East Perth pushed WAFL pace setters Subiaco to the limit but fell 18 points short of upsetting the unbeaten Lions at Leederville Oval on Saturday.
Feisty forward Will Maginness collected the game’s opening goal after getting marched 50m for a protected zone infringement and doubled down moments later when he got on the end of a great piece of aerial work by Jack Petruccelle and booted a crafty half-volley through the major opening.
Subiaco wrestled the momentum back late in the opening quarter and kicked a goal after the siren to claim a one point advantage at the first break.
The Royals squandered several opportunities to work their way in front early in the second term and it took more than 20 minutes for the first goal of the term, with Lions’ Rhys Waters ultimately breaking the stalemate.
Waters’ goal awakened Subiaco, who dominated possession for the remainder of the quarter and kicked two more goals to bolster their buffer to 14 points at half-time.
East Perth stalwart Nathan Blee set the tone for the second half with a goal just second after the resumption of play, but the home side took a hit when its leading ball-winner Luke Partington (15 disposals to half-time) left the field with a leg injury.
Subiaco seized the moment and kicked five unanswered goals to secure a 31-point lead heading into the final stanza.
Just when Lions fans thought they had the game in the bag, the Royals came to life and kicked the first three goals of the final quarter, thanks largely to some ruck dominance from Nathan Vardy and exceptional clearance work from the likes of Brayden Ainsworth, Julian Ameduri, Staley Wright and captain Patrick McGinnity.
Late goals to Blee and Sharrod Wellingham gave East Perth fans hope of an upset, but Subiaco hung tough to record their ninth-straight victory of the year.
Brendon Ah Chee (22 disposals, 13 contested possessions, seven marks, six tackles) was among East Perth’s best alongside Ainsworth (20 disposals, four clearances, one goal), Partington (22 disposals, 14 contested possessions) and Matt Allen (19 disposals, nine marks, one goal).
Eric Mackenzie, returning after more than eight months on the sidelines, was solid in defence, as was Josh Rotham (11 disposals, seven spoils), Will Schofield (eight spoils) and Francis Watson (15 disposals, five tackles).
Vardy (29 hitouts, nine contested possessions) produced his most rounded performance since returning from injury, Kurt Mutimer (18 disposals) was solid in the midfield, Jack Petruccelle (10 disposals, six marks) threatened up forward and Callan England (eight pressure acts) was serviceable across half-back.
East Perth 2.2 2.5 4.8 9.9 63
Subiaco 2.3 4.7 9.9 11.15 81
Goals – East Perth: Maginness 3; Blee 2; Ainsworth, M. Allen, Dobson, Wellingham.
Subiaco: Delahunty 3, Waters, Sokol 2; Fimmano, Lawrence, Wheeler, Stevenson.
