McDonald's WAFL Finals Week 1 ResultsSunday, September 6, 2015 - 11:54 PM - by Chris Pike

WEST Perth proved too good for an undermanned Peel Thunder on Sunday to advance to the second semi-final against Subiaco while East Perth kept its 2015 WAFL season alive by eliminating Claremont in a tighter affair.

The 2015 WAFL finals series began with minor premiers Subiaco having the bye to await its second semi-final opponent, and now that will be West Perth after the Falcons beat Peel Thunder in its first ever finals appearance 22.13 (145) to 5.6 (36) at HBF Arena.

West Perth advances to the second semi-final to play Subiaco next Sunday at Medibank Stadium with a grand final berth at stake while Peel will return home to Bendigo Bank Stadium to host East Perth in the first semi-final.

East Perth kept its hopes of making a third successive grand final alive by kicking the last four goals of the elimination final at Medibank Stadium to beat Claremont 13.15 (93) to 9.7 (61).

Little separated East Perth and Claremont for most of the afternoon in the elimination final at Medibank Stadium, but the Royals did kick the first goal of the game through Rowen Powell and never conceded the lead right throughout the day.

Beau Maister kept Claremont in touch throughout the first half kicking his team's first three goals, but the Royals did appear to have their measure leading by as much as 21 points during the second term, and then still by 15 at half-time after Powell booted his third major.

East Perth again went 21 points up early in the third term with a goal to Tom Lamb, but Claremont then had its best period of the game with three goals in six minutes to Tom Swift, Mitch Andrews and Oliver Tate to make the margin just three points.

That's as close as the Tigers would get, though, with East Perth dominating the last quarter with the only four goals courtesy of Kane Lucas, Scott Selwood, Lamb and Mitch Howlett to win by 32 points and keep their season alive.

East Perth ended up finding plenty of avenues to goal with Powell playing his best league game kicking three while Howlett, Selwood, Lucas and Lamb all booted two apiece.

Co-captain Brendan Lee was superb with 35 possessions and a goal while fellow skipper Craig Wulff led from the front with 22 touches, 10 marks, seven tackles and seven inside-50 entries.

Steven Payne also had 35 disposals for the Royals, Lucas 30, Selwood 24, Howlett 24, Malcolm Karpany 22, Garry Moss 21 and Mitch Fraser 20 while they did well keeping Kepler Bradley, Jack Bradshaw and Ian Richardson to a combined two goals.

Maister ended up with just the three goals for Claremont while Tate contributed two but the Tigers' problem all season was finding enough goals, and that was again the problem as their season comes to an end.

Captain Jake Murphy continued his strong form to end a tough season personally through injury racking up 28 possessions and laying seven tackles while Matthew Davies gathered 28 touches, Swift 23, Ryan Neates 20, Keifer Yu 19, Ryan Lim 19 and Corey Yeo 18. 

The game also will be the last of Claremont ruckman Mark Seaby with him announcing his retirement following 129 WAFL matches with West Perth and Claremont, including the 2003 premiership, and 120 games in the AFL at West Coast and Sydney, including the 2006 premiership.

Peel might have been the raging underdogs coming into its first ever final against West Perth with captain Brendon Jones and key defender Josh Bootsma joining all its Fremantle-listed players aside from Tom Vandeleur, Sean Hurley and Craig Moller, but the Thunder started brightly.

With five players on debut and three more playing their first games of 2015, Peel came out with plenty of intensity and spirit, and debutant Kyle Shanahan kicked the first goal of the game and then shortly after Hurley added another.

West Perth did steady through Michael Lourey before Mitch Gill kicked his first of two for the day and Peel was surprise 12-point leaders at quarter-time.

West Perth coach Bill Monaghan was far from happy and let his team know it at the break, and got just the response he was after with the Falcons piling on seven goals in a 15-minute patch in the second quarter to put the result beyond doubt.

The Falcons led by 34 points at half-time and then kicked another four goals to one in the third quarter, and nine goals to one in the last to end up winning by 109 points having kicked 21 goals to two after quarter-time.

West Perth ended the game with 15 goal kickers with Nick Rodda leading the way with four while Lourey added three, Matt Fowler two and Rohan Kerr two.

Aaron Black had a big day for the Falcons to continue his tremendous form with another 41 possessions, 12 marks and a goal.

Kerr also racked up 33 disposals to go with his two goals while Trent Manzone had 32 touches, Luke Tedesco 30 (10 marks), Drew Rohde 30 (12 marks), Marcus Adams 27 (12 marks), Aidan Lynch 24, Ray Bartholomew 22, Andrew Strijk 21, Steven Browne 20, Shane Nelson 20, Jay van Berlo 20 and Kody Manning 20.

Craig Moller worked hard in the ruck for Peel with 13 touches and 45 hit outs while Tom Vandeleur had 23 possessions, Brennan Gillam 22, Harrison Tyler 18, Brayden Lawler 18 and captain for the day Eddy Dann 17.

Meanwhile in the reserves, Subiaco booked in a second semi-final meeting with South Fremantle after beating Swan Districts 9.10 (64) to 8.14 (62) with Swans to now face West Perth in the first semi-final after the Falcons downed East Perth 9.8 (62) to 8.11 (59).

Swan Districts' colts moved into a second semi-final with Claremont next Sunday as well by beating Peel Thunder 13.12 (90) to 4.9 (33) on Sunday with Peel to play West Perth in the first semi-final after the Falcons defeated East Fremantle 10.7 (67) to 6.16 (52) at HBF Arena.

McDONALD'S WAFL WEEK 1 FINAL RESULTS
QUALIFYING FINALS
LEAGUE
West Perth 22.13 (145) defeated Peel Thunder 5.6 (36)
RESERVES
Subiaco 9.10 (64) defeated Swan Districts 8.14 (62)
COLTS
Swan Districts 13.12 (90) defeated Peel Thunder 4.9 (33)

ELIMINATION FINALS
LEAGUE
East Perth 13.15 (93) defeated Claremont 9.7 (61)
RESERVES
West Perth 9.8 (62) defeated East Perth 8.11 (59)
COLTS
East Fremantle 6.16 (52) lost to West Perth 10.7 (67)