine points and put Peel fans on edge.

Wyburd was able to put the game to bed with his third goal of the match.

Reflecting on the game, Simpson said it was a “grind,” and a “tough contest,” but was happy that the team found a way to get over the line.

With Peel losing Pat Voss, Matt Taberner, Matthew Johnson, and Karl Worner to the Fremantle side this week, Simpson thought the team coped well.

“Obviously there's some big losses there in the forward line, so today we were a bit smaller than usual," Simpson said.

"The next guy in, you have to have that mentality of playing your role and holding your shape.

"I think all those boys played really well.”

Peel will be back in action next Saturday against Swan Districts at Rushton Park for their last home game of the regular season.

“We'll review it for what it was (the game just gone), work on our strengths and work on our weaknesses and then go into the game confident with confidence and yeah, just combat their play,” said Simpson.

Peel Thunder: 3.2 6.4 7.8 10.11 (71) 
South Fremantle: 3.1 4.4 6.7 9.7 (61) 

GOALS
Peel Thunder: 3 T Wyburd 2 N Wilson C Simpson 1 L Colton J Delean W Brodie.
South Fremantle: 3 E Graham 2 M Kelly 1 I Winder K Harbour N Strom J Boullineau.