Round 16 2021

Sydney v West Coast
Round 16, 2021

Witherden gives away 50. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Sun, 4 July 2021 (1.10pm EST)

Venue

Kardinia Park

Attendance

9,520

Result

Lost by 92

Score

SYD 18.10.118 - 3.8.26 WCE

Brownlow

3 C.Mills (SYD)
2 L.Parker (SYD)
1 D.Sheed (WCE)

Ladder

7th

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West Coast slumped to a heavy defeat for the second straight week, and for the second time for the season at Kardinia Park, as they were demolished by a rampant Swans side. With the match shifted from the SCG due to an ongoing lockdown situation in New South Wales, Sydney had a handsome lead at quarter time and had the match sewn up by the main break with six unanswered goals in the second term, as the Eagles were unable to find any structure or consistency. Dom Sheed had a game-high 37 possessions but was wasteful with his disposal.

Summary

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
Sydney		5.2.32		11.4.70		13.8.86		18.10.118
West Coast		1.3.9		1.3.9		3.5.23		3.8.26

Goals: Darling, Kennedy, Yeo

Best: Sheed, Duggan, Darling, Hurn, Yeo

Injuries: Redden (knee), Jones (ankle)

Reports: Shuey for striking C.Mills

Medical subs: (WCE) Petruccelle for Redden (knee) in the second term; (SYD) Rowbottom (not used)

Records: WCE lowest score vs Sydney

Jumper: Away, blue shorts

Named sides

	West Coast				Sydney
B:	28.Cole	37.Barrass	5.Sheppard	B:	30.McCartin	24.Rampe	42.Fox
HB:	25.Hurn	20.McGovern	14.Duggan	HB:	44.Lloyd	7.Cunningham	34.Dawson
C:	8.Redden	6.Yeo	16.L.Edwards*	C:	29.Hewett	13.Florent	27.McInerney
HF:	15.Cripps	27.Darling	4.Sheed	HF:	5.Heeney	21.Gulden	9.Hayward
F:	12.Allen	17.Kennedy	31.Jones	F:	11.Papley	23.Franklin	36.Amartey
R:	9.Naitanui	11.Kelly	13.Shuey	R:	31.Hickey	14.Mills	26.Parker
I:	7.Langdon	19.Vardy	23.Witherden	I:	45.Wicks	32.Bell	12.Kennedy
	29.Foley				22.Blakey
E:	2.Waterman	41.Ah Chee*	21.Petruccelle	E:	8.Rowbottom	38.O'Riordan	18.Sinclair
	35.Rotham				41.McLean

In: Jones, Langdon, Vardy, Witherden, Foley

Out: Ryan (suspended), Gaff (hand), Waterman, Petruccelle, Rotham, Nelson (unused medical sub)

(*L.Edwards replaced Gaff in the side, Ah Chee added to emergencies)

Quarter by quarter

Both sides went in as named, with West Coast forced into a change the previous day when Gaff was ruled out with a hand injury.

From the coach

"Yeah, really disappointing. We got outplayed for most of the day. Thought defensively we were poor, which made it really hard to get any type of ball movement. The contest stuff was a reasonable level, but they were cleaner, they transitioned the ball a lot better than we did. And then before we knew it, the game was out of our reach. So, reset, change a couple of things at half time, to some small success, but not a lot. And then the last quarter we didn’t take any of our chances. To be honest, most areas of the day we were outplayed.

"...I think we’ve got to look at our method and how we go about executing it. Contest stuff wasn’t too far off, but they were cleaner, and the way they used the ball, their run, their work rate, we weren’t at the same level.

"...(I) think we’ve got to look at bit of our method. if we’re cleaner and tougher at stoppages and contests, and maybe there’s different issues, but at the moment we’re doing a lot of attacking from that deep 50, and we’re not getting supply. Which is a concern, so that’s the first thing we need to look at. And how we defend on our entries is the second thing. We got out too easily today, and I think the Bulldogs were the same last week, so it’s a bit of work to do, that’s for sure."

From the papers

The West Australian

"The slick and committed Swans were able to harass and panic the Eagles out of any cohesive ball movement, holding them to just 28 marks in the first half. Just one of those marks were taken inside 50 after they were on the wrong end of a 32-15 supply count.

Consider that. One mark inside 50 in a half of footy after bringing Nathan Vardy in to support Nic Naitanui in the ruck, enabling Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and Oscar Allen to play forward.

Then when Sydney got the ball, they were able to slice through the corridor with ease. The Swans initially punished the Eagles’ lack of skill and belief, but later their frustration.

As things fell apart, there was a swinging arm from Luke Shuey into the head of the excellent Mills that might prompt a holiday from the match review officer. There was an angry tackle from Elliot Yeo that lingered too long."

The Age

"Though veterans Lance Franklin, Luke Parker and Dane Rampe all played well, in a mark of the progress the seemingly finals-bound Swans have made this season this victory was powered by the club’s future.

Callum Mills, Jordan Dawson and Errol Gulden were all keys when the game was set up in the first half while unheralded big man Joel Amartey impressed in just his fifth game.

Elevated from the rookie list this year, Amartey is proving to be another astute selection by list boss Kinnear Beatson. His two goals and three marks may appear modest on the stats sheet but his opponent Jeremy McGovern had zero impact."

Reserves

West Coast's clash with South Fremantle was postponed due to a Perth-wide lockdown. With the West Australian sides taking their entire squads to Melbourne, non-selected Eagles players, including Willie Rioli, participated in a scratch match against Fremantle's reserves at Melbourne's Wesley College.

Appearing for the Eagles: Waterman, Brander, Winder, Trew, Nelson, Ainsworth, Rotham, West, Johnson, Jamieson, Ah Chee, H.Edwards, Rioli

Injury list

In the leadup to the match the following players were listed as injured or unavailable:

Player		Injury		Expected return
Cameron		Ankle		TBC		(on inactive list 1/6/21)
Rioli		Suspension		7 weeks
Ryan		Suspension		1 week
Winder		Knee		Test
Johnson		Hamstring		TBC		(not on official list)
Venables*		Concussion		Indefinite		(on inactive list 1/6/01)
Collins*		Hamstring		2-3 weeks
West*		Ankle		Test

References

https://www.afl.com.au/matches/3114

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2021/161820210704.html