A resilient Eagles side went down fighting at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday afternoon and produced a gusty effort despite the eventual 55-point loss.
Capitalising on the ideal football conditions, duo Jack Petruccelle and Jack Williams started West Coast off on the right foot, booting the first two majors of the match in just under three minutes.
But a classy Peel outfit responded in supreme fashion and kicked three unanswered goals, holding the lead for the remainder of the day to finish with a 19.6 (120) to 10.5 (65) victory.
Despite the loss, it was a spirited effort from the Eagles who were brave all day and never shirked the battle.
WAFL-listed Joey Deegan was amongst the best, piling on the pressure and showcasing his development to finish with 22 disposals and seven tackles, while smooth moving defender Josh Rotham held down the fort in the backline, and was his usual high-flying self with seven marks.
There was also plenty to like from West Coast’s younger contingent, with Williams (three goals), Isiah Winder (two) and Zac Langdon (one) moving well across the day.
The classy combination of Langdon and Petruccelle onball in the third quarter particularly stood out, with both players seeing a lot of the footy as their experience shone through, while Deegan used his body well to take a strong contested mark inside 50 and finished with a superb snap through the sticks.
Petrucelle's dangerous speed was also on display as he got some good run down the midfield when needed.
In exciting signs of what lies ahead for the season, Winder also took a clean grab on the wing before sending a pinpoint kick into the Eagles’ forward-line, with his pressure and intensity telling in key moments during the third stanza.
Jamaine Jones’ influence could also not be ignored, while Rhett Bazzo also showed his colours in the backline to further his match experience.
Another highlight of the match was Zane Trew’s return to play after being sidelined for the last six weeks with a shin injury.
Despite playing on managed minutes, it was a fantastic opportunity for the speedy midfielder to build on match fitness and hit some hardened WAFL bodies in his first game back.
WEST COAST 2.1 6.1 8.1 10.5 (65)
PEEL THUNDER 5.3 9.4 16.5 19.6 (120)
GOALS
West Coast: Williams 3, Petruccelle, Winder 2, Deegan, Langdon, McCarthy
Peel Thunder: Derksen 4, Bell, Sturt 3, Amiss, George 2, Anderson, Bennell, Carroll, Sears
BEST
West Coast: Deegan, Rotham, Winder, Jones, Williams, Petruccelle
Peel Thunder: Derksen, Bell, Blakely, Ewing, Matthews, Pretty
