Match Report – Thunder fire up after fast Demons startSunday, August 29, 2021 - 12:25 PM - by Chris Pike

IT was quite the seesaw affair in Mandurah on Saturday with Perth kicking seven of the game's first eight goals, Peel Thunder answered with the next 10 and went on with the job to win at home by 43 points.

Neither Peel nor Perth could still make the finals with two rounds of the Optus WAFL Premiership Season remaining but nor did either of them want to end up with the wooden spoon which could still happen with a loss on Saturday at David Grays Arena.

The game turned into being quite the remarkable spectacle and Perth started on fire kicking seven goals to one in the first quarter to open up a lead of as many as 37 points.

However, the home team then got on their own roll and Peel would pile on five goals to just one behind from Perth in the second quarter, and another five goals to a point in the third.

After the two goalless quarters, Perth did start off the final term well with three goals in the opening 18 minutes to get back to within 19 points of Peel, the Demons wouldn’t get any closer.

The Thunder had all answers once more and kicked the final four goals of the game through Ryan Bennell, Tobe Watson, Brayden Lawler and Joel Western to run out 16.10 (106) to 10.3 (63) winners against the Demons.

The result means that Peel has now won the last two games to take themselves out of the wooden spoon contention but Perth has now lost last 10 matches in-a-row to be stuck on four wins and to remain only being percentage ahead of the last placed West Coast Eagles.

There was plenty to like from the performance of the Thunder after quarter-time with Brayden Lawler and Jack Sears both kicking three goals, and Blair Bell and Ryan Bennell two apiece.

Stefan Giro responded to his delisting from Fremantle during the week with a brilliant performance for Peel made up of 29 possessions, eight inside-50 entries, seven marks, five tackles and a goal.

Mitch Crowden also racked up 29 disposals, Jackson Merrett 25, Tyrone Thorne 23, Ben Hancock 23 and ruckman Lloyd Meek 16 to go with 39 hit outs, five marks, five tackles and a goal.

Fraser McInnes marked his return from a hamstring injury for Perth to kick three goals while Brady Grey and Corey Byrne kicked two goals each. Byrne also had 26 possessions and six tackles, and Grey 19 disposals and seven marks.

 Austin Davis continued his strong finish to the season for the Demons with another 26 possessions with Michael Sinclair finishing with 22 touches and six marks, ruckman Jordon Reid 19 disposals and 28 hit outs, and Conor McPartland 13 possessions, four marks and four tackles.

Peel will now finish its season with another home game at David Grays Arena on Saturday against the top ranked Subiaco. Perth is back at home to Mineral Resources Park to finish its season against a finals bound West Perth.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 21

PEEL THUNDER            1.0    6.3    11.9    16.10 (106)
PERTH                7.1    7.2    7.3    10.3 (63)

PEEL THUNDER: Goals – Lawler, Sears 3; Bell, Bennell 2; Watson, Thorne, Western, Meek, Banfield, Giro.
Best – Giro, Crowden, Hancock, Meek, Sears, Thorne, Bell, Merrett.
PERTH: Goals – McInnes 3; Byrne, Grey 2; Cary, Giblett, Sanderson.
Best – Byrne, Davis, Grey, Sinclair, Reid, Gray, McPartland.