Teams Locked! Grand Final WAFL Preview

East Fremantle are chasing their first Premiership in 25 years when they take on Peel Thunder at Optus Stadium on Sunday. The Sharks finished the season 2 games clear on top of the ladder and held off a fast finishing Peel by 5 points in the Semi Final and will go in full of confidence. They won’t have things their own way with a talent laden Peel finding form at the right time of the season. 

Boasting clearance beast, Will Brodie, Blair Bell, Captain Ben Hancock and dynamic winger, Nathan O’Driscoll, Peel have the midfield firepower to trouble the Sharks. East Fremantle will need big games from the returning Jarrad Jansen, Tom Joyce, Milan Murdock and Fraser Turner in a pivotal battle for the day. Hugh Dixon and Reuben McGuire have formed an unlikely ruck duo and have gotten better as the season has gone on but they’ll need to be at the top of their game to restricted man mountains Liam Reidy and Riley Smith. 

The forward lines of each team are well balanced, with no one dominant forward with youngsters Ben Middleton, Jack Sears and Brody Wemm supported by Freo listed Josh Corbett, Travis Colyer and Tom Emmett. Sears and Middleton have been 2 of the form players over the finals. For the Sharks, the loss of Jono Marsh is a blow and they have resisted the urge to bring in Dillon O’Reilly meaning Cody Leggett, Hugh Dixon and possibly Jarrad Jansen will provide the tall targets in attack. The EF smalls will provide plenty of pressure which will be critical in restricting the running half back combination of Karl Worner and Nathan Wilson- who provide plenty of run from behind. 

Both teams boast excellent defences. Joel Hamling and Jacob Blight lead the way - much like Matthew Jupp and Lachlan Bailey for the Sharks. Plenty of run off half back is provided by Cam Eardley and Kyle Baskerville while youngsters Jack Cleaver and Finn Gorringe have been in excellent form. 

The game is set to be a classic. Bounce down will be at 3.20pm.