Subiaco vs Peel WAFL grand final: Days of Thunder 2, but it was no cruise

PEEL Thunder have gone back-to-back after defeating Subiaco by 16 points to claim the final ever WAFL decider at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

In a tight match where neither side led by more than 13 points until Griffin Logue’s goal on the final siren, the Thunder called on both class and desperation to claim their second successive premiership over the Lions, 11.6 (72) to 7.14 (56) in front of 18,180 fans.

Thunder defender Luke Ryan claimed the Simpson Medal, judged best on ground for his starring role down back.

Ryan finished with 23 disposals and nine marks and was one of numerous contributors to the win.

Veteran Danyle Pearce finished with 25 disposals and eight inside 50s.

Traye Bennell recorded 20 disposals and Rory O’Brien 19.

Leroy Jetta and Tommy Sherridan both finished with two goals, with each scoring near identical snaps late in the match when extra quality was needed to keep Peel in front.

Tall forward Matt Taberner also booted two goals.

Subiaco forward Ben Sokol threatened to be the match winner with his four goal performance.

Captain Kyal Horsley worked tirelessly to finish with 32 disposals, seven tackles and seven inside 50s.

Christopher Phelan notched up 30 disposals and capped the performance with a goal.

Leigh Kitchin had 26 disposals in the loss.

Outgoing Docker Zac Dawson was pushed forward early in the piece and had the AFL-laden Thunder off to a great start when he snapped the first goal of the game.

He had a hand in the Thunder’s second too, handballing off to skipper Gerald Ugle who kicked straight to have the 2016 premiers off to a flyer.

The Lions kicked their first major through Sokol on 11 minutes when he was able to guide home a floating ball from 45 metres out.

Taberner hit back soon after, burying a long-range effort to restore is side’s two goal lead.

The rain forecast prior to the weekend then hit hard to restrict much of the play to between the 50 metre arcs, with both sides struggling to take any sort of advantage from the slippery conditions.

Clancy Wheeler slotted his first goal late in term one to ensure the competition’s top side throughout the home and away season were within one kick at the first change.

Peel forward Leroy Jetta was first to hit the scoreboard in the second term, making use of what little space he had to snap neatly and give the Thunder a 10-point buffer.

The teams then traded blows on the scoreboard with utility Sheridan finding space to kick his first and Sokol delivering two more majors to keep Subiaco behind by three points at the long change before the minor premiers began to press.

Christopher Phelan, who had 12 disposals to half time, converted a free kick from 45 metres out to give his side the lead for the first time in the match before Sokol was able to slot his fourth after marking in front of the tight-checking Sam Collins.

It took until the 23rd minute but Peel finally got on the board in the third quarter when Josh Deluca picked the scraps from a scramble close to goal.

The Thunder then had their second barely a minute later when Taberner got on the end of a pass from Pearce after he had broken from the centre bounce.

Taberner converted his second for the match and suddenly it was a one-point ball game.

Taylin Duman drew first blood in the last quarter when he toed through his first of the match after being set-up by a long kick from Taberner.

Wheeler put Subiaco back in front when he slotted from 35 metres out after a nice build up from his Lions teammates.

But Jetta showed the Thunder were committed, winning a holding the ball free kick and finishing with a composed checkside to give the Thunder a slender four-point lead.

Not to be outdone, Sheridan delivered a similar finish from the same pocket after Hayden Kennedy was pinged for punching the ball out of bounds deliberately.

Logue put the icing on the cake, kicking a goal on the siren to deliver Peel’s second premiership.

RESERVES

2017 reserves grand final – South Fremantle 10.5 (65) defeated by Subiaco 13.6 (84)

SUBIACO secured its 17th reserves premiership after a 19-point win over South Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday afternoon.

With the game in the balance, the Lions kept the minor premiers scoreless in the final term and put through two goals of their own to win 13.6 (84) to 10.5 (65).

Dylan Clarke kicked a season-high five goals, gathered 23 possessions, put the ball inside 50 five times and laid five tackles to claim the Merv McIntosh medal as the game’s best player after leading the Lions reserves to their first premiership since 2007.

Braden Fimmano and Nick Menegola contributed two goals each to the win in unfavourably wet conditions.

James Garcia led the Lions for disposals with 24 and seven inside 50s, while Greg Clark and Bailey Matera had 20 disposals each.

It was a disappointing end to the year for South Fremantle who had won through to the grand final by beating the Lions by 37-points in a semi final just two weeks ago.

They had also topped the table at the end of the home and away season.

Talented Bulldog Jake Florenca finished with a season-best three goals in the loss, adding 12 tackles and 24 disposals to a solid performance.

Jarrod Parry was also impressive in a losing effort, finishing with 25 disposals, two goals and 10 tackles.

Jacob Dragovich led the team for disposals with 28.

COLTS

2017 colts grand final – East Fremantle 12.5 (77) defeated Claremont Tigers 2.11 (23)

ITS top flight side had a horrid year but East Fremantle’s colts have hinted a resurgence in 2018 and beyond could be driven from within Shark Park after a crushing grand final win over Claremont at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

The competition’s minor premiers saw off their closest rivals by 54 points, claiming the last ever premiership decider played at the ground, 12.5 (77) to 2.11 (23).

It was East Fremantle’s 11th colts premiership and their first since 2010.

Sharks talent Chris Scott secured the Mel Whinnen Medal after being judged best-on-ground for his 21 disposals and 10 marks.

Thomas Joyce (24 disposals) and Zachary Jackson (24) got plenty of the ball while Timothy Bockman proved a handful finishing as the game’s leading scorer with three majors.

Dillon O’Reilly, Brandon Collard, Ambrose Ryan and Joshua Ritchie kicked two goals each in the win.

The Tigers, who were chasing a 16th colts premiership and their third in a row, were hurt by inaccuracy.

Despite finishing with just four less scoring shots, their only two majors came via Isaac Barton and Jack Buller.

Tigers draft hopeful Jake Patmore was the game’s biggest ball-winner with 25 disposals, adding four tackles and four inside 50s to his match.

Ruckman Lewis Davis recorded 22 touches to go with 19 hit-outs, six tackles and nine inside 50s.