Young Swans continue momentum to close 2019

THE future continues to look bright for Swan Districts with an increasingly youthful team winning a second game in three weeks to end the finals hopes of Peel Thunder on Saturday while also remaining a chance to avoid the wooden spoon.

In a low-scoring affair, Swan Districts kicked four goals to two in the second half against Peel on Saturday at Steel Blue Oval to make it two wins from the past three matches, winning 7.6 (48) to 6.8 (44).

There was plenty to like from a Swan Districts team especially considering the youth in the group to beat a team with nine AFL-listed players along two former Essendon stalwarts, and a couple of Thunder stars destined for the AFL.

Jak Watson, Jackson Beck, Callum Garcia, Denzel More, Jake Pasini, Tristen Raynor, Nathan Ireland, Jiah Reidy, Dylan Smith, Josh Cipro and Aidan Clarke are all at the starts of their WAFL careers pointing to an exciting future for Swans.

Any young group needs good leadership, though, and Matt Riggio ended up kicking two goals for Swans from 23 possessions while George Hampson gathered another 23 disposals, ruckman Nathan Blakely 20 and 23 hit outs, Steven Payne 19 and Tony Notte kicked the winning goal.

It was Jesse Turner who produced the most impressive performance of all, though, ending the afternoon with a career-best 38 possessions for Swan Districts.

Warrick Wilson continued his career-best season with 22 disposals while Josh Cipro had 19 touches and Jackson Beck 18.

Swan Districts continued its encouraging finish to a tough 2019 season by beating Peel Thunder at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday and ending the finals hopes of the Mandurah-based club in the process.

Both teams had some motivation coming into the contest with Swan Districts still a chance to avoid the wooden spoon in 2019 should they win their last two matches while Peel had to win to keep any hopes of playing finals alive as well.

Swan Districts kicked the game's opening goal courtesy of Matt Riggio before Peel responded through big man Hugh Dixon. The teams then continued to trade goals through Jiah Reidy and Thunder debutant Tyrone Thorne with scores all tied up by quarter-time.

The trend continued to start the second quarter too with Peel captain Ben Howlett and Swans' key position player Jesse Glass-McCasker trading goals. But Howlett's second goal for the Thunder helped his team led by that goal at half-time.

Peel then opened up the biggest lead of the match during the third quarter with a goal to Bailey Banfield. Riggio responded for Swans with his second but then Lachlan Cullen kicked another for the Thunder to put them back up by that 11-point margin.

However, the black-and-whites were back within five points by three quarter-time thanks to a goal to Dylan Smith. Peel had the only three scoring shots in the opening 19 minutes of the last term but all were behinds. 

Swans then got a goal through Nathan Ireland to close to within two points and then Tony Notte, in his 236th game, then kicked the winner for Swan Districts as they ended Peel's season with the 7.6 (48) to 6.8 (44) victory.

The win means Swan Districts has won two of its past three matches to now hold a 4-13 record and be a chance of avoiding the wooden spoon should they beat Claremont this Saturday at Claremont Oval.

The day's action got underway at Steel Blue Oval with Peel Thunder further consolidating themselves as the team to beat in this year's colts competition, beating Swan Districts by 39 points.

It was a rematch of last year's preliminary final in the colts while Swan Districts won on the way to reaching the Grand Final against Subiaco, but Peel proved too strong on Saturday to end up winning 13.8 (86) to 7.5 (47).

Peel started impressively kicking the only three goals of the opening quarter while holding Swan Districts to just the two behinds.

It was then two goals apiece in the second term with the Thunder heading into the half-time interval with a 17-point advantage.

Peel then kicked away further in the third quarter kicking four goals while Swan Districts added the two before the Thunder kicked another four goals to three in the last term to come away with the 39-point victory.

The win means that Peel moves further clear in top spot with a 13-2 record this colts season with one game to go against Perth on Saturday in Mandurah. 

Swan Districts, meanwhile, has fallen to fifth position with an 8-7 record and while they are only one game ahead of the sixth placed Subiaco, their superior percentage should mean they remain playing finals no matter what happens on Saturday against the second placed Claremont at Claremont Oval.

Brad Oldfield kicked four goals for Peel to go with 23 possessions and seven marks while Jack Sears and Connor Heuer kicked two goals apiece.

Jackson Knight collected 24 disposals for the Thunder, Kilian Rawson 23, Isiah Winder 22, James Ewing 20, Clifton Stack 17 and David Yaccob 17.

Ashley Brockbernd was tremendous for Swan Districts with 25 possessions and two goals while Seb Bright returned to the colts team and delivered 21 disposals, six tackles and two goals.

Brenton Hilton collected 24 possessions for Swans, Jehb O'Donohue 24, Kade Wallrodt 19, Kade Screaigh 19, Ty Sears 19 and Max Chipper 17.

Meanwhile in the reserves, Peel Thunder also defeated Swan Districts 16.7 (103) to 10.9 (69).

Mitchell Bain and Matthew Germs kicked two goals apiece for Swans with Bain also gathering 24 possessions and six tackles.

Lachlan Riley gathered 26 disposals for the reserves, Patrick Farrant 21, Austin Watson 20, Patrick Italiano 19 and Jack O'Sullivan 18.

SWAN DISTRICTS        2.3    3.5    5.6    7.6    (48)
PEEL THUNDER            2.3    4.5    6.5    6.8    (44)

SWAN DISTRICTS – Goals: Riggio 2; Glass-McCasker, Reidy, Smith, Notte, Ireland.
Best: Turner, Blakely, Riggio, Wilson, Hampson, Cipro, Beck, Payne.
PEEL THUNDER – Goals: Howlett 2; Thorne, Banfield, Dixon, Cullen.
Best: Howlett, Banfield, Colyer, Bewley, North, Merrett.