There wasn’t much to like about East Perth’s 99-point loss to Subiaco at Medibank Stadium on Saturday.
The signs were ominous from the outset when the Royals gave up three early goals before midfielder Corey Adamson decided to fire a shot.
The burgeoning on-baller provided a strong lead from the goal square and took a comfortable mark 30m from goal, which he converted with a laconic set shot.
Mitchell Fraser and Jonathan Giles added to East Perth’s opening quarter goal tally with classy set shots, but the Lions booted seven goals to lead by 28 points after the first term.
Subiaco’s Liam Ryan opened scoring in the second quarter, but the Royals hit back via Jordan Oakley-Nicholls, who got on the end of a flawless coast-to-coast play and nailed his running kick through the uprights from 30m.
East Perth were going goal-for-goal with the Lions when Tom Lamb got out the back and stole a major from 15m out, but the Royals leaked three late goals to gift the visiting side a 45-point advantage at the main break.
Errant kicking cost East Perth any hope of making a dent in Subiaco’s lead in the penultimate quarter; the Royals missed three set shots at goal within the opening five minutes of the period.
Subiaco made them pay on the scoreboard and slotted six goals to the Royals’ two to extend their lead to 68 points with a quarter to play.
Matthew Allen produced East Perth’s play of the day at the start of the final term.
The budding forward, who last week signed a one-year contract extension with the West Coast Eagles, chased a boundary bound ball in the right pocket, flicked it back into play, sidestepped a would-be tackler and ran into the goal square to boot his first six-pointer of the contest.
Unfortunately that’s where the fun ended for the Royals.
The Lions caught fire in the last 20 minutes of the game and kicked six unanswered goals to run out 25.12 (162) to 9.9 (63) victors.
Kane Lucas again topped the possessions tally with 29 disposals, Adamson collected 23 touches against all odds and Fraser McInnes, Tom Barrass and Tom Lamb each accumulated 18 gives.
Eagles regular Xavier Ellis amassed 16 disposals and laid three tackles from half back and Mitch Brown, who was playing his first game of football since rupturing a finger ligament almost three months ago, gathered 15 touches.
Giles was among the Royals’ best players.
The versatile ruckman effected 29 hit-outs, collected 16 disposals and could have booted a bag if he brought his kicking boots to Medibank Stadium.
Brant Colledge and Paddy Brophy were serviceable with 15 and 14 touches respectively; Jamie Bennell collected just seven touches while first-year players Luke Partington, Jordan Snadden and Allen had limited opportunities to impact the contest.