Peel Look to post first win in season defining battle with Subiaco

As the 2020 WAFL Optus Premiership season reaches its half-way point with Round 5 action this Saturday, Peel Thunder get set to face bitter rivals Subiaco in what looms as a season defining clash for both clubs.

Despite remaining winless in 2020 so far, Peel showed promising signs last week, matching Claremont for large portions in what was ultimately a hard-fought loss. Peel will look to continue this form against another tough opponent in Subiaco who find themselves in unchartered territory outside of the top four and finals contention. 

Peel have added four names to the 25-man squad for this week’s game with Ryan Bennell, Thomas Quaife and Colts Isiah Winder and Tyler Nesbitt all in the mix to play in Round Five. Among those in line to return, if Bennell is selected, it will be his first game back since sustaining a hamstring injury in Round 1.

Club great Hayden Ballantyne will be available to play after receiving a reprimand from the match review panel during the week. 

League bouncedown is set for 2.30pm at David Grays Arena this Saturday. Be sure to keep across the Peel Thunder social media accounts for the best live match day social media WAFL coverage. 

GETTING IT ON THE BOOT
Peel has been a clear number one through the WAFL’s first four rounds on preferring to dispose by foot. The Thunder have averaged 167 kicks yet only 77 handballs a contest for a kick to handball ratio of 2.14 in 2020 so far. Last week Peel were close to their season averages with 175 kicks and 75 handballs, with this kick first option proving a strong foil against Claremont. This week’s opponents Subiaco are another team who have had low handball usage in 2020, so Saturday’s game could be one for the footy kicking purists. 

NO OFFENSE

Peel’s biggest challenges in 2020 so far have come forward of centre with the side battling to put up a winning score. After posting 60 points in round one, the Thunder have dropped to 45, 39 and most recently 35 points in their subsequent games. Hitting the scoreboard and making the most of their forward opportunities will be pivotal to defeat Subiaco this weekend.

BRING THE PRESSURE

A hallmark of last week’s improved Peel performance against Claremont was extra pressure around the stoppages and towards their opponents. Peel won the tackle count 67 to 64 with Ben Howlett and Brayden Lawler combining to lay 23 tackles. Peel have won the tackle count in three of four games so far in 2020 and will need another physical display to combat Subiaco this weekend.

DEFENSIVE KEY

The return of Josh Bootsma in 2020 has been an unheralded one, however the veteran Thunder defender has had a major impact so far this year. At the weekend Bootsma arguably had his best performance of the year with five marks, five spoils and five rebound 50’s in a polished all-round defensive display. Though only having 13 possessions, Bootsma was efficient throughout finishing with a team high 92% disposal efficiency last week. Expect Bootsma to be another key Thunder player this Saturday.

28 AND COUNTING

Peel have continued to use the 2020 season to blood local talent and offer opportunities, with 28 players already representing the club so far this season at league level. Key members of last year’s Peel Colts Grand Final side James Ewing, Ben Middleton, Zac Rankin, Jack Sears, Tyrone Thorne and Isiah Winder have been among the Peel young stars to benefit and show promising signs in the first four games of 2020 so far.

100 DONE, HISTORY NEXT

At the other end of the experience spectrum, mainstay of the Peel and WAFL system over the past six years, Brayden Lawler passed the 100-game milestone last week. Over the past fortnight, Lawler and premiership teammate Ben Hancock have become the tenth and eleventh players to play 100 games for Peel with their eyes now set on the club games record which currently sits at 139 by Rory O’Brien.

HISTORY REPEAT

In the past four years, twice Peel have ended a long run of Subiaco dominance. In 2016 and 2017, Peel stormed to premierships that halted landmark Subiaco seasons. While it is not a Grand Final, a case could be made that this Saturday for the third time in five seasons, the Thunder are poised to end another Subiaco season and reign of dominance. With Subiaco sitting at 1-2, a third loss would likely knock Subiaco out of the 2020 finals race, end their chance of a premiership three-peat and give another great sense of bragging rights for Peel Thunder fans.

PAST BATTLES

It has been over 12 months since the last match between Peel and Subiaco, with the last match back on the WA Day long weekend last June. That Round 9 clash was held at David Gray’s Arena and was won by Subiaco by 41 points. On that day Mitch Crowden had 26 disposals, now Demon, Harley Bennell had 25 disposals and Hayden Ballantyne kicked three goals. Of that trio Ballantyne will be the only Thunder player on the field on Saturday and another bag of Ballantyne goals could be crucial to a Peel victory.

OTHER GRADES

The action commences with the top of the table Rogers Cup at 10am who take on East Fremantle before the Colts clash with Subiaco from midday. It’s make or break for the Colts, losers of their last two games and are going up against an inform Subiaco fresh from a mauling of South Fremantle last weekend by 77 points. 

Meanwhile the WAFLW fixture between Peel and Subiaco will follow at the conclusion of  the League game with a marquee night clash between the top two WAFLW sides. The Peel WAFLW side has won three straight after an opening round loss and will claim top spot on the WAFLW ladder after five rounds if they can extend that winning streak to four.