Crafty midfielder Isiah Winder and key defender Rhett Bazzo starred but the spirited West Coast Eagles were outclassed by a finals-bound East Perth by 48 points at Leederville Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Winder (29 disposals, two goals) was critical around the ball in a competitive display, while Callum Jamieson (23 disposals, 15 hitouts) had a tough ask against East Perth’s Jedd Edwards.
Defensive trio Bazzo (27 disposals, 13 marks), Jordyn Baker (19 disposals, seven marks) and Luke Foley (16 disposals, seven tackles) had their hands full all afternoon, with East Perth sending the ball inside their forward fifty 58 times on the way to a 15.24 (114) to 10.6 (66) triumph.
Naitanui Academy product Tyrell Dewar (16 disposals, five marks) and first-year ruck Harry Barnett (12 disposals, seven hitouts) tried hard in the WAFL Eagles’ second-last outing for the season.
In an early blow for West Coast, Zane Sumich went down with a hamstring complaint in the first few minutes of the first term and took no further part in the game.
While the Eagles managed to keep the Royals at bay early, East Perth put their foot down and doubled West Coast’s score by the first break.
The Eagles showed a glimmer of hope in the second half and attempted to reduce the margin with some scoreboard pressure but East Perth took control of the ball around the ground and were unable to be stopped.
It was an important win for the Royals, who finish the season in the top four and will play finals for the first time in five years.
EAST PERTH 6.4 11.10 11.16 15.24 (114)
WEST COAST 3.2 4.2 7.5 10.6 (66)
GOALS
East Perth: Ameduri, Brayshaw 3; Schofield, Scott 2; Van Dieman, Willcocks, Bonomelli, Tedesco, Raykos
West Coast: Garlett 3; Winder 2; Kemp, Browne, Burke, Lucassen, Sambo
BEST
East Perth: Ameduri, Brayshaw, Scott, Wright, Randall, North
West Coast: Bazzo, Winder, Jamieson, Garlett, Browne, Baker
Crowd: TBC
