Fremantle veteran Michael Walters got through his first WAFL appearance of the season unscathed as midfielder Jaeger O’Meara pushed for an instant recall to the AFL side.
Walters has been sidelined since the start of the year with a persistent knee injury but showed no ill-affects as he made a rare appearance for Peel Thunder in their 35-point defeat to South Fremantle in Mandurah on Saturday.
The 34-year-old was quiet compared to his lofty standards, collecting three disposals and five tackles under the watchful eye of Dockers coach Justin Longmuir and the coaching staff who would’ve been pleased to see the 2019 All-Australian run out a game.
On limited minutes, Walters was not favoured by the heavy conditions down in Mandurah, which made scoring difficult for much of the game.
Starting at half-forward, the veteran got into the game early as the Thunder kicked into a strong breeze.
It was evident that Walters’ leadership was having an impact, with the forward spending a lot of time directing teammates and setting up their structures around the ground.
Walters picked up the speed of the game better in the second half, pushing up to the contest and then trying to expose South Fremantle defender Toby McQuilkin by working hard back to attack.
The superstar spent time with fans after the match taking pictures and signing autographs despite the rain.
O’Meara came back to where it all began in his first WAFL appearance for 5041 days, having last played in the state league as a 17-year-old for Perth.
The Dockers midfielder is coming back from a hamstring and foot injury he sustained in the round six loss to Melbourne but didn’t look like he skipped a beat.
O’Meara was one of the best midfielders for the Thunder, finishing with 25 disposals, five tackles and team-high seven clearances in a strong display.
The former Gold Coast and Hawthorn star made his debut in Mandurah in round 22 of 2011 where he caught the attention with four goals from 15 disposals.
Fremantle midfielder Will Brodie is set for a stint on the sidelines after he sustained a concussion in the opening minutes of the contest.
Defender Brandon Walker – who hasn’t played since the Dockers’ round two defeat to Sydney – was solid in defence, finishing with 10 touches and five tackles.
Donning the long sleeves and No.88, Walker’s defensive pressure was strong and there was some contests which would’ve seriously tested the strength of the repaired shoulder.
Third-year defender High Davies was one of Peel’s best, holding Bernie Naylor Medal leader Trey Ruscoe goalless in an excellent effort as he looks to add to the two games he played for Fremantle last year.
Draftee Charlie Nicholls kicked consecutive goals for the second consecutive week in a strong performance early in his career.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/peel-thunder-football-club/fremantle-dockers-veterans-michael-walters-and-jaeger-omeara-pass-test-in-footy-return-for-peel-thunder-c-19101460
