MINOR premier Perth advanced to the 2023 WAFL Colts decider after beating East Fremantle by 44 points in Sunday’s Preliminary Final at Lane Group Stadium. The Demons trailed at quarter time but kicked away with five goals to one in the second quarter and never looked back.

Claremont now awaits in the final game of the season, which will be played at Optus Stadium at 2:10pm on Sunday September 24. We took note of some of the top performers from Perth’s win over the Sharks, including a couple of state representatives and a draft combine invitee.

Perth 13.8 (86) def. East Fremantle 6.6 (42)

Perth:

#3 Cooper Moore

Ever-present in midfield for the Demons throughout this game, Moore was bullish in his attack on the footy. In spite of his diminutive stature, the 2024 prospect thrived on the contested game, rolling with the hits and taking down bigger opponents regularly. Having created plenty of opportunities in the first half with his precise disposals going inside 50, Moore managed two goals of his own late in the game to put the icing on the cake.

#26 Oscar Hine-Baston

Playing as both the last man back and a dangerous rebounding defender, Hine-Baston displayed flexibility in his roles within the back six. Defending a range of opponents, Hine-Baston even got the better of 189cm forward Jack Cocking to force the ball to the boundary in an aerial battle. Though, his run and carry was typically the primary feature of his game, using his burst of speed and acceleration to find himself the time and space to move the ball forward confidently.

#29 Noah Cachard

With the game practically put to bed in the first half, Perth had one man to thank more than any for their first half dominance. Cachard set the tone early in the centre square, splitting his time between midfield and half-forward. Classy with his delivery inside 50, Cachard had a hand in the bulk of Perth’s scoring opportunities in the first half, managing two of his own early in the piece. He began to receive some extra attention from the opposition as the game carried on, though still made a strong offensive contribution when he did manage to get his hands on the ball.

#36 Elijah Scoble

Presented with the tough task of taking on leading goal kicker Jack Cocking, Scoble stepped up to the plate and then some. Keeping his opponent to just the one goal, Scoble made his presence felt aerially, nullifying East Fremantle’s primary avenue for inside 50s and forcing them look elsewhere. He even flashed some of his ability as a rebounding defender, showing off some run and carry in the second half, paired with some stylish kicking to teammates.

East Fremantle:

#7 Chadd Dunscombe

Tirelessly competing in and under in the midfield, Dunscombe looks and plays the old fashioned footballer with his tucked shirt, mullet and tough nut approach to the game. Leading the tackles for the Sharks, Dunscombe impacted every contest in the early stages of a heavily contested first quarter. He impacted across all three lines of the field, popping up for the odd intercept across half-back and slotting a difficult set shot from the boundary. His ball use was primarily by hand as he won the hard footy time and time again.

#16 James Spadanuda

The leading ball winner of this affair, Spadanuda had his usual split of midfield and half-back time. Working himself into the game as it wore on, Spadanuda’s faultless kicking was crucial for the Sharks as Perth’s tight defence were all over any marginally out of line delivery. His run and carry off the half-back was the catalyst for many East Fremantle counter-attacks, benefitting from his own ability to position himself for any hurried Perth entries and intercept mark.