Round 10 Rogers Cup Wrap Up

Round 10, halfway through the season already, and you could be excused for a case of Deja-vu as our Falcons took on Peel for the second consecutive game, albeit this time at our newly named Pentanet Stadium.

Everyone was out to atone for the 26 point defeat down in Mandurah and with both sides getting several key players back into their line-ups it was set up for a great contest.

The day kicked off with an Anzac observance ceremony and we welcomed Retired Sergeant Jane Inglis to read the ode, a trailblazer for women in the armed forces and very apt that she part of our day to honour those that served.

Once the game got under way the Falcons were quick to show they were up and about for this contest as the first centre clearance put them deep inside 50 and the forwards set the early tone for pressure as well, creating an early turnover. Chloe Shearing took the resultant kick-in from the out of bounds kick and hit the goal square where Samara Sallie held a good, contested mark and kicked the first goal of the game from the top of the goal square.

While Peel were able to quell the full attack of the Falcons for most of the first quarter, the signs were there that West Perth were bringing plenty of intensity and run to the game. Peel did manage two goals, and a late kick off the ground from Alyssa Konowalow bought the margin back to just a point at the first break Peel 2.1 (13) with West Perth 2.0 (12).

The second quarter though was when West Perth really kicked into gear, the backline were irrepressible, lead by Zara Deschamps who speed and athleticism prevents most forwards from getting through, but to have the support of experienced pair Claire Norbury and Emma Lilford and Keeley Oakes back from her knee injury it was going to be very difficult for Peel to find a genuine avenue to goal.

With the backline secure, the midfield really got to work ably lead by Isabella Hill in the ruck, giving Mia Russo and Leuk Nelson-Marsden first use the later clearly best on ground, but Leuk intelligence around stoppages was evident as she controlled the release on most occasions.

Leuca Krmpotic was enjoying a new role across half forward and was just running a muck and had she been a little more accurate would have had a couple of goals to show for it as well, likewise the rest of the team whose dominance was not truly reflected on the scoreboard with 1.5 for the quarter, but the one goal did come from a very clever one-two between Chloe Shearing and Leuk Nelson-Marsden to allow Chloe to kick her first and give the Falcons a ten-point buffer at the main break. West Perth 3.5 (23) with Peel stuck on 2.1 (13)

With a chance to renew the energy there was more pain to be inflicted on Peel in the third and after some strong bullocking work by Mia Russo in the midfield, Abbey Brimson got things rolling using her pace to great advantage to run onto a loose ball and snap truly. As much as Peel tried to get some good kicks into their forward 50,  Sophie Fisher, who is the Falcons best interceptor just kept repelling every attack. When Holly Morris marked Peel’s full back kick and quickly hit-up a leading Mia Russo , who baulked her opponent to kick West Perth’s second for the quarter. West Perth’s third for the quarter came as great reward for Jamarah Walley who just has repeat efforts after repeat efforts, and when she grabbed a loose ball to handball back to Chloe Shearing who snapped truly for her second, the Falcons had broken away to lead by 30 points at the final change, West Perth 6.8 (44) to Peel 2.2 (14).

While did mount a bit of a comeback in the last kicking three straight, to the Falcons 1.1 they were never given any real clean space to work in to try and mount a strong comeback, one of the unsung heroes of the day was Olivia Colotti who performed amazingly well and keep Peel’s main ball winner from the last game quiet all day, which highlighted the complete team effort that enabled a comprehensive win to the Falcons. 7.9 (51) to Peel 5.2 (32)