EAST Perth continued its imposing form since its big loss to Subiaco to open the season cruising to a 33-point win against East Fremantle on Sunday that only wasn’t by significantly more due to their inaccuracy.

 

East Perth has now won four straight matches and done so in supremely impressive fashion since that 118-point loss to Subiaco on Good Friday to open the 2018 WAFL season.

 

The Royals had beaten West Perth, Perth and Peel Thunder since then to head to East Fremantle Oval on Sunday full of confidence against an East Fremantle team who had lost to South Fremantle and Swan Districts the previous two weeks by a combined 184 points.

 

East Perth dominated kicking with the breeze in the first quarter even with East Fremantle getting the first goal of the game. 

 

But the only thing stopping the Royals opening a match-winning lead was their inaccuracy with just three goals from 13 shots.

 

It was a similar story in the third term again with the breeze as East Perth kicked another 4.6 but despite that inaccuracy the Royals controlled the contest from start to finish to end up winning 10.21 (81) to 6.12 (48).

 

Despite only winning by 33 points in the finish, it was a complete domination by East Perth who had 50 more disposals than East Fremantle, took 13 more marks, had 30 more entries inside-50 and 13 more scoring shots.

 

The Royals now head into the break for the State game against South Australia at Adelaide Oval this Saturday with an impressive 4-1 record in third position. 

 

East Fremantle is anchored to the bottom of the ladder at 1-5 with a percentage of just 62.

 

East Perth's big men had a strong afternoon led by Fraser McInnes continuing his career-best run of form finishing with another 19 possessions, seven marks, 29 hit outs and a goal.

He had good support from Asher Samelko who delivered 20 disposals, six marks, six tackles, 14 hit outs, nine entries inside the forward 50 and a goal as well.

Then up forward, Jarrod Brander continued to show why he is a key forward for West Coast to build around in the years to come with two goals from 18 possessions and seven marks.

Will Schofield continued his strong form at centre half-back too for the Royals with another 17 possessions, five marks and five inside-50 entries.

With Mark Hutchings out of the East Perth midfield, Luke Partington returned and was outstanding with 29 disposals, five marks and a goal with Brayden Ainsworth also gathering 23 possessions, Sharrod Wellingham 21, Malcolm Karpany 20 and Tarir Bayok 19.

Shayne Hill kicked another two goals for East Perth in what was a solid enough all-round display by the Royals to make it four successive victories.

Cameron Loersch provided some positivity as a target in attack for East Fremantle. 

With Jack Perham and Alex Howson going out of the side, Loersch took over as the main option forward making his WAFL league debut having spent the last three years largely injury-riddled while listed with the Gold Coast Suns. 

He showed encouraging signs, though, with two goals from 14 possessions and seven marks.

Jayden Schofield was once again far and away East Fremantle's best with 31 possessions and 11 marks off half-back. But the reigning fairest and best winner has found himself suspended for the second time this season when his team could least afford to try to cover his absence.

Sean Henson returned for the Sharks after missing the loss to Swan Districts and gathered 22 disposals to go with six marks and six inside-50 entries.

Jonathon Marsh finished with 19 possessions, George Hampson 19 and James Bristow 19 in the ruck to go with 24 hit outs, six inside-50 entries and a goal in the absence of captain Jonathon Griffin.

East Perth started with the advantage of the breeze in the first quarter but it was East Fremantle who scored the opening goal courtesy of debutant big man Cameron Loersch.

Just a minute later and Shayne Hille scored East Perth's first goal but by the time Carl Green added the Sharks' second at the 21-minute mark, they had done well to be within just the four points.

East Perth went on to have the last seven scoring shots of the first term with East Fremantle fortunate that only included the one goal to Jarrod Brander limiting the Royals' lead to only 16 points.

The Sharks picked up the advantage of the wind in the second term and did have the first five scoring shots as a result but that only led to the one goal too courtesy of Dylan Winton.

Loersch also added his second of the first half before half-time and East Fremantle went into the main break with a one-point lead having held East Perth to the one behind for the entire quarter.

East Perth responded with a dominant third term and while they did just manage four goals from 10 attempts on goal, the majors to Asher Samelko, Callan England, Josh Rotham and Shayne Hille put them on top by 27 points at the last change.

East Perth then kicked three goals to two in the last term to end up winning a fourth straight match by 33 points.

East Perth's reserves also recorded a comfortable 12.7 (79) to 5.3 (33) victory against East Fremantle at East Fremantle Oval.

Dwayn Bolton and Eric Bashemule kicked two goals each for East Perth.

Mitch Fraser picked up 29 possessions for the Royals, Jaxon Cahill 25, Josh Hewett 21, Matt Young 20, Will Young 18, Nelson Waite 18 and Mitch Dobson 18.

Ryan Lester-Smith returned from a knee reconstruction and kicked two goals for East Fremantle.

Liam Anthony collected 27 possessions for the Sharks, Joel Kalajzic 23, Kim Schofield 21, Jye Clements 20 and Aiden Wainwright 17.

East Perth will have a stern challenge following the State game break taking on the also 4-1 South Fremantle at Leederville Oval in Round 7 on Saturday May 19.

 

East Fremantle's job of returning to playing competitive football won't be an easy one in a fortnight's time up against West Perth on the same day at Joondalup Arena.

 

 

EAST FREMANTLE – Goals: Loersch 2; Snadden, Winton, Green, Bristow.

Best: Schofield, Bristow, Henson, Loersch, Marsh, Hampson.

EAST PERTH – Goals: Hille, Brander 2; Samelko, Ainsworth, McInnes, Partington, Rotham, England.

Best: Partington, McInnes, Brander, Samelko, Wellingham, Ainsworth, Schofield.