WAFL Match Report: Round Seventeen v West Coast

by Liam Maher

East Perth continued their dominant run with a fifth straight win over the weekend, securing a commanding 69-point victory against West Coast (20.4 – 124) to (8.7 – 55). The Royals are firing on all cylinders, and with each passing week, they’re looking increasingly like a legitimate finals contender.

It was another wet and wild day of footy as the game kicked off. The ground was slick, making it difficult for players to find their rhythm early on. Surprisingly, West Coast came out of the blocks quickly, kicking two early goals before East Perth had even touched the ball. Most of the quarter however, was marked by numerous stoppages, slowing the pace of the game.

Scott Jones was the busiest Royal early, accumulating three disposals, three tackles, and 14 hitouts. After a slow start, East Perth fought back and managed to put some goals on the board. Christian Ameduri opened the scoring for the Royals with a great finish, celebrating his 100th game in style. At the break, it was a tight contest, with East Perth trailing by just three points (3.0 – 18) to (3.3 – 21).

East Perth came out of the break with renewed momentum, pushing the ball forward more consistently. While the Royals didn’t necessarily move the ball with their normal fast and slick movement, they still looked good in this quarter. East Perth’s game style adapted to the conditions, and they started to play smart wet-weather footy.

The Royals capitalised on their dominance at stoppages and used that advantage to push the ball in their favour. Captain Hamish Brayshaw led the charge, racking up 14 disposals for the quarter and playing a key role in East Perth’s control of the game. A dominant five-goal to one quarter saw the Royals extend their lead to 22 points as they headed into the main break (8.2 – 50) to (4.4 – 28).

It seemed the weather had eased slightly as the second half began, and both teams saw it as an opportunity to attack. The quarter started with both sides going goal for goal, as they looked to seize control. East Perth appeared determined to pull away, but West Coast kept finding ways to stay in the contest.

As the quarter wore on, the Royals ramped up their aggressive forward play, looking to extend their advantage. East Perth’s hard running created the chances they needed up forward, resulting in some quality scoring opportunities. The Royals dominated the inside 50 count, leading 14 to eight for the quarter, and finished with a clinical seven goals to three, taking a commanding 48-point lead into the final term (15.4 – 94) to (7.4 – 46).

By the time the final quarter rolled around, the result seemed all but decided, but there was still work to be done. West Coast made a strong push to mount a challenge, but East Perth looked too composed and dominant. The Royals’ confidence in seeing out the game was evident, as they maintained control and executed their game plan with precision.

Calm and collected, East Perth stayed professional and continued to press forward. They managed to generate more scoring opportunities, racking up another 12 inside 50s and converting with five straight goals. In the end, East Perth completed a dominant performance, running out 69-point victors (20.4 – 124) to (8.7 – 55).

Another great win for the Royals, with Captain Hamish Brayshaw leading from the front. He was the standout player of the day, finishing with 39 disposals, eight marks, and two tackles as he guided his team to victory. He was well-supported in the midfield by Tom North (31 disposals, four marks, five tackles) and Scott Jones (19 disposals, 10 tackles, 39 hitouts), who provided plenty of grunt and work at the stoppages. Up forward, Mitch Schofield had one of his best performances, booting five goals to go with 19 disposals and 12 marks. Sam Van Diemen (22 disposals, seven marks, two goals) also had a solid outing in attack, and Tyler Lindberg (20 disposals, nine marks, six tackles, one goal) impressed in just his second league game.

East Perth now heads into their final home game of the season with an 11-4 record for the season so far and a finals spot all but secured for season 2025. Their next game is against ladder leaders South Fremantle, who will be no easy task to beat. The game is next Saturday August 9th at 2.10 pm at Sullivan Logistics Stadium. Get down to watch the boys for the last time this season at our home ground.