West Coast cruised to a percentage-boosting win over the struggling Suns, piling on eight goals in a dominant second quarter to put the match beyond the visitors' reach by halftime and charge into the top reaches of the ladder. Elliot Yeo had 11 marks and a team-high 33 disposals and Josh Kennedy kicked five goals in his return from injury, as the Eagles celebrated Mark LeCras' 200th appearance and ruckman Nic Naitanui's 150th.
Summary[]
| 1/4 time | 1/2 time | 3/4 time | Final | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Coast | 4.4.28 | 12.8.80 | 15.12.102 | 21.13.139 | ||||
| Gold Coast | 3.1.19 | 4.2.26 | 8.4.52 | 9.5.59 |
Goals: Kennedy 5, Cripps 4, Darling 3, LeCras, Masten, Rioli 2, Lycett, Venables, Waterman
Best: Yeo, McGovern, Cripps, Duggan, Gaff, Masten, Darling
Injuries: Venables (ankle), Redden (shin), Hurn (cut head)
Milestones: LeCras 200th appearance, Naitanui 150th appearance
Named sides[]
| West Coast | Gold Coast | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B: | 5.Sheppard | 37.Barrass | 25.Hurn | B: | 5.Harbrow | 16.Thompson | 38.Joyce |
| HB: | 30.Nelson | 20.McGovern | 23.Jetta | HB: | 35.Rischitelli | 17.May | 10.Kolodjashnij |
| C: | 4.Sheed | 6.Yeo | 15.Cripps | C: | 14.Weller | 25.Lyons | 8.Fiorini |
| HF: | 2.LeCras | 27.Darling | 7.Masten | HF: | 4.Martin | 19.Lynch | 15.Young |
| F: | 45.Waterman | 17.Kennedy | 29.Lycett | F: | 9.Ainsworth | 12.Day | 6.Sexton |
| R: | 9.Naitanui | 13.Shuey | 3.Gaff | R: | 28.Witts | 11.Miller | 24.Swallow |
| I: | 8.Redden | 14.Duggan | 18.Venables | I: | 39.Holman | 29.Bowes | 44.MacPherson |
| 44.Rioli | 33.Hall | ||||||
| E: | 28.Cole | 31.Schofield | 33.Ainsworth | E: | 27.Powell | 43.Spencer | 3.Rosa |
| 34.Hutchings | 40.Heron |
In: Kennedy, Duggan
Out: Ryan (ankle), Hutchings
Quarter by quarter[]
Both sides went in as named. The match was played under clear night skies.
First term[]
A strong mark by Darling and a quick dish to Kennedy resulted in a set shot to Lycett, with the ruckman able to convert from the left pocket to open the scoring. West Coast dominated territory and their forward pressure forced errors from the Suns defenders, resulting in a rushed behind. LeCras sent a quick kick into the forward line where Darling won a one-on-one contest with Kade Kolodjashnij and goaled off his left foot. The ball quickly went back inside 50 where Kennedy pinched a mark from a leaping Darling and converted for his first goal of the season. Kennedy copped a high bump from Jack Bowes in the pocket but his set shot hit the post. The Eagles forced a turnover and LeCras had a quick kick but pushed it right. Redden had a shot on his left foot after another turnover but missed everything.
Gold Coast finally went forward and Tom Lynch marked on the lead, kicking truly to finally put the Suns on the board. They quickly added another through David Swallow to reduce the margin to single figures. Swallow had a chance for a second after marking inside 50 but his kick fell short and was rushed over the line. Jetta's kick-in was turned over and resulted in a goal to Aaron Young. West Coast began to absorb the pressure and Shuey found Gaff free inside 50, but his set shot went left of the post. Sheppard won a free kick at halfback as Shuey hobbled to the bench. A hacked kick in the back 50 from Jarryd Lyons was marked by Masten, who converted from a slight angle to give his side a nine-point lead at the first break.
Second term[]
West Coast went forward early but were unable to find a path to goal as the Suns rushed a behind. They were more successful a few minutes later as Waterman found Darling on his own and the big forward kicked straight from 40m. Venables swooped on the crumbs from a Kennedy marking contest but pushed his shot right. Gold Coast turned the ball over on the kick-in and Waterman won a free but his kick slewed off the side of the boot for a behind. Yeo found Venables on his own inside 50m and he kicked truly around the corner. Rioli juggled a mark outside 50 and then played on, dribbling his kick through for his first career goal.
Sheed found Cripps inside 50 and the former Saint was marched to the goalsquare after an off-the-ball infringement, resulting in another goal to the Eagles. The Suns received a free in the centre and a long kick by Lyons was marked by Lynch, but his shot went wide right. He got another chance when he was pushed out of a marking contest by Barrass, this time converting to reduce the margin to 29 points. Venables won the next clearance and Kennedy received a free kick within range, kicking truly for his second. He was the target on the next inside 50, and brought the ball to ground where Cripps crumbed and kicked his second to push the margin beyond 40. Cripps added a third a minute later when he trapped Bowes holding the ball on the 50. LeCras pushed the margin to 53 when he swooped on the ball from a throw-in and goaled in his 200th. Yeo had a flying shot from outside 50 but it went right. Lynch marked in the pocket but tried to play on and was smothered, with the home team going in at halftime with an even nine-goal lead.
Third term[]
A scrappy kick inside 50 by LeCras found Cripps who converted from close range to start the second half. Hurn spotted up Darling inside 50 but his kick went across the face and was spoiled through for a behind. Kennedy received a slightly soft free in the pocket but hooked his kick. Down the other end, the ball squirted out the back of a pack where Lynch found himself in plenty of space to slot his third. Gaff drilled a pass inside 50 to a leading Kennedy but he again hooked his set shot. A Suns turnover and one-two between Jetta and Cripps ended in a mark to LeCras on the behind line, and the veteran converted for his second goal.
Fiorini snapped quickly for a behind as Redden received treatment on his leg on the Eagles' bench. Fiorini had a second chance after marking dead in front and converted, bringing the margin back to 58 points. A clearing kick by Yeo was chopped off by Aaron Young but his kick dribbled to the left of the goalpost. Gaff received a free inside 50 and the team took the advantage, with Venables giving off to an open Kennedy in the goalsquare for his third goal. As Venables was helped to the bench by trainers, joining Hurn who was getting a head wound bandaged, Sheed spotted up Masten but the midfielder pushed his set shot left. Yeo gave away a free to Sexton and as the whistle sounded LeCras bumped Ainsworth to the ground, sparking a mini-melee. Sexton converted his kick to bring the margin back to 56. Jack Martin received a free kick inside 50 and kicked truly, cutting the Eagles' lead to 50 just before the siren.
Final term[]
Kennedy opened the scoring after receiving a handball over the top from Darling. A turnover by Nelson in the centre square led to Martin having an open shot at goal, but he missed everything. A turnover by Cripps in the centre square ended in a set shot for Sam Day but he put it to the left of the goal post. Nelson redeemed himself by bringing down a Suns forward inside 50 to win a free. Shuey tried to spot up Darling close to goal but Gold Coast were able t spoil it across the line. Gaff forced a turnover in midfield and Shuey found a leading Rioli, who kicked his second. Yeo went on a run down the wing and squared the ball perfectly for Masten, who put it straight through the middle. Waterman added another shortly afterwards after a strong Darling mark and quick handball.
Swallow tried to dribble a kick through from 50 but it rolled across the boundary line. From the throw-in, Young snapped around his body and managed to sneak it past a lunging Barrass. Shuey baulked around an opponent and hit Darling on the 50, who bombed home his set shot. With the sting well and truly out of the game, Darcy MacPherson had a pressure-free shot from inside 50 but missed everything. Kennedy dropped a mark but recovered best and put through his fifth goal of the night. That was the final score, with the Eagles running out comprehensive 80 point winners.
Club Champion votes[]
| McGovern | 15 | Jetta | 8 | ||
| Yeo | 15 | LeCras | 8 | ||
| Cripps | 14 | Sheppard | 8 | ||
| Masten | 14 | Shuey | 8 | ||
| Darling | 12 | Duggan | 7 | ||
| Gaff | 12 | Lycett | 7 | ||
| Naitanui | 11 | Venables | 5 | ||
| Kennedy | 10 | Waterman | 5 | ||
| Barrass | 9 | Rioli | 3 | ||
| Hurn | 9 | Nelson | 1 | ||
| Sheed | 9 | Redden | 1 |
From the coach[]
"It was a good four-quarter performance. We know that Gold Coast are on the road every week at the moment and they are a really young side as well. I was really pleased and proud of the energy we brought. A couple of milestones for our boys as well - as much as it is about the four points it is great to have wins for those types of players. We kept our foot on the pedal for the most part of the night. There were still some frustrating moments throughout the night, but overall we are pretty happy.
"...We used the ground pretty well tonight, I thought. Our good players played well. There are a whole raft of reasons, but overall we will take the win. We have got to enjoy them, and that is what I have told the boys, but we have to move on pretty quickly.
"...Cripps and Masten play an important role for our side because they turn up with work rate. They just continually work their backsides off. It is great to see that Crippa got rewarded. He has been pretty consistent for a number of years now in that role, and Masten the same. To get on the end of a couple is good reward, but they are in for a specific role and they are doing it pretty well at the moment."
From the papers[]
The West Australian[]
"After the visitors managed to answer the first significant challenge thrown at them in the opening term, it was one-way traffic in the second quarter as West Coast piled on 8.4 to 1.1 to settle the issue.
There were gleeful beneficiaries everywhere as Daniel Venables, whose night was cut short by injury, and Rioli both got their first career goals. Rioli was thankful his tumbling effort from outside the 50m arc bounced through, having not seen a free LeCras when a pass to his teammate appeared the better option.
The wheels were loosening and began to fall off for the Suns when Cripps goaled following a 50m penalty, stretching the Eagles’ lead to six goals mid-way through the second stanza.
The wheels on the Gold Coast bus were off and rolling towards the Swan River when LeCras marked on a tight angle near the behind line in the third term. As he went back for his set shot, nobody in a red guernsey bothered coming in to close down the angle he would be able to open up and the 200-gamer took the opportunity to comfortably add his second."
The Age[]
"For the first half, the Eagles used the ball with 74 per cent efficiency. It has been a highlight of the Eagles game in the opening start of the season.
Chris Masten continues to impress at the early stages of the season despite potentially being one player to start the year under pressure to keep his spot.
Elliot Yeo, who turned the game last week in the final quarter against the Cats when he went from defence into the midfield, spent more time on the ball and had a massive influence.
He had 13 touches in the second term when West Coast went in 54-points ahead; 45 points more than they led by at the first break."
East Perth report[]
Round 3 (14-15 April)
East Perth had an early bye.
Injury list[]
In the leadup to the match the following players were listed as injured:
| Player | Injury | Expected return | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacKenzie | Toe | Indefinite | ||||
| Ryan | Ankle | 10-12 weeks | ||||
| Brayshaw | Knee | 5 weeks | ||||
| Vardy | Adductor | 2 weeks | ||||
| Ah Chee | Ankle | 1 week | ||||
| O.Allen | Shin | 1 week | ||||
| Kennedy | Knee/ankle | Test | ||||
| Duggan | Hamstring | Test | ||||
| Olango* | Knee | 2 weeks |
Links[]
http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/4/wce-v-gcfc
Braden Quartermaine, The West Australian (14 April 2018), "Eagles smash Suns at Optus Stadium, continue to make Robert Walls eat his words": https://thewest.com.au/sport/west-coast-eagles/eagles-smash-suns-at-optus-stadium-continue-to-make-robert-walls-eat-his-words-ng-b88806774z
The Age (14 April 2018), "Eagles run rampant over Suns", https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/west-coast-run-rampant-over-suns-20180414-p4z9oe.html
| 2018 season <--2017-18 offseason | Playing squad | Coaching panel | 2018-19 offseason--> |
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JLT Series : 1 (PA) | 2 (FRE) |