Round 21 Match Report: East Perth v Peel Thunder

East Perth vs Peel Thunder Match Report
by Liam Maher

Saturday’s game marked the end of the WAFL regular season, bringing plenty of drama and action. East Perth had already booked their finals ticket, but the weekend’s top of the table match against Peel Thunder gave them the opportunity to claim the minor premiership. The Royals put it all on the line to ensure victory and take the top spot as they finished the season in style with a 20-point win, East Perth (6.13 – 49) to Peel Thunder (4.5 – 29). 

It was a tense start to the game as there was strong wind and rain about. Early in the match, this weather meant the ball spent much of the time on the wings. East Perth came out with an intent to play hard and win at all costs. The Royals’ pressure was exceptional early on, creating opposition turnovers and winning lots of contested ball. Most notably, the tackling was a highlight of East Perth’s game in the first quarter. Captain Christian Ameduri set the standard by laying a big tackle right in front of Members’ stand, emphasising the teams’ intentions.  

East Perth were able to hold the ball in their forward half for long periods of time in the first quarter. This was due to the Royals defenders pressing hard and making the ground small for Peel Thunder. On occasion Peel Thunder did break through, East Perth were prepared to stop their attack. Brad Fullgrabe and Corey Watts both played lockdown roles on their respective players, allowing Harrison Macreadie and Kye Willcocks to come across and intercept. Defensive acts from Nathan Eaton and Sam Van Diemen were also impactful in restricting the opposition. The Royals’ defensive efforts reflected on the scoreboard, holding Peel Thunder to just one behind for the first quarter. East Perth had the early lead at the first break (2.2 – 14 to 0.1 - 1). 

East Perth looked to carry their strong start into the second quarter, with tackling a key feature in their gameplay. The Royals recorded 44 tackles in the first half, a high number compared to their season averages. East Perth showed more class on the ball, regularly hitting targets and opening space for teammates forward of the ball. Peel Thunder found it difficult to move the ball against the intense pressure applied by the Royals. 

The ball spent more time inside 50 for East Perth in the second quarter. The Royals had a clear dominance in this area with 13 to four inside 50s.r. Despite some inaccuracy, East Perth were still able to apply scoreboard pressure to Peel Thunder in a typical wet condition, low-scoring game. Shayne Hille kicked the Royals’ only goal of the quarter, carrying forward his superb form in recent weeks. A great team performance in the first half saw East Perth head into halftime with a 17-point lead (3.6 – 24 to 1.1 – 7). Mitch Crowden led from the front again collecting 15 disposals and five tackles. James Sturrock (13 disposals) and Nathan Eaton (11 disposals) were both busy in the first half, running hard up the wings. 

East Perth started the third quarter with their eyes firmly set on victory. The team’s performance across the board showcased the hard running and high work rate efforts that the Royals display when playing their best footy. East Perth took 24 marks to 14 as they started to take more control of the game. The Royals also had a clear advantage in the inside 50 with 12 to seven for the quarter. East Perth capitalised on the space given to them and punished Peel Thunder for their turnovers. 

The Royals’ accuracy in front of goals was better in the third quarter. Tom Medhat slotted a set shot after a strong mark before Shayne Hille found his second of the after to give East Perth a game-high 31-point lead. Peel Thunder found a goal late in the quarter to halt some of the Royals’ momentum, but East Perth were in a strong position heading into the final change (5.8 – 38 to 2.1 – 13). Scott Jones was influential in the middle again in the third quarter, collecting five disposals and eight hit outs. He created lots of opportunities for his midfielders, including Mitch Crowden (10 disposals) and Liam Tedesco (8 disposals), who both benefited from this finding plenty of the ball in the third term. 

The fourth quarter started with Peel Thunder looking determined to make a comeback, but East Perth were ready for the challenge. Christian Ameduri danced around an opponent as he charged towards the goal to put the lead back to 30 points early in the quarter, making any chance of Peel Thunder’s comeback very hard. Although the Royals’ work rate and pressure was still high, some of their ball use wasn’t at the same standard as the first three quarters. East Perth had no trouble finding the ball but hitting targets, particularly inside 50, became a challenge. 

Peel Thunder went on to score the next two goals of the game, giving themselves hope of stealing victory. Peel Thunder pushed to score more but East Perth refused to be beaten. Jacob Msando made a few crucial defensive interceptions in the last quarter. He took one courageous sliding mark in the opposition 50 to inspire his teammates. The Royals begun to find more run and created more shots on goal. The job became too hard for Peel Thunder as East Perth kept running and pushing the ball forward until the final siren. The Royals had completed the mission, coming out 20-point winners (6.13 – 49 to 4.5 – 29).  The players showed lots of excitement knowing they had just secured not only the win but the top spot on the WAFL ladder. 

A game with so many great performances, it was tough to pick a standout player. Once again, it was hard to go past Mitch Crowden (29 disposals, 9 tackles, 6 inside 50s) who put everything on the line to lead the midfield group and create opportunities for his team going forward. Scott Jones (14 disposals, 8 tackles, 31 hit outs) was massive again in the ruck, while Harrison Macreadie (14 disposals, 7 marks) was sensational down back, stopping everything that came his way. Angus Schumacher (25 disposals, 4 tackles, 3 inside 50s) was also back to his best after coming off early the week before. 

The win means that East Perth are minor premiers for the 2024 season. The Royals now have a week off before they next play in a home Semi-Final on Saturday 7th of September with a chance to book a spot in this year’s 2024 WAFL Grand Final. Be sure to come and support the black & blue as they aim to win the 2024 WAFL Premiership.