Grand Final 2015

West Coast v Hawthorn
Grand Final, 2015

Yeo watches on as the Hawks celebrate. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Saturday, 3 October 2015 (2.30pm)

Venue

MCG

Attendance

99

Result

Lost by 46

Score

HAW 16.11.107 - 8.13.61 WCE

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In their first grand final since 2006 the youthful West Coast side looked overawed against a Hawthorn team that was gunning for its third premiership in succession, and were duly put to the sword. The Eagles struggled to cope with Hawthorn's pressure, committing numerous turnovers and failing to make any headway on the scoreboard until a pair of late goals from usual defender Jeremy McGovern prevented the scoreline from becoming a complete disaster. In his record-equalling 104th consecutive game, Andrew Gaff was West Coast's best with 34 possessions, and Sam Butler, the sole remaining player from the 2006 flag, was one of few others who could hold his head high.

Summary

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
West Coast		1.5.11		3.8.26		5.9.39		8.13.61
Hawthorn		5.0.30		9.3.57		14.5.89		16.11.107

Goals: McGovern 2, Darling, Hill, Hutchings, LeCras, Shuey, Yeo

Best: Gaff, Shuey, Butler, Hutchings, Priddis

Injuries: Nil

Sub: Rosa for Sinclair in the third quarter

Milestones: Gaff 104th consecutive game (equal club record), Rosa final appearance, Sinclair final appearance

Named side

	West Coast				Hawthorn
B:	12.Wellingham	31.Schofield	25.Hurn	B:	24.Stratton	17.Lake	12.Frawley
HB:	18.Ellis	20.McGovern	5.Sheppard	HB:	14.Birchall	6.Gibson	9.Burgoyne
C:	24.Rosa	11.Priddis	6.Yeo	C:	10.Hill	5.Mitchell	26.Shiels
HF:	3.Gaff	27.Darling	15.Cripps	HF:	33.Rioli	25.Schoenmakers	16.Smith
F:	2.LeCras	17.Kennedy	33.Hill	F:	22.Breust	2.Roughead	28.Puopolo
R:	9.Naitanui	4.Sheed	13.Shuey	R:	7.McEvoy	15.Hodge	3.Lewis
I:	7.Masten	22.Sinclair	34.Hutchings	I:	4.Suckling	8.Duryea	20.Hale
	26.Butler				19.Gunston
E:	35.McGinnity	10.Selwood	29.Lycett	E:	18.Ceglar	31.Litherland	40.Hartung

No change

From the coach

"It just didn’t feel like we were in the game all day to the level we wanted to be. Missed opportunities, some turnovers that fuelled their ball movement and experience combined. They’re an elite side that deserved the victory.
...
It’s been a whirlwind year for us to come from ninth to playing off in a grand final, but I thought we prepared really well. Even our campaign — you’d take that any day of the week, the way we prepared. Whether we got overawed or they were just too good and we didn’t take our chances, I must admit there was a moment there in the third where we started to really get some momentum, but they make you pay. I think we missed an opportunity, kicked a point or a dropped mark and they went straight up the other end. That’s what great teams do.
...
It was a good combination of their pressure and getting exposed by turnovers. Sometimes you can fumble and not quite handle situations, but you don’t get punished like you do when you play Hawthorn. We’ve got to give all credit to them the way they played. Hats off to them.
...
I thought our forward line were a bit off today as a whole unit. I thought the Hawks’ defence was a really solid back seven. But supply wasn’t great. I think we had 40 inside 50s. We averaged 55. To say it was our midfield that was disappointing — I think the collective, the whole way we played today, was one of our poorer games."

From the papers

The West Australian

"In short, the Eagles didn’t stand up to the Hawthorn’s heat and were out of the game when the Hawks tired, if they tired at all.

The major challenge for West Coast was always going to be handling the first 20 minutes of the game – when the heat from the Hawks was expected to be at its highest and those without grand final experience were expected to be at their most vulnerable.

Surprisingly, the Eagles handled the first three minutes – even kicked the first goal after high contact to Shuey. But they made a hash of the next twenty as the Hawks steadied and got on a five goal roll, led by Mitchell’s influence out of the middle and Rioli in attack.

Rioli kicked two first quarter goals – left in hectares of space as the Eagles web came unglued thanks to a rash of midfield turnovers."

The Age

"At the start of the third term, when West Coast needed something special, chances did come.

Those chances were blown.

Luke Shuey, screaming forward, had teammates either side of him and another deep in the forward 50. He ignored them all, went short, and kicked it straight to the only Hawthorn defender in the area.

Two minutes later, Jack Darling dropped a mark 40m from goal that he would have taken 100 of the past 100 times.

Two big moments in the game. The Eagles had worked so hard to fight back from 44 points down to get back to within 24 - just four goals."

Herald-Sun

"Whenever there was a loose 50-50 ball it seemed the Hawks were first to it, such as when Grant Birchall instinctively put his head down, attacked the Sherrin and charged through a hesitant Jamie Cripps on centre wing.

The Hawks’ harassment whenever an Eagle took possession was superb, as Mark Hutchings would attest.

In quick succession during the second quarter he was chased down by Cyril Riloi, hip and shouldered by Burgoyne and wrapped up by David Hale as he tried to charge through a pack.

In contrast, the Eagles at times looked overwhelmed by the occasion."

Injury list

In the lead-up to the game the following players were listed as injured or unavailable:

Player		Injury		Expected duration
MacKenzie		Knee		Season		(Placed on LTI list 2/4/15, replaced by Lucas)
Brown		Knee		Season		(Placed on LTI list 23/7/15, replaced by Newman)
Tunbridge		Ankle/shoulder		Season
Duggan		Knee		Season
Cavka		Ankle		Season
Waterman		Glandular fever		Indefinite
Maginness*		Foot		Season

References

http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2015/27/haw-v-wce

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2015/101820151003.html