Needing to win to cement a finals spot, West Coast cruised to victory against fellow finalist Melbourne. As usual it was the midfield that was the difference, with returning captain Ben Cousins playing a solid supporting role behind Chris Judd, Chad Fletcher and Michael Braun.
Summary[]
| 1/4 time | 1/2 time | 3/4 time | Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Coast | 2.5.17 | 6.8.44 | 10.11.71 | 15.17.107 | ||||
| Melbourne | 2.2.14 | 4.7.31 | 6.7.43 | 10.7.67 |
Goals: Embley 3, Matera, McDougall, Seaby 2, Adkins, Cousins, Cox, Lynch, Sampi, Wooden
Best: Judd, Braun, Cousins, Fletcher, Cox, Hunter
Injuries: Chick (thigh)
Named sides[]
| West Coast | Melbourne | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B: | 22.Waters | 23.Glass | 44.Wirrpanda | B: | 3.Bizzell | 8.Nicholson | 31.Wheatley |
| HB: | 6.Banfield | 39.Hunter | 17.Chick | HB: | 10.Ward | 27.Rivers | 25.Brown |
| C: | 26.Butler | 9.Cousins | 10.Braun | C: | 13.Yze | 28.Read | 1.Heffernan |
| HF: | 4.Kerr | 21.Lynch | 5.Morrison | HF: | 24.Robertson | 7.Miller | 32.Bruce |
| F: | 33.Matera | 2.McDougall | 28.Sampi | F: | 36.Davey | 4.Holland | 40.Jamar |
| R: | 20.Cox | 3.Judd | 7.Fletcher | R: | 34.White | 23.McDonald | 18.Green |
| I: | 14.Seaby | 32.Embley | 41.Staker | I: | 12.Sylvia | 30.Godfrey | 42.Walsh |
| 13.Wooden | 20.Broadbridge | ||||||
| E: | 16.Adkins | 18.R.Jones | 35.Green | E: | 16.Johnstone | 33.Hunter | 21.Bell |
In: Cousins
Out: Adkins
Late change: (WCE) Adkins, R.Jones for Kerr (groin), Waters (thigh); (MEL) Johnstone for Holland
From the papers[]
The West Australian[]
"White was soundly beaten by Dean Cox, Jamar failed to trouble the scorers and an even bigger jolt to the Demons' hopes came in the midfield where Judd, Michael Braun, Chad Fletcher, Josh Wooden and Cousins went on a possession feast that propelled their team to victory.
That five between them had 143 possessions at an average a shade below 29 each.
Fletcher, Judd and Braun all had more than 30 and West Coast won the clearances 43-27.
The Eagles kicked 2.5 in the first quarter to lead by three points. They added 4.3 in the second to go to half-time 13 points clear but the game was split open late in the third quarter."[1]
The Sunday Age[]
"Judd led the West Coast midfield on another hard-running rampage.
He had 34 touches and engineered countless clearances. On a day when much of the football did not manage to live up to the expected heights of two final-eight teams, Judd's display was right under the nose of the umpires and could have found its way into their Brownlow Medal votes.
The wind blew hard most of the day and the standard of the match suffered accordingly.
Melbourne had gone into the match with the chance to snatch back fourth place and snare the double chance in the finals. West Coast needed to win to make sure of its spot in the eight and maintain momentum.
Neither side did much for the nerves of their supporters until half-time."[2]
Players in the WAFL[]
Round 23 (27-28 Aug)
East Perth (Humm, McConnell, Beeck) vs South Fremantle (Graham)
East Fremantle (Green) vs Peel
West Perth (Chambers) vs Swan Districts (Munro, Johnson, Edwards)
Claremont (Carroll, B.Jones, Rudeforth) vs Subiaco
Bye: Perth
References[]
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2004/111820040828.html
- ↑ Mark Duffield, The West Australian (30 August 2004, p.GAM7), "Judd builds on Brownlow hopes"
- ↑ Mark Duffield, The Sunday Age (29 August 2004), "Judd hot for medal as Eagles warm up": http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=age&kw=matera+and+sampi+and+yze&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=SAG040829LM59D753TME
| 2004 season |
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<--2003-04 offseason | 2004-05 offseason--> |