Swans no match in Mandurah for Thunder

IT was an afternoon to forget for Swan Districts in Mandurah on Saturday with the black-and-whites managing just the one goal in the first half before going on to lose to Peel Thunder by 79 points.

It was the first time Swans took on the Thunder for the 2019 WAFL season and while they did head to Mandurah's David Grays Arena with high hopes of a bounce back victory, it wasn’t to be.

Swan Districts came into the game with tough losses to Perth, Claremont and West Perth, and then Saturday turned into the most disappointing showing so far of 2019 with Peel running out 19.11 (125) to 7.4 (46) victors.George Hampson couldn’t have done more to try and help Swan Districts be competitive for the afternoon, finishing the afternoon with 30 possessions, five tackles, three inside-50 entries and two goals.

Corey Gault also kicked two goals for Swans to go with 15 disposals, six marks, four tackles and 17 hit outs while Leigh Kohlmann booted two majors.

Jesse Turner battled hard for Swan Districts too with 28 possessions and 11 tackles while Matt Riggio collected 23 disposals, Steven Payne 19 and debutant Lachlan Riley 15.

Nathan Blakely battled away in the ruck with 16 possessions, four tackles, three marks and 26 hit outs.

Swan Districts defence tried to hold up against the tide with Alex Howard finishing with 13 possessions and five marks, Tony Notte 13 disposals and five marks, and Jordan Bill 11 possessions and five tackles.

Peel Thunder produced its second straight dominant performance on Saturday this time beating Swan Districts at home by 79 points to move into fifth position on the WAFL ladder.

Peel was fresh off a dominant 42-point win in the wet last week against Perth as they returned home this Saturday to take on a Swan Districts on a three-game losing run and struggling to kick a winning score, and find enough of the football to do so.

The Thunder put on quite the dominant opening term at Mandurah's David Grays Arena to set up their big win. Peel kicked six goals to nil in the first quarter and went into the quarter-time break leading by 39 points.

Peel continued on with the momentum kicking three more goals in the second quarter and Swan Districts kicked its lone goal of the first half courtesy of Leigh Kohlmann 12 minutes into the term.

The Thunder were well on top by half-time leading by 50 points and then coming out of the major break, the home side kept their dominance going piling on another six goals to just two from Swans.

Peel had 11 scoring shots to just three from Swan Districts for the third quarter and by three quarter-time that saw the Thunder's lead grow to 78 points.

It was then four goals apiece in the last term as Swans at least fought the game out by more than doubling their score from the opening three quarters. But Peel still ran out commanding 19.11 (125) to 7.4 (46) victory in front of their home fans.

Peel Thunder remain the standout team this colts season after 12 rounds following their impressive 38-point win over Swan Districts at Mandurah's David Grays Arena on Saturday.

The game featured the top two teams from right throughout the colts season to date so always promised to be a tremendous contest even with the WA State 18s stars absent from both line-ups.

Swan Districts had won their opening seven matches of the season on the back of reaching last year's Grand Final before losing to Claremont by three points in Round 10 and then by five goals to West Perth last week.

But top spot still went on the line in Mandurah on Saturday when the two sides met for the first time since last year's preliminary final.

Peel started the better with two goals to one in the first quarter to lead by seven points at quarter-time before adding two goals and holding Swans to one behind in the second stanza to lead by 23 points at half-time.

Swan Districts fired back to make a real game of it, though, in the third quarter kicking three goals to one behind and suddenly it was a two-point ball game by three quarter-time.

But Peel had the answers in the last quarter with six goals to one to take out the 10.17 (77) to 5.9 (39) victory.

Swan Districts remains second at 7-3 despite losing their past three matches.

Giacomo Paduano kicked two goals for Swan Districts from eight kicks, four marks and three tackles.

Brenton Hilton picked up 26 possessions for Swans, Ethan Nordahl 19, Kade Screaigh 18, Dylan Brockbernd 18, Brock Fisher 17 and Ashley Brockbernd 17.

Then in the reserves contest, there were better news for Swan Districts with a 12.8 (80) to 9.8 (62) victory against Peel Thunder.

Dylan Smith kicked three goals for Swan Districts from just six kicks while Mitchell Bain, Kade Wallrodt and Jackson Bowen all kicked two goals apiece.

Aidan Clarke was tremendous with 27 possessions, eight marks, six inside 50s and five tackles for Swans while Callum Garcia collected 24 disposals, Seb Bright 22, Patrick Italiano 19, Bain 18 and Brad Fullgrabe 17 to go with 23 hit outs, six marks and six tackles.
 

SWAN DISTRICTS        0.1    1.2    3.3    7.4    (46)
PEEL THUNDER            6.4    9.4    15.9    19.11    (125)

SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Hampson, Gault, Kohlmann 2; Howlett.
Best: Hampson, Turner, Riley, Riggio, Howard, Notte, Blakely.
PEEL THUNDER – Goals: Bell 4; Lawler 3; Piggott, Meek, Sturt, Colyer 2; Merrett, Ballantyne, Crowden, North.
Best: Meek, Crowden, Merrett, Colyer, Sturt, Hancock, Bell, North, Lawler.