WAFL Elimination Final ResultsMonday, September 5, 2016 - 12:00 AM - by Chris Pike

PEEL Thunder made history at Bendigo Bank Stadium on Sunday winning a WAFL final for the first time defeating East Perth by 49 points with two Royals greats saying farewell in the process.

Peel and East Perth did battle in the elimination final in Mandurah and it was the Thunder who proved too strong winning 12.14 (86) to 5.7 (37).

The win sees the Thunder advance to next Sunday's first semi-final against West Perth at HBF Arena after winning the club's first ever WAFL final.

WAFL Qualifying Final Results 

They first qualified for finals in 2015 before losing a qualifying final to West Perth and first semi-final to East Perth. Peel made finals again in 2016 and now have won its first ever final.

Meanwhile, East Perth's season is over and so are the remarkable careers of inspirational pair Craig Wulff and Paul Johnson who were both chaired from the field after the game in the middle of a guard of honour from both clubs.

Peel came into the contest with a strong team on paper featuring 17 Fremantle-listed players on top of captain Gerald Ugle, veteran Rory O'Brien, dangerous forward Blair Bell, the hard working Brayden Lawler and defender Josh Bootsma.

Despite losing Anthony Morabito early to injury, the Thunder got off to a fast start kicking three goals thanks to O'Brien, Shane Yarran and Matt de Boer in the opening 12 minutes, and then the only four majors of the first term.

Peel then made it the first five goals of the game when Ed Langdon goaled early in the second term before eventually East Perth got on the board thanks to Malcolm Karpany at the 14-minute mark of the second quarter.

That sparked the Royals into two more goals in the next five minutes to Jamie Bennell and Will Maginness to cut the margin to 16 points before the Thunder kicked two goals just before half-time through Jack Hannath and Bell to lead by 28 points at the long break.

Goals to Patrick McGinnity and Maginness in the third term brought East Perth within 22 points on both occasions but Peel answered in between with Yarran's second and the Thunder still led by 23 points at the final break.

East Perth kept trying in the last term but it just wasn’t to be and Peel goals to Zac Clarke, Josh Deluca (two) and Yarran saw the home team run away with the 49-point victory.

While East Perth's back-line did well also, Peel's forward-line looked dangerous with Yarran kicking three goals from 13 possessions while Michael Apeness was a powerful presence with 17 disposals, nine marks and a goal.

Peel's back-line was outstanding led by Alex Silvagni who finished with 18 possessions and 11 marks. Sam Collins also had 14 touches and six marks while Bootsma, Ryan Nyhuis and Ethan Hughes were also solid.

With some help from Jack Hannath, Clarke had a good battle in the ruck with old teammate Johnson and had 18 touches, nine marks and 27 hit outs for Peel.

The Thunder's midfield did well with Matt de Boer finishing with 31 possessions, 10 tackles and a goal. Connor Blakely had 25 disposals, O'Brien 23, Darcy Tucker 22, Tendai Mzungu 21, Nick Suban 21 and Deluca 19 to go with his two goals.

The game from an East Perth perspective will be remembered for being the final appearance of two remarkable servants – Wulff and Johnson.

Wulff again didn’t stop trying and now retires following 286 games for the Royals that sees him hold the record for the club while also being captain, a state representative and skipper and without question one of the all-time greats of East Perth.

Johnson already had a tremendous career before joining East Perth in 2012 having played 70 AFL matches with West Coast, Melbourne and Hawthorn while also playing with a premiership in the VFL at Sandringham and winning a Liston Trophy.

But now in five years at East Perth he has been the standout ruckman in the WAFL the whole time and amassed 110 games with the Royals while also being a regular state representative and captaining WA to wins over Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

His final game was a trademark warrior-like performance opposed to Clarke, Hannath and Apeness. He finished with 16 possessions, seven tackles and 32 hit outs.

Will Maginness kicked two goals for East Perth but the Royals' attack just didn’t have any bite and even more so after Fraser McInnes went off with a hamstring injury in the second quarter.

Malcolm Karpany picked up 22 possessions, Luke Partington 21, Callum Hart 21, Maginness 20, Shayne Hille 19 and Liam Duggan 19.

East Perth's back-line did well led by Tom Gorter (21 possessions, six marks), Eric Mackenzie (18 touches, six marks), Nathan Blee (17 disposals) and Tom Cole (21 possessions). 

The day began at Bendigo Bank Stadium with the colts elimination final with East Perth pulling off an upset beating Swan Districts 13.9 (87) to 11.9 (75).

Swans' colts had made the last two grand finals but their season in 2016 is now over following the 12-point win to the Royals that will now see them take on South Fremantle in a first semi-final next Sunday.

Little separated the teams all game until the final quarter when East Perth managed to kick five goals to three for the victory.

Tarir Bayok, Nathan Arbon, Jalen Hoffman and Kane La Fontaine all kicked two goals apiece for the Royals.

Mitch Dobson gathered 30 possessions for East Perth, Connor De Campo 24, Nelson Waite 24, Matthew Young 24, Harley Stack 17 and last year's Jack Clarke Medallist Stan Wright 17.

Aidan Clarke returned from Swans' league side and was impressive with four goals to go with 20 possessions. Taryce Stewart and Giles Dent kicked two goals each.

Tim Yorkshire picked up 21 disposals for the black-and-whites, Tobe Watson 20, Griffin Logue 16 and Josh Cipro 16.

Then in the reserves elimination final also at Bendigo Bank Stadium, East Fremantle held off a fast finishing Subiaco to keep its season alive with an 8.14 (62) to 9.6 (60) victory.

The Sharks started on fire kicking four goals to nil in the first quarter and still led by 16 points at half-time and 19 at three quarter-time. But the Lions kicked the only three goals of the final term but just fell two points short.

As a result, East Fremantle advances to next Sunday's first semi-final against South Fremantle while the season is over for Subiaco's reserves but several of the players involved will still have hopes of being part of the Lions' league side during the finals.

Jacob Green kicked three goals to go with 18 possessions and six marks for East Fremantle while Jesse Adamini amassed 36 disposals, Matthew Bannister 22, Fraser Perry 21, Miles Franklin 21, Jake Schleicher 21, Tom Hooker 20, Tyler Chalwell 20, Josh Cuneo 19 and Tom Bennett 19.

Jack Fletcher had 31 hit outs while remarkably having no disposals and taking no marks.

Former South Fremantle pair Ben Sokol and Braden Fimmano kicked two goals each for Subiaco with Fimmano also racking up 26 possessions and eight marks.

Premiership small defender Hayden Kennedy returned from a shoulder injury that has sidelined him since Round 10 and put his hand up for a spot back in the league side with 23 possessions, seven marks and four tackles.

Matt Bogensperger also gathered 25 touches for Subiaco, Justin Joyce 21, Shaquille McKenzie 20, Greg Clark 19 and Brad Stevenson 18.

WAFL ELIMINATION FINAL RESULTS
LEAGUE
Peel Thunder 12.14 (86) defeated East Perth 5.7 (37)

RESERVES
East Fremantle 8.14 (62) defeated Subiaco 9.6 (60)

REDiMED COLTS
Swan Districts 11.9 (75) lost to East Perth 13.9 (87)