Dockers unable to help Thunder
West Perth have recorded their first win of the 2015 season after overcoming a Peel Thunder side stacked with Fremantle players at HBF Arena this afternoon.
The Falcons rebounded strongly from their round one loss to South Fremantle, prevailing over the Thunder 13.6 (84) to 11.11 (77) in a seesawing clash.
There were 15 Dockers in the Peel side, with the exiled Colin Sylvia did not line up after being a late withdrawal.
Among those Fremantle players were Michael Barlow, Paul Duffield and Danyle Pearce who are all pushing for the Dockers’ round one game against Port Adelaide next Sunday.
All three got through unscathed, with Barlow overcoming a tag from Jay van Berlo to gather 23 possessions, Pearce booting two goals from more than 20 touches and Duffield a little rusty but up to the physicality in his first game since a rib injury.
Andrew Strijk (38 disposals) was outstanding for West Perth, with strong support from Shane Nelson (32 touches) and Aaron Black (30 possessions).
Forward recruit Michael Lourey was dangerous with four goals, while Kody Manning booted three first quarter goals.
Draftees Connor Blakely and Lachie Weller were prominent for Peel, while ruckman Jonathon Griffin toiled manfully.
Peel, who had a starting centre square of Griffin, Barlow, Danyle Pearce and Connor Blakely, opened the scoring and slotted home the first goal when Lachie Weller found Duffy inside 50m for a simple set shot conversion.
But it was all the Falcons from there as they booted four straight, including two to Manning, to take the momentum.
But the Thunder fought back hard late in the term, booting two goals from four consecutive scoring shots to reduce the deficit to two points before a poor defensive error allowed Manning in for his third and make it an eight-point advantage at the first change.
Victorian recruit Michael Lourey extended the home side’s lead early in the second quarter when he slotted one on the run after getting over the back of the Peel defenders.
But the momentum shifted again as the visitors kicked the next four goals of the match and managed to keep West Perth goalless at the other end to take an 11-point lead at half time.
The Falcons made the most of what seemed a strong breeze in the third term, slamming on six unanswered goals to make it an almost 30-point margin as Peel struggled to make the most of their inside 50m opportunities.
Fremantle draftee Ed Langdon finally found the major opening to give the Thunder some chance going into the decider.
It took eight minutes for Peel to score a gaol in the final term, with Pearce converting from the boundary line to bring the deficit under two majors.
But when Matt Guadagnin slotted the immediate response, the wind was taken out of Peel\'92s sails.
When Nathan Fahey and Pearce managed consecutive goals there was hope again for the Thunder but they could’t land the final blow as the Falcons held on.
