Round 18 2020

N.Melbourne v West Coast
Round 18, 2020

Darling in action. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Thur, 17 September 2020 (7.10pm EST)

Venue

Carrara Stadium

Attendance

724

Result

Won by 15

Score

WCE 7.7.49 - 4.10.34 NM

Brownlow

3 D.Sheed (WCE)
2 O.Allen (WCE)
1 L.Davies-Uniacke (NM)

Ladder

5th

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West Coast closed out the home and away season with a hard-fought win against the Kangaroos on the Gold Coast. The Eagles struggled to shake off an unfancied North Melbourne for three quarters, before a last-quarter burst ensured West Coast returned to Perth ahead of the finals with the four points. Oscar Allen kicked two vital last-quarter goals to finish with three for the match while Liam Ryan's creativity with the ball was crucial.

Summary

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
North Melbourne		2.4.16		2.6.18		3.10.28		4.10.34
West Coast		0.0.0		3.1.19		4.4.28		7.7.49

Goals: Allen 3, Ryan 2, Ainsworth, Darling

Best: Gaff, Ryan, Allen, Sheed, Hurn, Naitanui, Nelson

Injuries: Kennedy (ankle)

Milestones: Foley AFL debut, Schofield final appearance

Jumper: Clash, white shorts

Named sides

	West Coast				North Melb
B:	28.Cole	37.Barrass	5.Sheppard	B:	33.Vickers-Willis	25.Tarrant	39.Perez
HB:	25.Hurn	31.Schofield	14.Duggan	HB:	18.Atley	23.McKay	11.McDonald
C:	30.Nelson	4.Sheed	2.Waterman	C:	8.Scott	12.Simpkin	13.Polec
HF:	41.Ah Chee	27.Darling	21.Petruccelle	HF:	44.Zurhaar	19.J.Walker	7.Hill
F:	12.Allen	17.Kennedy	1.Ryan	F:	6.Garner	20.Larkey	4.Higgins
R:	9.Naitanui	11.Kelly	3.Gaff	R:	22.Goldstein	3.Anderson	14.Dumont
I:	29.Foley	32.Williams	33.Ainsworth	I:	9.Davies-Uniacke	24.Durdin	40.Murphy
	35.Rotham				43.Hall
E:	10.Brander	24.X.O’Neill	39.Cameron	E:	32.Wood	41.McGuinness	42.Campbell
	42.Edwards				46.Hosie

In: Sheed, Ah Chee, Foley, Williams

Out: McGovern (hamstring), Brayshaw, Brander, X.O'Neill

New: Luke Foley (Subiaco/Sorrento-Duncraig JFC)

Quarter by quarter

Both sides went in as named.

From the coach

"We came here to win and I thought North … a lot of people have been potting North but they played with real spirit tonight. Every club is going through different situations when you’re on the road for 12 weeks and they’ve been decimated by injuries as well. We prepared for them at their best and they weren’t far off it tonight. We got away with it. Our leaders stood up again in the last quarter and dragged us over the line. I’m not saying we’re really disappointed with how we played – we could play better – but they just didn’t allow us to, so full credit to North. We hung in there. They missed some shots they should have got and we missed a few. But in the end we stood up when it mattered and we can sit back and watch the footy over the weekend.

"...Our system tonight didn’t click, so individuals stood up. We don’t want to rely on that, but he (Ryan)’s All Australian. His last month in particular … we haven’t been with Jamie Cripps for four or five weeks – he had his baby yesterday and had a baby boy – so (Ryan’s) really stood up for us when the game has been on the line. He’s been one of those leaders who has dragged us over the line a couple of weeks in a row now.

"We’re half full. Whenever you win you’ve got to have a glass half full (outlook). There are too many glass half empty things to deal with in this industry, so when you win winning is good. We won’t be looking back on this game with great memories and it’s four points. And I’d say we’re missing five or six top 10 players in our side, so no matter how good your system is you need talent. We’ve got to blood some kids; we’ve had seven or eight kids play. Some of them probably weren’t ready, but we exposed them and we managed to win at the same time. Hopefully that pays us back in another pre-season with those kids to go through. For them to experience a win, in particular last week, they’ll never forget it. I’ll be glass half full."

From the papers

The West Australian

"The Eagles lacked energy and North Melbourne took full advantage. West Coast failed to score in the first quarter and that hadn’t happened to an Eagles team since 1998.

The stats backed up what the eyes were seeing. North Melbourne had 32 more uncontested possessions for the quarter and 12 more contested possessions. They worked harder and wanted it more.

North Melbourne couldn’t play finals but they could win the wooden spoon and had been humiliated in recent weeks. Pride is a big motivation.

Twelve Eagles had two disposals or less in the opening term and the signs were ominous.

The Age

"The ball was slippery but the excuses would need to be too because the errors cost the Roos a realistic chance to claim a big scalp in a disappointing season.

Instead the two teams entered the final quarter on the same score, 28 apiece.

The Eagles, needing the win more than their opponents, took their chances when it mattered with Oscar Allen – the team's impressive ruck-forward – kicking two quick goals midway through the term to break the stalemate.

It proved the difference in a match as scrappy as a crisper in a student's fridge with the Eagles perfunctory and the Kangaroos depleted and ready for the season's end after eight consecutive losses."

Reserves

No scratch match was played.

Injury list

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

Player		Injury		Expected return
Venables		Concussion		Season		(placed on inactive list 4/3/20)
Watson		Knee		Season
Rioli		Suspension		Indefinite
Cripps		Personal		Indefinite
Johnson		Groin		5 weeks
McGovern		Hamstring		3-4 weeks
Yeo		Groin		2-3 week
Shuey		Hamstring		2 weeks
Redden		Thumb		2 weeks
Hutchings		Hamstring		2 weeks
Jetta		Calf		2 weeks
Vardy		Thigh		1-2 weeks
Sheed		Hamstring		Test
Ah Chee		Thumb		Test
Jones*		Hamstring		Season
M.O'Neill*		Back		Available

References

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2020/121820200917.html

https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2893