Semi-Final McDonald's WAFL ResultsSunday, September 13, 2015 - 11:27 PM - by Chris Pike

SUBIACO is the first team into the WAFL Grand Final of 2015 thanks to a dominant second half to beat West Perth in the second semi-final on Sunday while East Perth kept its hopes alive with a first semi-final victory over Peel Thunder.

West Perth got off to a fast start against Subiaco in the second semi-final at Medibank Stadium, but the Lions kicked 13 of the last 16 goals to end up winning 17.13 (115) to 9.6 (60) with the Lions moving straight into the grand final in a fortnight at Domain Stadium.

The first semi-final took place at Bendigo Bank Stadium and it was East Perth on top virtually all afternoon after Peel kicked the opening two goals with the Royals ending up beating the Thunder 10.24 (84) to 9.8 (62).

East Perth's 22-point win ends Peel's season and first ever finals appearance while the Royals move into next Sunday's preliminary final against West Perth at HBF Arena.

Meanwhile in the reserves, South Fremantle moved straight into the grand final with a 14.17 (101) to 7.12 (54) win over Subiaco at Medibank Stadium while Swan Districts kicked 10 of 11 second half goals to beat West Perth at the same venue 16.13 (109) to 11.11 (77).

Subiaco now plays Swan Districts in the preliminary final on Sunday at HBF Arena for the right to face South Fremantle in the grand final.

And in the colts, Claremont won straight into a third successive grand final beating reigning premiers Swan Districts 12.14 (86) to 9.9 (63) at Bendigo Bank Stadium while also in Mandurah, Peel Thunder beat West Perth 19.8 (122) to 12.7 (79).

Swan Districts and Peel now play in a qualifying final rematch in Sunday's preliminary final at HBF Arena for the right to take on Claremont in the grand final.

Subiaco was playing off with West Perth for a place in the grand final at Medibank Stadium with the Lions coming off the break and having finished the season four games clear on top of the ladder while West Perth had finished second and had good momentum over nine straight matches.

West Perth started encouragingly with three goals in five minutes early in the contest with Michael Lourey prominent at full-forward with two of them opposed to Subiaco's five-time premiership full-back Darren Rumble.

Only a goal after the quarter-time siren from Kyle Halligan brought Subiaco within five points at the first change and then West Perth again led by 11 points early in the third term when Lourey booted his first major.

However, from that point on it was all Subiaco for the rest of the afternoon with the Lions running right over the top of a tired looking Falcons outfit who lost Lourey (ankle) and ruckman Chris Keunen (knee) to knee injuries in the second half with Aaron Black also struggling with a leg complaint.

The result was Subiaco kicking the last three goals of the first half, another five goals to one in the third quarter and then five more to two in the last term to end up winning by 55 points to move straight through to the grand final.

Subiaco might have gone in without a recognised ruckman but Clancy Wheeler and Lachlan Delahunty were tremendous as undersized but mobile big men. Wheeler finished with 23 possessions, 25 hit outs and three goals, and Delahunty 30 disposals, nine marks and 18 hit outs.

Shane Yarran also kicked three goals for the Lions with Kyle Halligan and Sam Menegola booting two apiece with Menegola compiling 28 possessions as well.

Leigh Kitchin gathered 29 disposals for Subiaco while Brett Robinson had 28 touches, Craig Hoskins 28 (12 tackles), Chris Phelan 26 and Wayde Twomey 24. 

Despite being hindered in the second half, Black still managed to finish with 25 possessions, seven marks, six tackles, five inside-50 entries and a goal for West Perth with Shane Nelson also compiling 25 disposals.

Lourey kicked three goals Trent Manzone two with Andrew Strijk amassing 20 touches, Rohan Kerr 19, Aidan Lynch 19, Ray Bartholomew 18 and Laine Rasmussen 18.

Peel Thunder hosted its first ever final at Bendigo Bank Stadium just seven days after playing its first final in club history, but again it wasn’t a winning celebration for the home side with East Perth proving too good after Peel's fast start.

The Thunder got off to the perfect start when captain Brendon Jones opened the game with the first goal after just a couple of minutes in what was the first final of his 219th game WAFL career.

Ed Langdon then soon added another for Peel and after Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls got East Perth on the board, Peel got another major on the quarter-time siren thanks to Jack Hannath to lead by 12 points at the first change.

However, Peel managed just the one behind for the second quarter with East Perth dominating everywhere but on the scoreboard. The Royals did record goals to Tom Lamb and Oakley-Nicholls, but their inaccuracy with 10 behinds limited their lead to just five points at the long break.

Matt Taberner kept Peel in the contest in the third quarter with three goals himself but East Perth had too many winners all over the field with Lamb adding a second goal, and Brendan Lee, Mitch Howlett and Jamie Bennell all kicking truly to see their lead grow to 20 points.

Peel couldn’t get any closer than 15 points in the last quarter despite two more goals from Taberner, with Scott Lycett kicking a goal on his return from injury, Kyle Anderson kicking the sealer on a turnover and then co-captain Craig Wulff sealing the deal and the 22-point victory.

Lee continued to lead the way in the midfield for East Perth with another 35 possessions, nine inside 50s, eight marks and a goal while Kane Lucas gathered 28 disposals and Steven Payne 27.

Lamb and Oakley-Nicholls booted two goals apiece with Rowen Powell also finishing with 20 disposals, Garry Moss 20, Jackson Nelson 19, Malcolm Karpany 17, Mitch Fraser 17 and Corey Adamson 17.

Taberner was the star up forward for Peel with five goals to put his name right back in contention at Fremantle while Jacob Ballard gathered 25 possessions, Langdon 24, Paul Duffield 20, Jones 19, Connor Blakely 19, Brayden Lawler 18 and Brady Grey 18.

SEMI-FINAL McDONALD'S WAFL RESULTS
FIRST SEMI FINALS
LEAGUE
Peel Thunder 9.8 (62) lost to East Perth 10.24 (84)
RESERVES
Swan Districts 16.13 (109) defeated West Perth 11.11 (77)
COLTS
Peel Thunder 19.8 (122) defeated West Perth 12.7 (79)

SECOND SEMI FINALS
LEAGUE
Subiaco 17.13 (115) defeated West Perth 9.6 (60) 
RESERVES
South Fremantle 14.17 (101) defeated Subiaco 7.12 (54)
COLTS
Claremont 12.14 (86) defeated Swan Districts 9.9 (63)