FALCONS MAKE IT THREE FROM THREE IN HISTORIC DAY AT HBF ARENA

WEST Perth made up for a slow start kicking 21 goals to two after quarter-time to thrash a depleted Peel Thunder by 109 points in Sunday's qualifying final at HBF Arena to cap off a perfect day for the Falcons with the reserves and colts both earlier winning elimination finals.

West Perth finished the WAFL season in second position on the ladder to earn a home final on Sunday against the third-place Thunder, and after Peel started strongly with three goals to one in the first quarter, the Falcons dominated with 21 of the game's last 23 goals to win 22.13 (145) to 5.6 (36).

The win means that the Falcons have now won their last three finals matches going back to the 2013 second semi-final and grand final, and it's also the first final West Perth has ever won at HBF Arena having previously lost preliminary finals to Swan Districts in 2008 and Subiaco in 2011.

While Peel did start the qualifying final well, reality was it was virtually its reserves side plus Gerald Ugle and Leroy Jetta.

The only three Fremantle players available for Peel were rookies Tom Vandeleur, Craig Moller and Sean Hurley while the Thunder fielded five debutants and another three players in their first league games of 2015.

In direct contrast, West Perth had all players available aside from the long-term injured Matt Guadagnin, Jordan Jones and Seva Martin with selection difficult with Blake Wilhelm, Corey Chalmers, Luke Meadows, Tim Sutherland and Kris Shannon forced to make way for the returning Shane Nelson, Laine Rasmussen, Kody Manning, Tyler Keitel and Joe Morrow.

The end result was a complete domination in the last three quarters by West Perth not only with the 109-point margin, but the Falcons had 183 more disposals, took 80 more marks, had 21 more inside-50 entries and 35 scoring shots to 11.

West Perth now advances to the second semi-final on Sunday to take on Subiaco with a spot in the grand final at stake. A win and the Falcons are straight into the grand final, a loss and the Falcons host the winner of the Peel Thunder-East Perth first semi-final the following Sunday at HBF Arena.

The Falcons ended the afternoon with 15 goal kickers led by Nick Rodda who kicked four goals to go with 17 possessions and seven marks.

Michael Lourey also booted three majors with Rohan Kerr and Matt Fowler booting two while Aaron Black, Andrew Strijk, Nelson, Matt Johnson, Rasmussen, Marcus Adams, Ray Bartholomew, Steve Potente, Keitel, Aidan Lynch and Manning added singles.

It was a day for career-highs for a host of West Perth players as well with Drew Rohde finishing with 30 possessions and 12 marks, Luke Tedesco 30 disposals and 10 marks and Marcus Adams 27 touches and 12 marks.

Aaron Black continued his outstanding form as well for West Perth with another 41 possessions, 12 marks, five tackles, five inside-50 entries and a goal in a best on ground display.

Kerr wasn’t far behind with 33 disposals, seven marks and two goals with Trent Manzone racking up 32 touches, Lynch 24, Bartholomew 22, Strijk 21, Manning 20, Jay van Berlo 20, Nelson 20 and Steven Browne 20.

Rasmussen also marked his return from a hamstring injury by not only kicking a last quarter goal but shutting down Peel goal sneak Leroy Jetta.

Peel might have been coming in as heavy underdogs, but there was no sign of that in the first quarter with the largely reserves team playing out of their skins with some inspired passages of play, and some high intensity and pressure football.

West Perth didn’t respond in the first quarter and the result was the Thunder getting the first two goals of the game through debutant Kyle Shanahan and Fremantle's Irishman Hurley before a steadier for the Falcons through Lourey.

However, the Thunder finished the quarter with a third goal courtesy of Mitch Gill and they were surprise 12-point leaders at quarter-time.

West Perth coach Bill Monaghan certainly let his team know what he thought of their opening quarter and the players responded immediately with six goals in the first 16 minutes of the second term to Potente, Lourey, Kerr, Keitel and Strijk.

By the time Bartholomew nailed a trademark goal on the run from 50 and Kerr nailed his second from long range West Perth had taken control of the contest with a 34-point half-time lead.

Peel started the second half with a goal to Gerald Ugle but that was their first major since the 15-minute mark of the first quarter, and would be their last until the 25-minute mark of the last.

Black delivered West Perth's first goal of the third quarter at the 10-minute mark before Lourey marked strongly to go back and kick his third before the margin became 55 points at the last change following goals to Fowler and Rodda.

It was then a procession in the final term starting with Fowler nailing his second before Nelson got on the board, Rodda nailed his third and fourth, Manning broke through a pack to snap truly and Johnson kicked on target on his trusty left boot.

Rasmussen then drifted forward to cap off his terrific return with a goal on the run with fellow defender Adams doing the same and then Lynch capped off the 109-point with the last goal of qualifying final past the 30-minute mark.

West Perth's reserves began the day at HBF Arena with a thrilling elimination final win over East Perth 9.8 (62) to 8.11 (59) to advance to this Sunday night's first semi-final against Swan Districts at Medibank Stadium.

West Perth kicked the only goal of the first quarter on Sunday morning and then booted five goals to two in the second term to be in control against East Perth leading by 25 points at half-time.

East Perth kicked four goals to West Perth's three in the third quarter but the Falcons still led by 21 points at the last change before the Royals kicked the only two goals of the final stanza but West Perth just managed to hold on by three points to keep its season alive.

Corey Chalmers responded to being dropped from the league side in style with 41 possessions and seven marks for West Perth with Blake Wilhelm also terrific with 31 disposals and 10 marks.

Brayden Antonio also gathered 24 touches, Kaidyn Fullgrabe 24, Luke Meadows 17 and Dean Munns 17 (12 tackles).

Tyson Moulton and Max Alexander kicked three goals apiece to combine for six of the Falcons' nine goals in the three-point victory.

West Perth's colts also advance to Sunday's first semi-final against Peel Thunder in Mandurah by beating East Fremantle at HBF Arena on Sunday 10.7 (67) to 6.16 (52).

The Falcons got off to a good start kicking three goals to one in the first term and then still led the inaccurate Sharks by five points at half-time.

Six goals without a miss in the second half for West Perth while East Fremantle kicked just three goals from 11 shots proved the difference and the Falcons won by 15 points to keep their season alive and to eliminate the Sharks.

Conal Lynch and Liam Baker kicked two goals each for West Perth with Josh Rotham, Mitch Walley, Daniel Robertson, Clint Hinchliffe, Angus Allen and Ewan Larmett adding one apiece.

Hinchliffe again led the way for West Perth with 23 possessions and six tackles with Allen contributing 21 disposals, Ben Mountford 20, Baker 18, Lynch 18 and Mitch Peirce 17.

WEST PERTH            1.2    9.2    13.7    22.13    (145)
PEEL THUNDER            3.2    3.4    4.6    5.6    (36)

WEST PERTH – Goals: Rodda 4; Lourey 3; Manning, Kerr 2; Black, Strijk, Nelson, Johnson, Rasmussen, Adams, Bartholomew, Potente, Keitel, Lynch, Manning.
Best: Black, Kerr, Adams, Rasmussen, Rohde, Tedesco, Manzone, Rodda.
PEEL THUNDER – Goals: Gill 2; Hurley, G Ugle, Shanahan.
Best: Gillam, Vandeleur, Moller, Tyler, Lawler.