Round 7 2016

Geelong v West Coast
Round 7, 2016

Sheppard was West Coast's best. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Sat, 7 May 2016 (2:10 PM WST)

Venue

Kardinia Park

Attendance

25,429

Result

Lost by 44

Score

GEE 18.15.123 - 12.7.79 WCE

Brownlow

3 P.Dangerfield (GEE)
2 S.Motlop (GEE)
1 M.Blicavs (GEE)

Ladder

7th

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West Coast's poor run of form away from home continued with a 44-point loss to the Cats. The Eagles were in a struggle with the home side early and went into the first break but a seven-goal second term from Geelong blew the game open. West Coast kicked five quick goals late in the third to threaten to make things interesting, but fell away again to slump to another big away loss. Andrew Gaff racked up 36 posessions and Brad Sheppard was strong in defence with 24 touches.

Summary

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
Geelong		2.4.16		9.7.61		12.11.83		18.15.123
West Coast		3.1.19		4.2.26		9.5.59		12.7.79

Goals: Darling, Kennedy 3, Lycett 2, Cripps, Hill, Jetta, LeCras

Best: Naitanui, McGovern, Sheppard, Masten

Injuries: Nil

Milestones: Kennedy 150th WCE game, Wellingham 50th WCE game

Named sides

	West Coast				Geelong
B:	31.Schofield	16.MacKenzie	5.Sheppard	B:	7.Taylor	13.Lonergan	44.Enright
HB:	12.Wellingham	20.McGovern	25.Hurn	HB:	46.Blicavs	25.Henderson	3.Bartel
C:	3.Gaff	11.Priddis	8.Redden	C:	4.Mackie	14.J.Selwood	22.Duncan
HF:	6.Yeo	27.Darling	7.Masten	HF:	6.McCarthy	39.Kersten	32.Motlop
F:	2.LeCras	17.Kennedy	33.Hill	F:	23.Caddy	26.Hawkins	1.Stanley
R:	9.Naitanui	34.Hutchings	13.Shuey	R:	9.Smith	29.Guthrie	35.Dangerfield
I:	15.Cripps	14.Duggan	23.Jetta	I:	5.Cockatoo	11.Lang	10.Menzel
	29.Lycett				36.Ruggles
E:	28.Cole	30.Nelson	35.McGinnity	E:	33.Horlin-Smith	8.Kolodjashnij	30.Vardy

In: Yeo

Out: Butler (groin)

Quarter by quarter

Both sides went in as named, on an overcast but fine and warm Geelong afternoon.

From the coach

"I thought [it went wrong for us] around the ball. The first quarter I thought we held our own and we were just marginally in front at quarter time. In the second quarter, the eight goals to one really blew the game apart, but it was around the contest for us. The contested ball there wasn’t too much difference, but the way we got it was always after a little fumble or the ball would bobble around and they were just too clean and too strong around the ball. I think we conceded 900m from stoppages in terms of game played in your half. That compromised what we were trying to do. I thought we came back pretty well in that third quarter. We got a run on and there was good unity from the boys. They were brave. It probably came off the back of Nic’s work in the middle. Then unfortunately we conceded two goals at the start of the third quarter from stoppages and the game was over.

"To the player’s credit they fought on and I’m proud of that. To my disappointment they fell away in the last and overall it was a disappointing game. But there’s some signs there and we just need to keep being positive and keep fronting up. It’s a long year; it’s a marathon and we move on.

"...We’ve just got to maintain our focus on fundamentals. We’ve just got to keep doing the basic things and do them well, because in games like today when you’re interstate and your back’s against the wall you’ve got to do those basic things well. We just coughed the ball up too much and even when we got out we probably had some basic turnovers. You just can’t do that against the three teams we’ve lost to this year, who are quality, top four sides."

From the papers

The West Australian

"It was a hotly contested start before Jetta’s ill-discipline cost West Coast the first goal.

The former Sydney Swan put McCarthy down off the ball, allowing Shane Kersten to kick an easy opening goal from the down-field free kick.

Both sides were willing to back themselves and take risks in order to own the corridor, making for an exciting contest early.

The Eagles’ first two goals came from clear free kicks to key forwards, with Cats defenders Tom Lonergan and Harry Taylor infringing on direct opponents Josh Kennedy and Scott Lycett respectively.

Jack Darling was the third tall forward to get involved, taking a strong contested mark and converting to give the Eagles a narrow four-point lead before quarter-time."

The Age

"Just as it seemed the wounded Cats could smell blood in the water the Eagles turned the game on its head, slamming on five goals in seven minutes as Naitanui exerted his huge presence. Josh Kennedy kicked a couple, Scott Lycett and Jack Darling a second each and Josh Hill screwed one home. Selwood had gone quiet, blue and gold jumpers were everywhere.

Caddy got the goal Geelong desperately needed - virtually while sitting down - and the breathing space Cockatoo's snap brought was soon extended by Motlop's fourth, a raking finish from Andrew Mackie after Motlop's ingenious handball, and a couple to ice the cake from Hawkins."

Herald-Sun

"Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling each kicked three goals for West Coast, but the work of the Cats’ back half to negate and stop the Eagles from getting much flow in attack was a credit to their hard work and persistence.

The highest score they have had kicked against them this year was 89, in the lost to Greater Western Sydney. The Cats’ back half kept the Eagles to only 79 yesterday, and that was critical to the ease of the win.

Naitanui set the Eagles alight for a period during the third term, as they mounted a challenge. His tap work and efforts in getting the ball into his teammates’ hand threatened briefly to turn the state of the match.

But it didn’t last. Brad Sheppard worked hard, Jeremy McGovern was solid in defence, while Andrew Gaff and Chris Masten gained plenty of the ball, but didn’t hurt the Cats."

East Perth report

East Perth had a bye.

Injury list

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

Player		Injury		Expected duration
Sheed		Pectoral		4 weeks
Brown		Finger		4 weeks		(Placed on LTI list 24/3/16, replaced by Colledge)
Yeo		Ill		Test
Darling		Back		Available
McGovern		Ankle		Available
Waterman*		Glandular fever		Indefinite

References

http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2016/7/geel-v-wce

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2016/091820160507.html