East Perth recorded its second consecutive win of the 2016 WAFL season on Saturday, trouncing fierce rivals West Perth by 60 points at Medibank Stadium.
Both sides went tit-for-tat in the opening quarter, with only one point separating them after the first break, and that trend continued in the second quarter, with the home side maintaining its one-point buffer as the second quarter siren sounded.
East Perth made its move in the third term, piling five goals on a shell-shocked Falcons, and finished off the match with a five goals to one fourth quarter that gifted the Royals a comfortable 14.16 (100) to 6.4 (40) win.
East Perth’s second half dominance could be attributed to the centre and forward presence of Jonathan Giles.
The 28-year-old produced his most rounded performance of the year on Saturday by setting his midfielders up with precise taps from the ruck and presenting as a formidable marking target in the attacking 50m.
Giles finishes the game with three goals and a game-best 24 hit-outs.
West Coast regular Patrick McGinnity also played his best game for the Royals, collecting 27 disposals and two goals, while ball-magnet Kane Lucas continued his possession-getting form with a 29-touch, one goal showing against West Perth.
Sharrod Wellingham was serviceable in his first game of 2016.
The dynamic Eagles’ utility sat out the first quarter but accumulated 17 disposals in the 70 minutes he played in the remaining three terms.
Wellingham’s defensive nous was exemplified late in the fourth quarter when he went back with the flight of the ball and took a spectacular intercept mark over two Falcons opponents.
East Perth’s back six held strong and relied heavily upon West Coast-listed youngsters Tom Barrass and Tom Cole.
Barrass appeared up for the contest again on Saturday, foiling several West Perth attacking raids with big spoils that often found the hard-running Cole, who used his agility to navigate the ball from half-back to the centre and beyond.
Midfielders Paddy Brophy (26 disposals), Luke Partington (23 disposals) and Corey Adamson (19 disposals, one goal) used the ball efficiently to bolster East Perth's forward supply.
Half-forward Jamie Bennell got his hands on the ball 20 times, Tom Lamb and Matthew Allen each kicked a goal and Fraser McInnes battled through a tough tag to earn 13 disposals and four marks.
Eagles Jordan Snadden and Malcolm Karpany kicked two goals apiece for the Royals’ reserves side and Kurt Mutimer accumulated 10 disposals on limited minutes in his Royals’ debut.
The news wasn’t as positive for injury-stricken Simon Tunbridge, who suffered a foot injury less than 15 minutes into his first outing in 2016 and was taken to hospital for scans in a moon boot.
