Season Review 2022 – Peel ThunderMonday, November 21, 2022 - 7:35 AM - by Chris Pike

PEEL Thunder built some impressive momentum in the second half of the 2022 season to make their return to the finals before bowing out in the first semi-final.

Having waited until 2015 to play their first final after entering the WAFL in 1997, Peel won back-to-back premierships in 2016 and 2017 but then hadn’t played finals since until this year.

Peel was precariously placed at the midpoint of the season sitting 5-6 after a loss to West Perth in Round 12, but the Thunder built some strong momentum from there to book in their finals spot.

The Thunder won their next four matches and then following a slip up against Claremont in Round 18, thrashed West Coast and Swan Districts in the last two rounds to finish on an 11-7 record and lock in their finals return.

Peel then kicked the last two goals of the elimination final to beat South Fremantle to win their first final since the 2017 Grand Final before losing to Claremont in a first semi-final in the first year under coach Geoff Valentine.

With Lloyd Meek dominating in the ruck and with Fremantle teammates Mitch Crowden, Connor Blakely, Neil Erasmus and Karl Worner prolific through the midfield, it became an impressive Peel line-up.

With Joel Hamling holding down full-back, Nathan Wilson running off half-back and then Sam Sturt and Josh Treacy leading the attack, there was a lot to like.

It wasn't just Fremantle's AFL-listed players though. Dual premiership winning hard man Blair Bell had another standout season while Ty Anderson emerged as a running defender and the return of Haydn Matthews to a midfield role was outstanding.

Captain Ben Hancock and reigning fairest and best winner Tyrone Thorne had injury-interrupted seasons but were rolling in the back end too and despite the first semi-final exit, it was a season full of positives for the Thunder.

They were a more attacking outfit too finishing second for scoring with 87.2 points a game while being ranked second for each of the second, third and fourth quarters despite being notoriously slow starters.

With the partnership of blending Fremantle and local Peel players continuing to work seamlessly and with Valentine the perfect man to lead them forward as Thunder coach while working at the Dockers, there's no reason Peel can't be looking towards 2023 now with tremendous optimism.

FINISHING POSITION: Fifth, 11-7, 133.9%, Lost first semi-final

WHAT WENT WELL: By the end of the home and away season, Peel had built up some ominous form and would have been thinking a repeat of their premiership glories of 2016 and 2017 was a distinct possibility. The Thunder ended up winning six of the last seven games to lock in their finals appearance before going on to beat South Fremantle with a strong finish to the elimination final. They then came up short in the first semi-final a week later against Claremont. There was plenty to like about what Peel built and a lot of it was on the back of Lloyd Meek in the ruck with Mitch Crowden and Connor Blakely around him. None of those three will be back, though, but the emergence of local products Ty Anderson, Jack Sears, Brodie Carroll, Riley Smith and others are an encouraging sign moving forward.

BEST PLAYER: You often hear that big men take longer to develop and clearly in Lloyd Meek's fourth season on Fremantle's AFL list, he showed that he's ready to come into his own and be a standout ruckman at AFL level as of 2023 and beyond. He finished the WAFL season with Peel in some remarkably dominant form as he laid claim to being the best big man across the competition. In his last three matches alone of the home and away season, he averaged 22 possessions and 34 hit outs while kicking four goals highlighting his quality. Has shown he's good enough to be a regular AFL ruckman, and he looks set to receive those extra opportunities at Hawthorn now in 2023.

DEBUTANTS
Karl Worner – Round 1
Ty Anderson – Round 1
Riley Smith – Round 1
Jye Amiss – Round 1
Neil Erasmus – Round 2
Brodie Carroll – Round 2
Wade Derksen – Round 2
Zak Pretty – Round 2
Matthew Johnson – Round 5
Jacob Hewitt – Round 7
Jaxon Egan – Round 7
Guy Barnes – Round 7
Heath Chapman – Round 12
Nathan O'Driscoll – Round 13
Eric Benning – Round 14
Jed Adams – Round 17

MOST IMPROVED: While being a home for Fremantle's AFL-listed players to develop or gain fitness and form, it's crucial for Peel to continue to give opportunities to local young talents and to turn them into quality WAFL footballers, and that's exactly what happened with Ty Anderson in 2022. He had never played a league game coming into the season, but he soon became one of the Thunder's more important and consistent local performers. He provided some great dash and flair with his run off half-back, and ended up playing every game and averaging 11.6 possessions including a best of 19 disposals in the final round thrashing of Swan Districts. He will continue to be an important player for the Thunder moving forward.

OUTLOOK FOR 2023: The Thunder built into the 2022 season nicely under the coaching of Geoff Valentine to return to finals action, and rightfully they might feel they underachieved a little by bowing out in a first semi-final. But in a lot of ways, it will be starting all over again in 2023 because they won't have Fremantle-listed key players Lloyd Meek, Mitch Crowden and Connor Blakely to count on. However, should the Dockers perform strongly again at AFL level and remain relatively healthy, the Thunder will have access to plenty of quality players. Then to top it off, key pair Ben Hancock and Tyrone Thorne will look to have full seasons, and Peel will have enough talent to top up with to be around the mark again in 2023 should things fall their way.