SUBIACO made quite the statement at Bendigo Bank Stadium on Saturday in the first WAFL Grand Final rematch of 2018 with the Lions thrashing Peel Thunder by 92 points.

 

The WAFL resumed on Saturday following the break for the State game the previous week that saw the KIA WAFL State Team defeat the SANFL by 26 points at Adelaide Oval with Western Australia beating South Australia for the first time since 1994 in Adelaide.

 

There couldn’t be a better way for the season to resume with the first Grand Final rematch of the season with Peel and Subiaco meeting for the first time in 2018 since playing one another in each of the previous two premiership deciders.

 

Peel won both those premierships but always appeared set to have its hands full against an on-fire Subiaco team on Saturday even in Mandurah.

 

The Thunder did start strongly, though, with four goals to two in the opening term to lead by eight points at quarter-time.

 

But from there it was all Subiaco with the Lions piling on 19 goals to three over the last three quarters of the game to claim the 21.14 (140) to 7.6 (48) victory.

 

It was as emphatic a performance as you can get from Subiaco with the Lions finishing the afternoon with 127 more disposals than Peel, 47 more marks, 28 extra inside-50 entries and 35 scoring shots to 13 on the way to the 92-point triumph.

 

Subiaco has now won all six of its matches in 2018 by an average of 78.7 points against East Perth, South Fremantle, Swan Districts, Claremont, West Perth and now Peel Thunder.

 

Peel is struggling so far in 2018 in its quest for a premiership three-peat having now won just two of six games.

 

It was quite the emphatic showing once again from Subiaco and it was hard to split captain Kyal Horsley and recruit Ben Newton for best on ground honours.

Horsley finished the afternoon with 41 possessions, nine inside 50s, seven tackles and four marks while Newton kicked five goals from 26 disposals, six marks, five tackles and five inside-50 entries.

Subiaco had plenty more options in attack too with Rhys Waters kicking another three goals, Brad Stevenson three, Lachlan Delahunty two and Max Walters two.

Delahunty also racked up 28 possessions, eight marks and eight hit outs with Walters collecting 23 disposals and six marks too.

Leigh Kitchin amassed 29 possessions as well for the Lions, Hayden Kennedy 24, Greg Clark 21, Chris Phelan 21, Scott Hancock 21, Jacob Miller (eight tackles) and ruckman Zac Clarke 14 along with six marks, 31 hit outs and a goal.

Luke Strnadica kicked two goals for Peel along with 12 disposals, four marks and 18 hit outs.

Ben Howlett worked tirelessly for the Thunder with 22 possessions and 13 tackles while Stefan Giro collected 27 disposals, Ethan Hughes 22, Tom Sheridan 21, Shane Kersten 19 and Ben Hancock 16 to go with seven tackles.

Subiaco's reserves also delivered a solid performance at Bendigo Bank Stadium on Saturday defeating Peel Thunder 14.4 (88) to 9.9 (63).

Sean Bradley, Andrew Doyle and David Ehlers all kicked three goals each for Subiaco with Daniel Perkins booting two.

Michael Braut racked up 25 possessions for the Lions, Daniel Leach 23, Ben Reid 17, Tom Edwards-Baldwin 17 (eight tackles) and Travis Cleggett 15.

Nick Merritt kicked three goals for Peel, Calvin Thorne two and William Zilko two.

Chris Wrigley finished with 19 disposals for the Thunder, James Kirby 19, Corey Morris 18, Thorne 16 and Kalani Scarrott 16. Lloyd Meek had 46 hit outs in the ruck.

Peel will look to bounce back against East Fremantle on Saturday at East Fremantle Oval and it really shapes as a must-win game if the Thunder want to remain in touch for a finals position in 2018.

 

Subiaco will be out for a seventh straight win to start the 2018 season on Saturday against Perth at Lathlain Park. The Lions have won three straight and 10 of the last 11 against the Demons.

 

 

PEEL THUNDER – Goals: Strnadica 2; Ugle, H Bennell, Apeness, Jones, Giro.

Best: Howlett, Giro, Kersten, Sheridan, Hughes, Hancock.

SUBIACO – Goals: Newton 5; Waters, Stevenson 3; Delahunty, Walters 2; Kennedy, Halligan, Clark, Phelan, Hancock, Clarke.

Best: Newton, Horsley, Delahunty, Kennedy, Walters, Kitchin, Miller.