Round 9 Match Report – Claremont v Peel Thunder

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Round 9 Match Report – Claremont v Peel ThunderTuesday, June 5, 2018 - 6:25 PM - by Chris Pike

PEEL Thunder returned to the WAFL winner's list on Saturday and stayed in touch with the top five with a solid 11-point victory against Claremont at Claremont Oval.

Peel had come off a disappointing last two weeks made up of a four-goal loss to the last placed East Fremantle and a 92-point defeat to Subiaco while Claremont had upset South Fremantle last week to win by a goal.

But it was the Thunder on top from the outset at Claremont Oval on Saturday to come away with the hard fought 10.5 (65) to 7.12 (54) victory.

The win improves Peel to a 3-5 record on the season to be knocking on the door of the top five with East Perth in fifth at 4-4 and with the bye coming up in Round 10. Claremont slipped to a 2-6 record as a result of its loss.

Brandon Matera responded well to being demoted to play his first game for Peel and put his hand up for an immediate AFL recall with Fremantle after delivering three goals along with 20 possessions and eight marks.

Blair Bell was also a strong contributor in attack for Peel kicking two goals from 14 touches, six marks and four tackles. Debutant Alex Cohen was lively kicking two goals too from seven kicks.

Danyle Pearce was another Fremantle-listed player responding well to being dropped by racking up 30 possessions for Peel to put himself in the mix for an AFL recall.

Ethan Hughes also had 23 touches and seven marks for the Thunder, Hayden Ballantyne 19 disposals, six inside 50s, five marks and five tackles, and Michael Johnson 17 possessions and seven marks.

Ben Howlett did a power of work for Peel with 20 possessions and 17 tackles too with Brayden Lawler finishing with 20 disposals, nine marks and six tackles, Jordan Boullineau 18 touches and seven marks, and Traye Bennell 17 possessions.

Tom Lee was once again Claremont's main option in attack in the absence of Beau Maister and he stood up to kick three goals from nine kicks and three marks.

Kane Mitchell was Claremont's other multiple goal scorer, booting two majors to go along with 21 possessions and five marks.

Haydn Busher also racked up 29 possessions, Jye Bolton 29, Tom Curren 21 (10 tackles), Jared Hardisty 19 (nine tackles) and Ryan Murphy 17 (six marks, six tackles, five inside 50s).

Oliver Eastland battled hard in the ruck up against both Lloyd Meek and Luke Strnadica with 15 disposals, 15 hit outs, five tackles, four marks and a goal.

It took just three minutes for Peel to have the game's first goal on the board and that went to demoted Dockers small forward Brandon Matera. Debutant Alex Cohen and then Matera again ensured the Thunder had the opening three goals by the 18-minute mark.

Claremont's lone first quarter goal was thanks to Kane Mitchell at the 21-minute mark but Peel answered thanks to Keegan Power to lead by 15 points by quarter-time.

Goals inside the first 10 minutes of the second term to Bell and Matera again saw Peel's lead out to a match-winning 27-point advantage.

Claremont again only managed one goal for the term, to Tom Curren at the 13-minute, and Peel was able to lead by 18 points at half-time still.

The Tigers managed to close the gap by three quarter-time to just four points following goals to Lee after Gerald Ugle had put Peel 23 points in front earlier in the quarter.

Peel entered the last term just four points up but that soon became nine with Cohen's second goal on debut and they would maintain the advantage in the scrappy affair to win by 11 points.

Claremont's reserves delivered a dominant performance at Claremont Oval on Saturday to beat Peel Thunder 16.10 (106) to 4.9 (33).

It was a tight first quarter with the Tigers only leading by a goal at quarter-time. But Claremont pulled away with the only three goals of the second quarter and then the only six majors of the third term to lead by 63 points at three quarter-time.

The Tigers added a further four goals to two in the last quarter to come away with the 73-point victory that took them back to the top of the ladder with the Thunder down to second last spot.

Brett Wilson and James Egan kicked three goals each for Claremont with Shaquille Morton also kicking two.

Addison Dew collected 26 possessions and 11 marks for the Tigers while Dylan Smallwood gathered 23 disposals (13 marks), Morgan Davies 22, Ben Rushforth 21, Jack Lewsey 21, Tom Shanahan 20 and Rhett Lloyd 18. Jeremy Goddard had 49 hit outs in the ruck.

Michael Tassone, Kaine Ah Chee, Jake Dowding and Robert Schindler-Taylor kicked a goal each for Peel.

James Kirby compiled 29 possessions for the Thunder, Haydn Matthews 27, Chris Wrigley 24, Ah Chee 24 and Calvin Thorne 18. Downing also had 15 disposals and 17 hit outs in the ruck.

Claremont will attempt to get its third win of the season and stay in the finals hunt this Saturday up against Swan Districts at Claremont Oval.

Peel Thunder will try to make it consecutive wins and close in on a top five position as well when it hosts West Perth at Bendigo Bank Stadium on Saturday. That will be an in-form Falcons team but one that will have only a five-day break.

CLAREMONT 1.4 2.8 5.11 7.12 (54)

PEEL THUNDER 4.1 6.2 7.3 10.5 (65)

CLAREMONT – Goals: Lee 3; Mitchell 2; Curren, Eastland.

Best: Busher, Mitchell, Bolton, Curren, Hardisty, Lee, Murphy.

PEEL THUNDER – Goals: Matera 3; Bell, Cohen 2; Ugle, McGowan, Power.

Best: Matera, Howlett, Pearce, Hughes, Lawler, Meek, Ballantyne.