WHILE the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers battle it out in Western Derby XLI in the AFL this Sunday, the WAFL will also have a derby of sorts, when the two alignment clubs face off.
East Perth Royals, which is aligned with the Eagles, and Peel Thunder, which is aligned with the Dockers, will face off on Saturday afternoon at Medibank Stadium.
Following their five-point win over the Perth Demons last Saturday at Lathlain Park, the Thunder (2-1) are sitting in fourth spot.
Peel coach Cam Shepherd said he was satisfied with the Thunder’s position.
“We are really happy to get two in a row,” he said. “It was a good, hard-fought win and a good team performance.
“I don’t want to single any players out, but Brad Bootsma played well and Connor Blakely is coming along.”
The Royals (2-1) are coming off the bye round, and after three games, sit in sixth spot.
East Perth’s record off the bye has been strong in previous years, with their last loss off a bye round coming in round 21 of 2012, when they lost to Perth by 17 points at Medibank Stadium.
Since the alignment kicked into full gear in 2014, East Perth has won all three games against the Thunder by an average margin of 49 points.
Shepherd said he was looking forward to the challenge of taking on East Perth.
“They have been grand finalists for the past two seasons and it should be a good challenge for our young men,” he said.
“It’s the two alignment clubs playing each other so hopefully it does draw a bit of a crowd; the Fremantle people as well as the Peel fans.”
The last time the Thunder won a game against East Perth was in 2013 at Medibank Stadium when Marlon Motlop had 25 disposals and Brad Holmes and James Hawksley bagged three goals each for the Thunder.
All three of those players are no longer with the Thunder. With only four rounds of the WAFL completed so far, it is hard to gauge where each team will finish.
East Perth were slaughtered by East Fremantle by 55 points in round one at Subiaco Oval, while Peel Thunder defeated East Fremantle by 55 points at Bendigo Bank Stadium in round three to celebrate Brendon Jones’ 200th WAFL game.
However, the Royals have a strong list and midfield that features former Essendon player Brendon Lee, ball-magnet Steven Payne, Frederick Clutterbuck and a host of West Coast Eagles.
Peel’s recruits have shown some promise, with former Gold Coast Suns midfielder Gerald Ugle one of the best players for Peel in the game against Perth.
Ugle collected 22 disposals and took five marks, while former Essendon speedster Leroy Jetta had 13 disposals and booted two important goals.
Shepherd said he was happy with the way his recruits had fit into the side.
“Gerald has been really good in providing run in the backline and Leroy has provided us with a bit of a boost,” he said.
One battle that will prove to be important on the match will be the tussle between the ruckmen. With Zac Clarke in doubt for the game this week due to injury, the Dockers may choose to pull one of their ruckmen out of the Thunder side and hold for Clarke, even if Clarke does play AFL.
The derby this weekend may also see both teams hold out emergencies for key players. One player who has been fantastic for Peel Thunder this year has been Fremantle Docker draftee Connor Blakely.
The 19-year-old wrapped up 29 disposals in the win against Perth while he also collected 30 in the loss to West Perth in round two.
Blakely was important in the last quarter when Peel mounted a minor comeback. After playing East Perth, Peel will play an Anzac Day game on Saturday against Claremont at Bendigo Bank Stadium.