Optus WAFLW Semi Finals WrapMonday, June 21, 2021 - 12:24 PM - by Chris Pike

REIGNING premiers Peel Thunder are the first team through to the 2021 WAFLW Grand Final while Swan Districts and Subiaco are now the two teams remaining fighting for the rights to take them on.

After a fascinating 15 rounds of the 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership Season, the finals got underway on Sunday with two fascinating match ups and the challenging conditions only made the games all the more enthralling.

First up was the first semi-final between Claremont and Subiaco at Revo Fitness Stadium with both teams fighting for survival and to advance to the preliminary final.

It was a tight affair all afternoon but the home ground advantage wasn’t enough for Claremont with Subiaco maintaining their hot form the second half of the season to end up defeating the Tigers 2.6 (18) to 2.3 (15).

It was then time for the second semi-final at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval with the winner to advance straight into the 2021 Grand Final.

Swan Districts had earned home ground advantage but they couldn’t manage a goal from their 11 shots for the afternoon and Peel Thunder got over the line as a result 2.4 (16) to 0.11 (11) to reach a second straight WAFLW Grand Final.

That means Peel is through to the decider on the weekend of July 3/4 at Mandurah's David Grays Arena where they will face wither Swan Districts or Subiaco who will lock horns in this Sunday's preliminary final at Steel Blue Oval.

Meanwhile in the WAFLW Reserves, Swan Districts defeated Claremont in the first semi-final 7.2 (44) to 2.1 (13) while East Fremantle beat Peel Thunder 3.5 (23) to 2.5 (17) in the second semi-final.

That means that Claremont have been eliminated while East Fremantle is through to the Grand Final and now Peel Thunder and Swan Districts meet in this Sunday's preliminary final in the WAFLW Reserves.

Then in the Youth Girls Rogers Cup, Peel Thunder beat East Fremantle 3.3 (21) to 2.8 (20) in the first semi-final while in the second semi-final, West Perth defeated the reigning premiers South Fremantle 2.9 (21) to 2.3 (15).

That means that West Perth is the first team through to the Rogers Cup Grand Final while South Fremantle will now play Peel Thunder in this Sunday's preliminary final for the right to take on the Falcons.

OPTUS WAFLW PREMIERSHIP SEASON – SEMI FINALS

FIRST SEMI-FINAL
CLAREMONT 2.3 (15) lost to SUBIACO 2.6 (18)

After a tough start to the season, Subiaco has taken its hot form into the finals to now advance to the preliminary final after beating Claremont on Sunday.

Claremont earned the rights to host the first semi-final on Sunday at Revo Fitness Stadium but Subiaco had come into the finals in hot form setting up a fascinating contest.

The Lions had lost four of their opening five matches of the season and six of the opening eight, but they ended up winning six of their last seven games to book in their finals spot for a third successive WAFLW season.

Neither team managed a goal in the opening quarter in the wet conditions on Sunday afternoon. Claremont didn’t manage a score at all, in fact, in the first term while the Lions did end up with five points on the board by quarter-time.

It was then a goal apiece to either team in the opening quarter and that meant Subiaco were leading Claremont by four points heading into the half-time break.

Claremont appeared to take control in the third term coming out of the break with the only goal of the quarter and also holding Subiaco scoreless. That saw the Tigers lead the Lions by four points at three quarter-time.

That set up a fascinating finish and it was Subiaco who took back control holding Claremont scoreless in the last quarter while kicking their second goal to end up winning 2.6 (18) to 2.3 (15).

That means that Subiaco is through to the preliminary final to take on Swan Districts with a Grand Final spot up for grabs while the season is over for Claremont.

The goalkickers in the eventual three-point win for Subiaco were Amy Hunt and Hayley Miller.

Subiaco advanced to the preliminary final and among their standout performers in the win in the first semi-final were Caitlin Walker, Jessica Ritchie, Tayla Thorogood, Tarnica Golisano and Claire Ortlepp.

Claremont managed two goals for the afternoon with those scored by Amber Goodwin-Wissink and Amy Franklin.

While disappointed to see their season that promised so much coming to an end, Jessica Low, Matilda Husband, Rachel Ortlepp, Mikayla Western and Ella Smith all were among the standout performers for the Tigers.
 

SECOND SEMI-FINAL
SWAN DISTRICTS 0.11 (11) lost to PEEL THUNDER 2.4 (16)

Swan Districts and Peel Thunder had been the two standout teams all throughout the WAFLW season so it was only fitting they locked horns on Sunday for the rights to be the first team to advance to the Grand Final.

Swan Districts dominated the 2021 Optus WAFLW Premiership Season winning their opening 13 matches in-a-row to secure the minor premiership and to get to play the second semi-final at home at Steel Blue Oval on Sunday.

However, Peel was the team to end the undefeated streak of Swans back in Round 14 and the Thunder won last year's WAFLW premiership while Swan Districts played in the 2019 Grand Final.

So both teams have been around the mark in the WAFLW competition and the stage was set for a fascinating second semi-final on Sunday and even more so with the tough wet weather conditions thrown into the mix.

Peel quickly worked its way on top during the first quarter despite playing away from home. The Thunder had three scoring shots to one in the opening term and managed the only goal to lead by seven points at quarter-time.

Swan Districts kicked three further behinds in the second quarter and with Peel only managing one point themselves, the lead for the Thunder was back to just five points at half-time.

Swan Districts bombarded the goals in the third quarter desperate for that elusive goal, but it wouldn’t eventuate. Instead the home team managed just the six behinds but with the Thunder only adding a point, scores were all locked up by three quarter-time.

However, Peel kicked its second goal of the game in the fourth term and that was enough to secure the 2.4 (16) to 0.11 (11) victory.

Peel now is through to a second straight Grand Final and a chance to make it back-to-back WAFLW premierships. Swan Districts still has a chance to reach the Grand Final with a win in this Sunday's preliminary final against Subiaco at Steel Blue Oval.

Peel managed to kick the only two goals of the game in the second semi-final and they came courtesy of Katie Jayne Grieve and Kate Bartlett.

The Thunder won to advance straight to the Grand Final for 2021 and among their standout performers were Ebony Bilcich, Chloe Wrigley, Gracie Fenton, Abby Barnden and Cassie Davidson.

Swan Districts might not have managed to kick a goal in the tough conditions on Sunday at Steel Blue Oval in the second semi-final, but Tara Stribley, Sarah Wielstra and Emily McGuire all had multiple opportunities and kicked two behinds each.

The best players on the afternoon despite the result for Swan Districts included Stephanie Cain, Lauren Osborne, Eliza Gelmi, Tara Stribley and Bianca Webb.