Bell with chance to become triple premiership winnerSaturday, September 23, 2023 - 11:19 AM - by Chris Pike

BLAIR Bell knows what premiership success at Peel Thunder looks like as he attempts to become the club's lone triple flag winner on Sunday but it's with great pride that he beams over how the group has pulled together for the one cause in 2023.

Bell is one of the born and bred Mandurah products in the Peel line-up preparing to play in Sunday's WAFL Grand Final against East Fremantle at Optus Stadium.

The match-winning hard man has put together a standout 122-game career with the Thunder now which included those premiership triumphs of 2016 and 2017, and whether it's playing up forward or pinch hitting in the midfield, he remains a hugely influential player.

Now heading into Sunday's Grand Final, he has the chance to be the only player who was part of all three premiership triumphs for Peel if the Thunder are successful with Ben Hancock and Traye Bennell his only remaining premiership teammates who were there in 2017 but not 2016.

Right decision to play on this year

Bell is now 30 years of age and with 122 games behind him, he's not sure how much time he's got left on his WAFL career that started back in 2013 when he played one game before returning in 2016 and having been a star and key player since.

He wasn’t sure if he was initially going to play on in 2023, but having been back in finals last year, Bell felt more success wasn’t far away and he wanted to be part of it. Playing on was the best call he ever made.

"I've put in a few years now post those early days in my career of those Grand Finals so I didn’t want to miss out on being part of any success we might have been able to have," Bell said.

"We didn’t make finals over those four years until last year so to still be playing I'm definitely grateful that I did make the decision to play on this year. 

"As for the future, I can't really answer what that looks like and I'm just going into the weekend's game not really thinking past that at all. I'm not going to be making any decisions pre the game and that's something that will happen in the off-season when I look at a few things and make the decision then."

Impressive cohesion within the playing group

What has been obvious with this Peel team the longer the season has gone is just how well the chemistry has developed whether the players are WAFL listed from the Thunder or AFL listed from the Dockers.

The chemistry and cohesive nature between the group has been obvious with Dockers players like Will Brodie has been huge in the midfield, Joel Hamling outstanding down back, Josh Corbett a key forward target, and great run from Nathan Wilson, Travis Colyer, Corey Wagner and Karl Worner, fully buying in.

That's something that Bell has been proud of because every time they all pull the Thunder jumper on, all they are worried about is Peel's best interests.

"It feels good and in terms of chemistry, throughout the year we've had a lot of chopping and changing with the team and can have a lot of changes each week," Bell said.

"That just depends on who Fremantle has available or who they hold over and whatever so you don't get a lot of continuity at times throughout the season, but we have had that through the back end of the year. 

"The guys who have qualified and the team that we've stuck with through the finals series, we've been able to get that continuity in the group and play the same team over the last sort of month. 

"Throughout the year we've built relationships with all the players involved whether they're from Peel or Fremantle, we don't look at it as two clubs. When they come down to Thunder, we are one club and anyone who pulls the Peel Thunder jumper on thinks the same way. 

"The fact that you can have players from two clubs buying into the one club like we've got, the environment we've created is one that's an inclusive environment for all players involved."

Local players having such a big impact

While there might be significant talk about the impact the Fremantle listed players have had on Peel making the Grand Final, what can't be ignored is just how important their local WAFL players have been throughout the season, and indeed the finals.

It all starts with games record holding captain Ben Hancock who leads from the front in the middle along with premiership teammates like Bell and Traye Bennell while Brady Grey and Jacob Blight have been brilliant additions in 2023.

Then there's emerging players like Ben Middleton and Jack Sears who have produced match-winning performances up forward in the finals while Brody Wemm, Michael Sellwood, Ty Anderson and Riley Smith are all crucial members of the team.

It's something that Bell is tremendously proud of with the impact the local players have had and that includes those unlucky to be just on the fringes of the team during the finals like Haydn Matthews, Clay Hall and James Sturrock.

"I've just been so impressed with all the local guys who have been able to go to the next level and become match winners, and to perform on the bigger stage for us and perform in league games regularly," Bell said.

"You can say I'm proud to see the younger guys stepping up into those roles and making the team better. I've been around the club for a number of years now and seeing the younger guys like Jack Sears, Ben Middleton, Ty Anderson, Riley Smith and even Blight who has come in this year. 

"All those guys have taken their game to the next level which I believe has been a big part in us pushing this far deep into September."

How are you feeling as Grand Final approaches

The longer the week has gone on after last Sunday's preliminary final win against Subiaco and Bell's excitement has continued to grow ahead of the Grand Final. 

At the same time, he has tried to keep things as normal as can be in preparation for the big day on Sunday against East Fremantle.

"I'm excited, that's all I can really say about how I'm feeling and I'm just keen to embrace what the rest of the week holds and everything on the day once we get to it," Bell said.

"There is parts of the week that are different, but really the preparation side of things in terms of the team and personal relatively stays the same.

"One thing that is different is that the game's at Optus so we need to prepare ourselves for that and get ready to play at a ground that a lot of us have never played at.

"And playing in a stadium as opposed to one of the local grounds is a little different, but in terms of prepping for the game you try to go about it like you would for any other game, and keep everything relatively the same. In the end, once the ball's bounced and it will be hot early, but it's just another game of footy."

Having the Grand Final at Optus Stadium

With the Grand Final being played at Optus Stadium, it provides Bell just the second chance of his career to play at the venue and the first time in a Thunder jumper.

His only other game at the ground was the 2019 State game where he played for Western Australia against South Australia, but he's looking forward to being back there and especially for the team to have a training run there to get familiar with it.

"It can be a bit of an eye opener playing there and you do want to get familiarised with it a bit before you run out there on the day," he said. 

"That's why each team has a training run there this week so I think both teams will be looking to get their players familiarised with the ground and the facilities and everything. 

"That way on the day you're not walking around in awe of everything because you've seen it before and you can focus on the game, and getting down to it."

The two Grand Finals Bell has played in back in 2016 and 2017 were the last two held at Subiaco Oval. He always was glad the big day was there and is happy to have it back at Optus Stadium this year after two of the last three WAFL deciders have been at suburban venues.

"I'm happy that it's at Optus just like I was glad the other Grand Finals I played in were at Subiaco Oval," Bell said. 

"It feels like you're playing on the big stage and I think the Grand Final deserves to be played at the best ground in terms of the stadium for the fans but also the ground for the players. 

"It makes it feel like an honour to be in the position to play there so I like that we've gone back there and I think it's a good idea. 

"I do understand the arguments against it and a lot of people think it should be played at one of the local grounds because of the atmosphere you get with it packed out. But for me personally, I think it's a good idea being at the best stadium in the state."

Taking on an old premiership teammate

Another fascinating aspect for Bell in Sunday's Grand Final will be the fact he will be playing against one of his great mates, and Peel premiership teammate Brayden Lawler.

Lawler played the first 121 games of his WAFL career at the Thunder including those 2016 and 2017 where both he and Bell were key contributors, and two of the hard men of the side.

He then took a year off from the WAFL in 2022 before joining East Fremantle in 2023 where he's gone on to kick 29 goals and playing against him in a Grand Final is something Bell will look back on with a smile down the track.

"It's a bit funny actually how it's all worked out. It will be strange for us to be out there on different teams, but probably more so for him because he's running out against his old club," Bell said.

"I probably won't find myself down back far enough to run into him too often, but it will be something I'll look back on and have a chuckle at whichever way the result goes.

"I'm great mates with Brayden still and we do talk regularly and we might shake hands at the start of the game, and then just see each other at the end. It is pretty special to be honest to be able to play against him on the last game of the year on the big stage though."