Optus Stadium hosted the WAFL Eagles and Peel Thunder on Saturday afternoon, a curtain-raiser game for the 58th RAC Derby between West Coast and Fremantle.

It was a challenging day for the WAFL Eagles, falling to Peel by 68 points, unable to find the answers for a dominating Thunder outfit.

The Eagles started the game well, kicking the first goal of the game through Jai Culley, before new Eagles draftee and League debutant Archer Reid finished the first term with a goal of his own.

West Coast took a five-point lead into the second quarter, before Peel turned up the heat, kicking back-to-back majors through Corey Tregenza and Patrick Voss.

Peel was pressuring West Coast’s defences and winning the contest inside and out, before a lovely soccer goal from acting Eagles captain Trey Ruscoe kept the margin to an attainable 16 points at the halftime break.

The Eagles were stunned in the third term with no reply, Peel kicking nine unanswered goals for the quarter and keeping West Coast goalless.

The Thunder were exceptional at taking the ball out of the middle, moving it quickly through the likes of Will Brodie and Brady Grey.

Tyrell Dewar broke Peel’s scoreboard onslaught with a goal early in the fourth, through some lovely vision and assisting from Liam Ryan.

West Coast managed back-to-back goals with another through Loch Rawlinson, resulting from a lovely setup from teammate Zane Trew.  

Trew produced another best-on performance, working hard throughout the game and finishing with a team-high 27 disposals and six tackles.

The WAFL Eagles have a bye next weekend, then suit up to face East Perth in round six at Sullivan Logistics Stadium on Sunday May 5th, bouncedown at 11:10am.

WEST COAST                  2.3       3.6        3.10      7.13

PEEL THUNDER              1.4       5.10      14.12    18.15

GOALS

West Coast: Ruscoe 2; Culley, Reid, Dewar, Rawlinson, Barnett. Fremantle: Voss, Wemm 3; Simpson, Tregenza, Sears 2; Reidy, Tregenza, Wilson, Chapman, Brodie, Tuia

BEST

West Coast: Jones, Trew, Gaff, Ruscoe, Baker. Fremantle: Brodie, Chapman, Grey, Reidy, Blight, Worner

Crowd: TBC at Optus Stadium