Thirteen Fremantle-listed players were in action for a muddy duel against East Perth on the weekend, which saw the Thunder fall 20-points short to East Perth.

Grey and gloomy skies over Sullivan Logistics Stadium foreshadowed what was to come for Peel Thunder on Saturday afternoon as they faced off against second-placed East Perth.

Peel came in with great form and entered the game having won their last four matches, but it was the Royals who set the tone.

East Perth’s intensity earned them three holding-the-ball calls and subsequent inside 50 entries amid congestion early in the first quarter. The home team opening the goal-scoring account with a set shot ten minutes into the match, as rain started to pour down.

Karl Worner (25 disposals, eight marks) and Ethan Hughes (26 disposals, five marks) kept Peel competitive, the margin remaining at seven points for the majority of the opening term.

Strong ball-winning performances from Neil Erasmus (25 disposals, nine tackles) and Blair Bell (19 disposals, one goal) failed to translate on the scoreboard as East Perth extended their lead late in the quarter with another set shot goal, leaving Peel goalless to end the opening term for only the second time this season.

The Thunder were unable to match the Royals continued determination coming out of the break which saw East Perth earn themselves another goal within the opening minute of the second quarter, extending their lead to nineteen.

Entries by Peel inside 50 went unanswered until the twelfth minute mark when Matt Taberner (one goal, two marks) converted his free kick from twenty metres out to provide the first goal for the match and breathe some life back into the Thunder.

Sloppy turnovers and free kicks hurt Peel as scrappy football continued through the rest of the second.

East Perth failed to capitalise with inaccurate kicking for goal that kept the Thunder in the match, heading into the main break with a manageable 17-point deficit.

Peel came out reenergised, showing their desperation to start the third term.

A heroic goal-line stop from Brady Grey (four marks, five tackles) saw the Royals denied within the opening minutes of the quarter.

However, East Perth would not be refused, piling on back-to-back goals as tensions rose between the sides midway through the term.

Performances from James Aish (26 disposals, six inside 50’s, seven marks) and Max Knobel (33 hit-outs, nine disposals) proved a scrappy Peel Thunder team weren’t out of it just yet.

Tom Emmett (two goals, 10 disposals) maximised a stoppage inside 50 late in the third quarter, kicking a beautiful snap to supply the Thunder with their second goal of the game and deliver a sliver of hope.

A vocal Royal’s crowd had to cover their eyes to start the fourth, as Fremantle young gun Cooper Simpson led a composed and motivated Peel side, delivering with a touch of class inside 50 to a marking Nathan Wilson.

Wilson was unable to convert from set shot, halting the Thunder’s momentum.

Hugh Davies (12 disposals, six marks) slipped and fell inside Peel’s defensive 50 shortly after, making way for East Perth to tack on another goal and extend the lead to 30-points.

Goals from Emmett and Bell midway through the fourth proved too little too late for Peel, as five consecutive behinds from East Perth were enough to put away the Thunder and sealed the 4.5 (29) to 6.13 (49) loss for a Peel Thunder team looking to cement themselves as bonafide contenders for the flag.

Defender Karl Worner believes the playing group will reset, with the loss lighting a fire under the team heading into finals.

“We learnt a lot from today’s game," Worner said.

“It was just one of those days where we just didn’t quite play at our best for four quarters and that’s something we’ll rectify in the coming weeks.”

He notes contested possession around the stoppage as a point of emphasis of the team.

“Going back to valuing the way we want to play and being strong in the contest," he said.

“Credit to East Perth they were really strong today in that area, they got the ball forward and probably adapted to the conditions better than we did."

Worner also praised his fellow defenders for keeping the Thunder competitive during the game and is confident the recent changes in team selection won’t hurt Peel going forward.

“Hughesy (Ethan Hughes), he was very strong today and always has been, he’s a great leader for us down there and Jimma (James Aish) as well," Worner said.

“(Players getting called up to Fremantle) is just something we have to adapt to constantly and something that we understand as a group week-to-week is that it could be a different backline, different midfield, for someone like Ras (Neil Erasmus) and Will (Brodie) and (Liam) Reidy, but the blokes that have stepped up, someone like Max Knobel, he’s been terrific."

“Nothing changes in what we value and the things we need to do right.”

Peel Thunder will be looking to open their finals campaign with a win when they return to action against Swan Districts at Rushton Park on Saturday 31 August.

Peel Thunder: 0.1 1.1 2.1 4.5 (29)
Perth: 2.2 3.6 5.8 6.13 (49)

GOALS:
Peel Thunder: 2 T Emmett, 1 B Bell, M Taberner
East Perth: 2 S Hille, 1 T Medhat, T Graham, C Ameduri, T North