East Perth let slip a golden opportunity to sneak into the WAFL top five after succumbing to Swan Districts on Saturday.
The Royals could have replaced the Swans in fifth spot with a win, but the home team shot out of the gate, staved off several challenges and cruised to a 12.5 (77) v 9.10 (64) victory at Bassendean Oval.
Ricky Cary set the tone for the match in more ways than one with a true set shot from 35m in the opening minute of the contest.
The 25-year-old, who was once touted as an AFL draft prospect, dominated in the air and on the ground en route to a seven-goal haul against an East Perth back line missing the likes of Tom Barrass, Eric Mackenzie and Will Schofield.
In spite of seeing very little of the ball in the first quarter, the Royals only trailed by 13 points after the first change of ends and second term goals to Tom Lamb and Kurt Mutimer kept them within 15 points of the Swans at the half-time break.
Senior coach Luke Webster implored his charges to increase their forward 50 pressure and man up at the coalface during the half-time break, but the message went missing in the opening minute of the second term, as Taryce Stewart got on the end of a clean centre bounce clearance and put the Swans six more points ahead with a running goal from 30m out.
Luke Partington hit back with a superb clearance and straight shot 45m two minutes later, but Cary got a hold of the Royals’ back line and booted two-straight goals to kick-start a four-goal unanswered run by the Swans, which eventually gifted them a 35-point lead with a quarter to play.
Brayden Noble and Cary edged the home team 12 points further ahead early in the fourth term, but East Perth gained some ascendency in the middle and Mutimer, Jonathan Giles and Partington kicked the final three goals of the game to reduce the final deficit to 26 points.
Partington finished the game with 28 disposals, 15 contested possessions and four goals, Chris Masten collected 35 disposals, 15 hard ball gets and five tackles, while experienced defenders Sharrod Wellingham and Sam Butler gathered 23 and 17 touches respectively.
Scott Lycett worked his way into the game and won 31 of his 53 ruck contests, Jonathan Giles effected 28 hit outs to go with his fourth-quarter goal and third tall Fraser McInnes amassed 12 touches and two effective tackles.
Mutimer got his hands on the ball 20 times, Francis Watson collected 17 possessions and fellow defender Josh Rotham had 15 disposals and six spoils.
Tom Lamb hit his intended target with nine of his 10 disposals, Jordan Snadden gathered the Burley nine times and defender Tom Gorter, who left the field following a head clash but returned in the third term, finished the game with seven possessions.
