West Coast suffered a big loss to Geelong first-up in the Ansett Cup but found form in subsequent scratch matches.
Rules[]
The 16 teams faced off in a sudden-death knockout competition, with losing sides sent to play scratch matches.
Practice match[]
Fremantle v West Coast
Fri, 14 February 1997
Attendance: 7,000 (est)
| 1/4 time | 1/2 time | 3/4 time | Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremantle | 6.2.38 | 11.3.69 | 13.11.89 | 16.14.110 | ||||
| West Coast | 1.0.6 | 1.4.10 | 3.6.24 | 3.9.27 |
Goals: Matera, Smoker, Symmons
Best: Turnbull, Waterman, Symmons, Grgic
Injuries: Sumich (elbow), Cousins (rolled ankle), Morrison (corked thigh)
West Coast opened the pre-season with a big loss to Fremantle in a scratch match.
Round of 16[]
Geelong v West Coast
Sat, 22 February 1997
Attendance: 7,752
| 1/4 time | 1/2 time | 3/4 time | Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geelong | 2.5.17 | 5.7.37 | 8.9.57 | 9.10.64 | ||||
| West Coast | 2.0.12 | 3.0.18 | 4.3.27 | 5.4.34 |
Goals: Cousins, Heady, Kemp, Lewis, Spinks
Best: McIntosh, Pe.Matera, Banfield, Mainwaring
Injuries: Wirrpanda (ankle)
In wet conditions at Waverley, West Coast kicked the first two goals of the match inside four minutes but managed just three more as Geelong took control of the game and ran out comfortable victors.
Named squad: Heady, Kemp, Mainwaring, Banfield, Gehrig, Metropolis, McIntosh, Wooden, Grgic, Dunstan, Symmons, Gardiner, Stone, Spinks, Ball, Lewis, Pe.Matera, Cousins, Hart, Waterman, Clifton, Morrison, Marshall, Wirrpanda
Geelong: Barnes, Brownless, Burns, Colbert, Corrigan, Graham, Hall, Handley, G.Hocking, Kilpatrick, King, Lynch, Mansfield, McGrath, McKinnon, Milburn, Riccardi, Robbins, Sanderson, Sholl, Simpson, Snell, Steinfort, Stoneham, Tanner
Practice match (quarter final week)[]
West Coast v Port Adelaide
Sat, 8 March 1997
Attendance: 4,282
| 1/4 time | 1/2 time | 3/4 time | Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Coast | 4.7.31 | 9.10.64 | 13.12.90 | 19.12.126 | ||||
| Port Adelaide | 1.1.7 | 4.2.26 | 6.4.40 | 10.6.66 |
Goals: Waterman 4, Lovell 3, Cousins, Donnelly, Heady, Morrison 2, Banfield, Gardiner, Grgic, Ph.Matera
Best: Cousins, Lovell, Banfield, Turnbull, Waterman, Lewis
Injuries: Not reported
West Coast easily accounted for newcomers Port Adelaide in a scratch match.
Practice match (semi final week)[]
Brisbane v West Coast
Sat, 15 March 1997
Attendance: not reported
| 1/4 time | 1/2 time | 3/4 time | Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | 1.1.7 | 3.3.21 | 6.5.41 | 7.6.48 | ||||
| West Coast | 7.0.42 | 10.2.62 | 15.7.97 | 19.8.122 |
Goals: Evans, Sumich 3, Heady, Lewis, Ph.Matera, Morrison 2, Ball, Donnelly, Mainwaring, Pe.Matera, McIntosh
Best: Lewis, Mainwaring, Pe.Matera, Heady, Grgic, Morrison
Injuries: McKenna (hamstring)
West Coast spoiled the party as the newly-formed Brisbane Lions attempted to win over former Fitzroy fans in Melbourne.
Links[]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Ansett_Australia_Cup
http://australianfootball.com/seasons/season/afl/138/ansett%2Baustralia%2Bcup/11/12/1997/advanced
| 1997 season |
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<--1996-97 offseason | 1997-98 offseason--> |