Fremantle’s young midfield brigade showed the future is bright with a commanding display in Peel Thunder’s Preliminary Final win over South Fremantle on Sunday at Fremantle Oval.
 
Connor Blakely stole the show with 27 disposals to half-time, before finishing with 42 posessions, while young winger Darcy Tucker (27 disposals, five tackles and a goal) provided an outlet on the wing.
 
Key forward Michael Apeness said Blakely brought a hard edge to the team.
 
“He brings grunt to the side, getting the ball forward for us,” he said.
 
“He lays lots of tackles and that’s why we love him.”
 
Peel moved the ball quickly through the middle of the ground.
 
Matt de Boer (29 disposals, 10 tackles) was again prolific as he benefitted from the ruck dominance of Zac Clarke and Jon Griffin and finished with two goals.
 
Griffin spent most of the game in the forward line, kicking a goal, while Clarke collected 16 disposals.
 
Apeness said the team had been working on ball movement and hadn’t strayed from the plan when challenged.
 
“We’ve been practicing ball movement, stoppages and defensive training,” he said.
 
“We were challenged a couple of times today and stuck to what we know."

Peel to play Subiaco in the Grand Final

Shane Yarran extended his run of games with at least one goal to nine in a row, kicking two majors, and dropped back to provide an extra man in defence.
 
Peel Thunder made the early running, kicking the first three goals of the game as they moved the ball with purpose to open up a 19-point lead midway through the first term.
 
Two late goals to South Fremantle and some wasted opportunities from the Thunder saw the Bulldogs pull the margin back to eight points at the first change.
 
Peel started the second the term the more lively of the two teams, as captain Gerald Ugle kicked two behinds in quick succession before Ed Langdon opened his account to push the margin back to 16 points.
 
The Thunder kicked the next four goals as they kept South’s to just a single point to lead by 42 points at the main change.
 
Peel jumped out of the blocks in the third, kicking two goals in the first five minutes before Steven Edwards kicked South Fremantle’s third.
 
The Bulldogs kicked five goals for the quarter to pull the margin back to 28 points at the final change.
 
The rain started to fall as Yarran pushed the margin out to 34 points early in the final term.
 
Peel will play Subiaco in the Grand Final at Domain Stadium on Sunday, 25 September.