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Round 19 – Swan Districts v Peel Thunder Match ReportMonday, July 31, 2017 - 3:12 AM - by Chris Pike
SWAN Districts joined Peel Thunder on 10 wins for the 2017 season with a come from behind 16-point victory at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday.
It was never going to be a high-scoring affair considering the two teams are the lowest two teams for points for in the competition aside from the bottom two out of contention teams with the wet conditions on Saturday only serving to highlight that even more.
What that meant was that a 19-point lead for Peel during the third quarter threatened to be a match-winning advantage.
But Swan Districts responded strongly and impressively to take control either side of three quarter-time to turn the contest around and set up the eventual 11.6 (72) to 8.8 (56) victory over last year's premiers.
It was a vastly more efficient Swan Districts team than Peel on the day and without doubt the game style of the home team was better suited to the wet conditions.
Peel ended up having 77 more possessions, 22 more marks and 15 more hit outs, but that didn’t translate into attacks forward. Swans had 12 more inside-50 entries than the Thunder and ultimately one more scoring shot and winning by 16 points.
It is an important win in the context of the season for Swan Districts as well. It improves the black-and-whites to a 10-6 record to only be percentage behind the 10-7 Peel but Swans have a game in hand.
That heats up the battle over third spot and a finals doubles chance. Swans' season finishes against Subiaco, East Perth, Claremont and East Perth. Peel's finishes with a bye this week and then games with Perth, East Fremantle and South Fremantle.
Swan Districts' small forwards again played a big role in the eventual victory with Jamie Bennell finishing with two goals from 14 possessions, Todd Banfield two goals from 12 disposals and seven tackles, and Taryce Stewart two goals.
Ricky Cary also did well to kick two goals from 14 disposals and nine marks despite the wet weather and Warrick Wilson was lively across half-forward and the wing for 18 possessions, five marks and a goal.
Matt Riggio enjoyed the day out against his original WAFL club with a team-high 29 possessions, six marks and five inside-50 entries. Adam Faulkner also had 20 disposals, Jesse Turner 20, Ryan Crowley 17 and Jackson Slater 16 to go with four inside 50s and a goal.
Corey Gault battled hard in the ruck against Jonathon Griffin while down back Swans' back-line was tremendous led by Alex Howard, Kirk Ugle, Tony Notte, Laurence Grescos and Mitch Mackenzie.
Peel had some big ball winners despite the team's inefficiency and none were better than 241-game veteran Rory O'Brien who amassed 32 possessions and laid four tackles.
Brad Walsh also collected 25 possessions for Peel, Haydn Matthews 24, Danyle Pearce 24, Aaron Naughton 23 (11 marks), Traye Bennell 20 and Gerald Ugle 20.
Sam Collins was strong down back for the Thunder with 19 disposals and nine marks with Naughton again impressive for the third straight time to begin his league career.
Jonathon Griffin was good in the ruck with 20 possessions, five marks and 39 hit outs while Chris Wrigley was another to play well with 17 touches and nine marks.
Blair Bell kicked three goals for the Thunder and Zac Dawson two. Matt Taberner went scoreless from 14 possessions and seven marks.
Swans had the opening two scoring shots of the game with the second being a major to Banfield before Peel responded through Fremantle defender Dawson.
Bell soon added another as the Thunder took the lead, but Swans regained the advantage by a point at quarter-time thanks to a goal to Cary.
Bell booted his second to start the second term to put the Thunder back in front by five points but the black-and-whites soon regained the advantage when Brayden Noble kicked truly.
But the Thunder had the last laugh of the first half with a goal to Brayden Lawler and the reigning premiers were up by four points at the main break.
Peel then appeared on its way to building a match-winning lead to start the third quarter with goals to Pearce and Josh Deluca as they opened a game-high lead of 19 points before Swans got a steadying goal through Slater.
Stewart and Cary then kicked important goals for Swans as well as did Bennell following Bell's third for Peel and that was enough to bring the black-and-whites to within just two points at the last change.
By 12 minutes into the last quarter, goals to Wilson, Banfield and Stewart had seen Swans build a match-winning lead of 17 points by the 17-minute mark.
Peel got one goal back through Dawson but it was Swans who kicked the last of the game through Jamie Bennell as the home side went on to win by 16 points to close in on the Thunder's third position.
Swans now have the task of trying to end Subiaco's 16-game winning streak at Leederville Oval on Saturday with the reward to be moving into third position on the ladder with Peel having the bye in Round 20.
Peel will return to action following the bye against Perth at Bendigo Bank Stadium the following Saturday.
SWAN DISTRICTS 2.2 3.3 7.4 11.6 (72)
PEEL THUNDER 2.1 4.1 7.6 8.8 (56)
SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Cary, Stewart, Banfield, Bennell 2; Slater, Noble, Wilson.
Best: Riggio, Wilson, Banfield, Cary, Turner, Faulkner, Bennell, Stewart.
PEEL THUNDER – Goals: Bell 3; Dawson 2; Lawler, Pearce, Deluca.
Best: O'Brien, Griffin, Walsh, Naughton, Collins, Ugle, Matthews.
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