Elimination Final 2002

Essendon v West Coast
Elimination Final, 2002

Matera in what turned out to be his final game. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Sat, 7 Sept 2002 (2:30 PM EST)

Venue

Docklands

Attendance

37,475

Result

Lost by 33

Score

ESS 17.9.111 - 11.12.78 WCE

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In their first finals appearance in three seasons, West Coast looked in the box seat to upset Essendon when they held a narrow lead in the third term and the Bombers were down a man with spearhead Matthew Lloyd concussed early. But Essendon rallied through Scott Lucas to take the lead heading into the final quarter and then ran away with the match, bringing down the curtain on a relatively successful debut season for John Worsfold's Eagles. Daniel Kerr and Ben Cousins each had 24 possessions and 7 clearances to lead West Coast.

Summary[]

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
Essendon		3.4.22		6.6.42		11.7.73		17.9.111
West Coast		2.2.14		6.6.42		9.8.62		11.12.78

Goals: Munro 3, Wilson 2, Banfield, Gardiner, Humm, Jakovich, Kerr, Sampi

Best: Gardiner, Kerr, Cousins, Lynch, Hunter

Injuries: Judd (knee)

Milestones: Pe.Matera final appearance

Named sides[]

	West Coast				Essendon
B:	39.Hunter	11.McIntosh	13.Wooden	B:	23.Bolton	31.Fletcher	1.M.Johnson
HB:	22.Collica	27.Jakovich	35.Green	HB:	9.Ramanauskas	6.Wellman	21.Jacobs
C:	6.Banfield	9.Cousins	3.Judd	C:	32.Blumfield	24.Misiti	33.Caracella
HF:	44.Wirrpanda	45.Lynch	38.Haynes	HF:	5.Hird	25.Lucas	43.Rioli
F:	30.Pe.Matera	40.Wilson	33.Ph.Matera	F:	29.Moorcroft	18.Lloyd	27.Alessio
R:	1.Gardiner	4.Kerr	10.Braun	R:	4.Salmon	11.Peverill	14.J.Johnson
I:	19.McDougall	8.Taylor	41.Humm	I:	16.Barnard	26.Heffernan	41.Welsh
	15.Chambers				10.McVeigh
E:	28.Sampi	31.Munro	25.Sierakowski	E:	30.Hunt	37.Bullen	15.Forster-Knight

In: Lynch, Wirrpanda

Out: Cox (ankle), Munro

Late changes: (WCE) Sampi, Munro for Taylor, Chambers; (ESS) Hunt for Hird (groin)

From the papers[]

The Sunday Age[]

"As the first half neared its frenetic conclusion, Phil Matera - beaten by Mark Johnson all day - took a powerful soccer strike but banged the ball into the post. The scores were level, but the Eagles appeared to be gathering with greater purpose.

Ben Cousins, ever shadowed by Damien Peverill, was building and starting to pump the ball consistently in the direction of the Eagles' forwards as the third term developed, and defender Adam Hunter, head bandaged from his collision with Lloyd, was consistently resolute in defence.

But so, too, was Joe Misiti's game flourishing; he amassed 34 damaging touches. In an effort to find some much-needed ``goal power", Sheedy swung Lucas into the forward line. He was as ferocious a presence there as in defence, first turning Michael Collica inside out to set up a goal to Andrew Welsh, who marked bravely with two Eagles closing in on him, then putting through an awkward snap to put the Dons ahead again.

In the end, Lucas was the forward West Coast didn't have. His three goals from his most natural position in a third quarter that yielded five to Essendon and three to the Eagles was what set the teams apart."^[1]

Players in the WAFL[]

2nd Semi Final (8 Sept)

East Perth (Prior, Tuckey) vs Subiaco (Sierakowski, Fletcher)

Preliminary Final (15 Sept)

West Perth (Seaby) vs Subiaco (Haynes)

Grand Final (22 Sept)

East Perth (Prior, Humm, Tuckey) 15.14.104 def West Perth (Seaby) 5.14.44. Former Eagle Ryan Turnbull won the Simpson Medal as best afield, while Paul Symmons and Dean Buszan were also part of the premiership side.

Injury list[]

In the lead-up to the round the following players were listed as injured:^[2]

Player	Injury	Expected duration
Read	Knee	Season
Morrison	Knee	Season
Harding	Ankle	Season
Embley	Knee	Season
Gaspar	Foot	1 week
Jones	Knee	1 week
Merenda	Back	Test
Fletcher	Ankle	Test
Sierakowski	Hamstring	Test
Cox	Ankle	Test