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Thunder roll on but Silvagni crocked again

Peel’s Joshua Mathers looks to release under pressure. Pic: Ben Crabtree/WA News

Peel Thunder will finish the round firmly entrenched in the top two after brushing aside Claremont in a 27-point win at Bendigo Bank Stadium this afternoon.

But Fremantle defender Alex Silvagni could be set for more time on the sidelines after being carried to the bench with an injured left hamstring less than one quarter into his return from the same injury.

Silvagni was in obvious pain immediately after the injury and took no further part in the game, but was walking unhindered after the game in a positive sign for the Dockers.

The Thunder recorded their fourth straight victory, a first for the club, by keeping the Tigers to just nine behinds in the third quarter.

It was a performance built in the midfield, with the Thunder’s pressure proving too hot for their opponents to handle on the way to a significant 16.12 (108) to 11.15 (81) win for the club.

The home side’s 4-1 record represents their best ever start to a season and puts them in second spot on the ladder, behind Subiaco, with one game left to play this round.

Both East Fremantle (fourth) and South Fremantle (fifth) are mathematically capable of leapfrogging them with a win today, but are a long way behind on percentage.

The result means the Tigers are the only winless team in the completion after six rounds.

Peel’s Jacob Ballard (29 disposals) and Hayden Crozier (27) were instrumental in the win, with Brendon Jones (28), Connor Blakely (24) and Gerald Ugle (three goals) also strong in a very even performance from their side.

Ryan Neates (23 disposals), Matthew Davies (23) and Jack Bradshaw (two goals) were some of the Tigers’ best.

The two sides appeared evenly matched early despite their vastly different ladder positions, with Darcy Cameron helping the Tigers stay in the game with two early goals.

However Peel broke away in the second quarter, kicking the final three goals of the term through Leroy Jetta, Ugle and Tom Sheridan to take a 20-point lead into the break.

The Tigers’ inaccuracy and the Thunder’s midfield ascendency in the second half put the game to bed.

SCOREBOARD

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| | PEEL || align="center" | 4.4 || align="center" | 9.9|| align="center" | 12.11 || align="center" |16.12 || align="center" | 108''''''

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| | CLAREMONT || align="center" | 4.0 || align="center" | 7.1 || align="center" | 7.10 || align="center" | 11.15||align="center" | 81''''''

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| colspan="6" width="400" | GOALS – PEEL: Duffy, Ugle 3; Jetta, Hannath 2; Ballard, Crozier, Deluca, Langdon, Moller, Sheridan.

'CLAREMONT: Cameron 3; Bradshaw 2; Andrews, Busher, Hamp, Neates, Richardson, Yu.'

'BEST – PEEL: Crozier, Ballard, Jones, Ugle, Duffy, Blakely.'

'CLAREMONT: Davies, Richardson, Cameron, Andrews, Bradshaw, Yu.'

'INJURIES - PEEL: Silvagni (hamstring)'

'UMPIRES: M Edinger, N Williamson, J Wright'

'CROWD: 1800 at Bendigo Bank Stadium.'

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