WAFL Round 20 RecapSunday, August 18, 2024 - 10:21 PM - by Chris Pike

THE weather wasn’t kind but it only added to drama in the penultimate round of the WAFL season with Peel Thunder and East Perth guaranteeing the top two spots while one of Swan Districts, East Fremantle, Claremont and South Fremantle will now miss finals.

The ultimate wintry conditions greeted the five Round 20 WAFL matches on Saturday afternoon and by the end of it, we got some answers over the top two spots with the Thunder and Royals guaranteeing finishing there.

However, with Swans and the Sharks both losing, and then the Tigers and Bulldogs winning, going into the last round it means that one of them will now miss out on finals.

None of the four are guaranteed to play finals with Swan Districts sitting third on 42 points while East Fremantle and Claremont are just behind on 40 with South Fremantle on 38.

It sets up a fascinating last round with all four of those teams playing sides below them and out of finals contention while East Perth and Peel take on one another to determine the minor premiership.

It sets up a fascinating last round with all four of those teams playing teams below them and out of finals contention while East Perth and Peel take on one another to determine the minor premiership.

As for Saturday's matches, Peel Thunder handed Swan Districts a second straight defeat with the 7.12 (54) to 3.5 (23) victory at Lane Group Stadium with two goals apiece from Sebit Kuek and Matt Taberner while Nik Rokahr had 32 touches for Swans and Jye Chalcraft 31.

In a game featuring only seven goals on a water logged Sullivan Logistics Stadium, East Perth kicked the only two of the last quarter through Tom North and Harrison Macreadie to end East Fremantle's five-game winning run 4.9 (33) to 3.12 (30).

Perth and South Fremantle then combined for just 13 goals and 16 scoring shots at Mineral Resources Park but it was a last gasp kick off the ground from Manfred Kelly that won the game for the Bulldogs.

It proved to be the last kick of the game too with South Fremantle winning 7.1 (43) to 6.2 (38) to keep its finals hopes alive with Dylan Main kicking three goals.

Claremont then stayed in fifth spot with a dominant 12.7 (79) to 3.3 (21) win against West Coast at Revo Fitness Stadium Talon Delacey and Bailey Rogers kicking three goals each while Rogers had 37 possessions and Ben Elliott 34.

West Perth then snapped a 10-game losing streak to get out of bottom spot beating Subiaco 8.10 (58) to 5.12 (42) at Pentanet Stadium with Luke Meadows racking up 36 possessions in his 150th game for the Falcons.

WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 20

PEEL THUNDER 7.12 (54) defeated SWAN DISTRICTS 3.5 (23)

EAST PERTH 4.9 (33) defeated EAST FREMANTLE 3.12 (30)

PERTH 6.2 (38) lost to SOUTH FREMANTLE 7.1 (43)

CLAREMONT 12.7 (79) defeated WEST COAST EAGLES 3.3 (21)

WEST PERTH 8.10 (58) defeated SUBIACO 5.12 (42)