A hardened team performance has delivered Peel Thunder it’s maiden WAFL Premiership in a spiteful 23-point win against Subiaco in front of a crowd of 15,031 at Domain Stadium on Sunday.
Tempers were on edge as Peel and the Lions fought tooth and nail for first possession, with the Thunder eventually scoring 11.13 (79) to Subiaco’s 8.8 (56).
Big-bodied Fremantle midfielders Matt de Boer (30 possessions) and Simpson medallist Connor Blakely (38 possessions, five marks) were outstanding in the clinches, while Ed Langdon (39 possessions, eight marks) and Tendai Mzungu (30 possessions, seven marks) provided run all day.
De Boer’s presence in close was telling, as were his clean hands. The 26-year-old finished with 14 tackles performance that typified the quality of his season.
Blakely – who won the Simpson Medal for best on ground – was equally impressive and showed the evasiveness and two-way running that earned him 15 senior appearances for Fremantle in 2016.
On the wing, Ed Langdon had a day out. The 20-year-old midfielder, who on Wednesday extended his contract at Fremantle for 2017, ran hard on the long expanses of Domain Stadium.
He capped off his afternoon with an impressive snap on the boundary to seal the win.
Veteran midfielder Rory O’Brien was again impressive around the contest, collecting 26 possessions and driving the Thunder inside 50 on three occasions.
But while Peel’s midfielders were damaging, it was perhaps the defensive efforts of full back Alex Silvagni that carried the most weight.
Opposed to Subiaco forward Hamish Shepheard, who before Sunday’s match had booted 51 goals in 2016, Silvagni was dominant down back.
The defender positioned himself well, intercepted the play effectively and reeled in eight marks, while keeping Shepheard goalless.
Captain Gerald Ugle led from the front as he finished with 18 disposals, four tackles and three goals, including an important holding the ball decision, which steadied the ship in the final term.
He was well supported by livewire forward Shane Yarran, who was damaging inside 50, showing a quick turn of pace and awareness in space to finish with five goals from 10 disposals.
His afternoon, however, was cut short early in final quarter after a sickening head clash with Subiaco forward Liam Ryan.
Peel were wasteful early in a frenetic opening stanza, missing four gettable chances in front of goal before Subiaco slotted the opener through Brad Stevenson.
A courageous Tendai Mzungu mark gave the Thunder the lead late in the quarter, when the big-bodied utility ran back with the flight before kicking the goal from 50 on his opposite foot.
His efforts were followed by late goals to Michael Apeness and former Subiaco Lion Yarran – who kicked two – extending Peel’s lead to 24 points at quarter time.
Yarran soon had three goals at the start of a seesawing second term, when he found space on the lead before converting from 40 metres.
Subiaco were quick to up the ante, restricting Peel’s fluency on the outside in a four-goal-to-three second term.
Yarran bobbed up again with his fourth major of the half, but the Lions arrested momentum and entered the long break just 15 points in arrears.
Subiaco’s pressure was manic in the third quarter, with Peel afforded little in the clinches.
Silvagni and Sam Collins were outstanding in the back-line, repelling a litany of Subiaco’s attacking efforts.
And despite the Lions’ dominance it was Yarran again who came to the rescue, running onto a loose ball before goaling against the flow of play to deliver Peel a 16-point advantage heading into the final quarter.
Subiaco entered the final term determined to claw back, but the run of Peel’s midfield was too much.
Langdon’s goal from 45m out on the boundary line sealed the historic victory, as Peel claimed the first flag in their 19-year history.
