Preliminary Final 2005

West Coast v Adelaide
Preliminary Final, 2005

Seaby and Selwood celebrate on the siren. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Sat, 17 September 2005 (1:00 PM WST)

Venue

Subiaco Oval

Attendance

43,009

Result

Won by 16

Score

WCE 14.9.93 - 11.11.77 ADL

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West Coast booked a spot in their first Grand Final since the 1994 flag with a tense win over Adelaide. Late inclusion Travis Gaspar, in his first game since 2004, was reported for striking Ken McGregor and gave away the first goal, all before the opening bounce. The game was extremely tight for the first half but West Coast appeared to have broken the Crows in the third term as they skipped away to a 32-point lead by the last change. Adelaide weren't done with and fought back to get the margin into single figures, but squandered several chances and the Eagles were able to steady and lock in their place for the final Saturday in September. Daniel Kerr again paced his side with 31 possessions and Adam Selwood had 26 touches to get revenge on the Crows after being concussed in their encounter a few weeks earlier. On the downside, Michael Braun injured his knee in the opening minutes and was ruled out of the Grand Final.

Summary[]

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
West Coast		2.2.14		6.5.41		11.8.74		14.9.93
Adelaide		2.2.14		5.4.34		6.6.42		11.11.77

Goals: Chick, Hansen 3, Embley 2, Cousins, Gardiner, Hunter, Sampi, Seaby, Selwood

Best: Kerr, Hunter, Wirrpanda, Embley, Judd, Chick

Injuries: Braun (knee)

Reports: Gaspar for striking K.McGregor

Milestones: Banfield 250th game

Named sides[]

	West Coast				Adelaide
B:	44.Wirrpanda	23.Glass	39.Hunter	B:	8.Bassett	25.Rutten	23.McLeod
HB:	17.Chick	41.Staker	5.Stenglein	HB:	34.Hart	44.Bock	15.Torney
C:	18.R.Jones	9.Cousins	10.Braun	C:	24.Burton	32.Ricciuto	39.Mattner
HF:	31.Nicoski	29.Hansen	4.Kerr	HF:	37.Hentschel	16.McGregor	5.Thompson
F:	28.Sampi	21.Lynch	1.Gardiner	F:	9.Edwards	17.Welsh	22.Perrie
R:	20.Cox	3.Judd	7.Fletcher	R:	35.Biglands	12.Shirley	36.Goodwin
I:	6.Banfield	38.B.Jones	32.Embley	I:	18.Johncock	14.Skipworth	11.Doughty
	14.Seaby				4.Clarke
E:	26.Butler	11.Gaspar	37.Selwood	E:	6.Watts	7.Van Berlo	33.Reilly

In: R.Jones

Out: Matera (groin)

Late changes: Selwood, Gaspar for B.Jones (quad), Lynch

From the papers[]

The West Australian[]

"In his best game for the club, Seaby's ruck work was of such high quality it allowed Worsfold to use Cox in other capacities. And this will prove invaluable against Sydney, a side against which Cox kicked four goals in round six and four in the SCG final last year.

The stat sheet does not do justice to Sampi. His late-season slump started to turn against Sydney in the first week of the finals and against Adelaide he was enlivened. His willingness to compete for the hard ball and ability to help lock the ball in the forward zone were key components of his game.

Selwood is slightly built but commits fully. His work on the bigger bodied Scott Thompson earned him a spot in the grand final where he will probably be given a run-with role.^[1]

The Sunday Age[]

"Chick has spent most of the season as an unflappable defender, while Embley has been used mainly on a wing, though both have enjoyed cameo appearances in attack.

Yesterday, they became star performers in an attack that has been much maligned and generally criticised as lacking potency.

In a game billed as the battle of the midfields, the contributions of Chick and Embley were major planks in Worsfold's game plan. They kicked five goals between them on West Coast's journey into its fourth grand final.

West Coast ruckmen Dean Cox and Mark Seaby were also supreme, with Cox's work in defence instrumental in shutting down and slowing the Crows."^[2]

WAFL[]

Prelim Final (10 Sept)

Claremont (R.Jones, Morton) def. Subiaco (Wooden)

Grand Final (18 Sept)

South Fremantle (Graham) def. Claremont (Morton). Former West Coast rookie Toby McGrath was awarded the Simpson Medal, while another former rookie-lister in Ryan Webb won a premiership medal along with future Eagle Ashton Hams. Ashley Thornton played in Peel's losing reserves side.