Round 7 2019

West Coast v Gold Coast
Round 7, 2019

Cripps in action. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Sat, 4 May 2019 (6.10pm WST)

Venue

Perth Stadium

Attendance

47,497

Result

Won by 23

Score

WCE 11.14.80 - 8.9.57 GC

Brownlow

3 E.Yeo (WCE)
2 A.Gaff (WCE)
1 L.Shuey (WCE)

Ladder

10th

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West Coast returned to the winners' list, but in unconvincing fashion, with a 23-point victory over Gold Coast at Perth Stadium. The hosts set up the win with a big second term, kicking six goals to one to open up a 39-point lead at the main break, but the Suns dominated the second half and closed the margin to just 11 points before the Eagles kicked the last two goals of the match to seal the win. Elliot Yeo signalled a return to form with 28 touches and 12 tackles, and in-form defender Brad Sheppard had 25 disposals at 96% efficiency.

Summary

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
West Coast		3.6.24		8.8.56		9.12.66		11.18.80
Gold Coast		1.3.9		2.5.17		5.8.38		8.9.57

Goals: Darling 4, Kennedy, Sheed 2, Cripps, Ryan, Yeo

Best: Sheppard, Sheed, Yeo, Darling, McGovern, Gaff

Injuries: Nil

Named sides

	West Coast				Gold Coast
B:	25.Hurn	31.Schofield	28.Cole	B:	5.Harbrow	25.Collins	10.Ballard
HB:	23.Jetta	20.McGovern	5.Sheppard	HB:	31.Murdoch	20.Hombsch	33.Horlin-Smith
C:	34.Hutchings	6.Yeo	3.Gaff	C:	9.Ainsworth	3.Bowes	6.Sexton
HF:	8.Redden	27.Darling	7.Masten	HF:	11.Young	30.Wright	39.Holman
F:	1.Ryan	17.Kennedy	15.Cripps	F:	44.MacPherson	19.Corbett	4.Martin
R:	16.Hickey	4.Sheed	13.Shuey	R:	28.Witts	11.Miller	24.Swallow
I:	12.O.Allen	14.Duggan	18.Venables	I:	2.Miles	8.Fiorini	38.Joyce
	21.Petruccelle				27.Powell
E:	10.Brander	19.Vardy	38.Mutimer	E:	7.Brodie	29.Burgess	12.Day
	45.Smith				41.Lukosius

In: Redden

Out: Brander

Late change: Vardy for Hickey (hamstring)

Quarter by quarter

West Coast switched ruckmen with Vardy replacing Hickey, who had a low grade hamstring strain. After rain earlier in the day, the match was played in fine conditions.

From the coach

"The first half was really solid. I think all night the contest was reasonable. The second half we were a bit scratchy, but to finish the game off, get a win ... I saw some positive signs for some individuals, which was really good. We’ve still got work to do.

"I think we’ve got to give [the Suns] credit for stepping up in the second half. I think tactically there wasn’t a lot of change. It was a bit of a scrap in the third quarter I suppose. Whether they made it a scrap or not, I thought we butchered the ball in our back half a bit, which fuelled turnovers. But the contest was pretty good most the night. I think from stoppages we kicked 5.6 to a couple of points. And then the turnovers, they just pipped us. I think the contest for most the night was pretty solid, I just thought our turnovers in the second half made us vulnerable.

"...Centre clearances are important. It ebbs and flows with momentum, strategic plans going into the game and we’ve got a mixture of different ruckmen in there. I don’t think we concede a lot of scores against, but we’re not getting a lot of scores for. That’s ongoing, definitely ongoing."

From the papers

The West Australian

"In what was a game of two distinct halves, a slick West Coast booted eight goals to two in the first half before falling apart after half-time when the diligent Suns were able to deny them their trademark kicking game.

The Suns had trimmed a 42-point deficit to just 11 points early in time-on of the last quarter thanks to five consecutive goals.

The unthinkable was on for the $10 outsiders until Jack Darling, who had earlier set the game alight with a purple patch in the second term, kicked his fourth to steady the ship.

Big games from star midfield trio Andrew Gaff, Elliot Yeo and Luke Shuey ultimately got the Eagles over the line."

The Age

"West Coast's error-riddled display in the third term allowed the Suns back into the match, and a 50m penalty also helped Gold Coast's cause.

Eagles goalsneak Liam Ryan went to tackle Anthony Miles after he thought the umpire said 'play on'.

The umpire had actually said 'move it on' to warn Miles that he was running out of time to take his kick.

The ensuing 50m penalty and goal reduced the margin to 28 points at the final change, and Gold Coast's charge continued from there before Darling's late goal killed off the fightback."

Reserves

Round 5 (4 May)

A wayward West Coast fell back to earth with a heavy loss to South Fremantle at Fremantle Oval. The Eagles kicked the last three goals of the second term to close within 16 points at the long break, but the floodgates opened in the second half with the Bulldogs kicking 12 goals to storm to a 59=point win. Brendon Ah Chee had a game-high 32 possessions and took a Mark of the Year contender, and Josh Rotham had 21 touches in defence.

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
South Fremantle		4.4.28		8.7.55		14.8.92		20.11.131
West Coast		1.3.9		5.9.39		7.11.53		9.18.72

Goals: M.Allen, McInnes, Smith, Williams 2, Nelson

Best: Ah Chee, Nelson, M.Allen, Ainsworth, Rotham

Injuries: Brayshaw (foot), Curnow (cut head)

Named side:

	West Coast
B:	46.Riach	42.Edwards	64.Curnow
HB:	35.Rotham	30.Nelson	51.Fisher
C:	22.Brayshaw	41.Ah Chee	33.Ainsworth
HF:	2.Waterman	56.Hug	29.Foley
F:	32.Williams	36.McInnes	61.Robilliard
R:	40.Brooksby	43.M.Allen	24.O'Neill
I:	52.Acres	59.Ashman	39.Cameron
	66.Reid
E:	62.Cary	54.Coe	53.Kalajzic

In: Curnow, Acres, Ashman, Reid

Out: Vardy, Mutimer (AFL), Watson (shoulder), Grey (soreness)

Late changes: Brander, Smith for Waterman (hamstring), Cameron (wrist)

New: Daniel Acres (Cervantes), Joel Ashman (Scarborough), Nicolas Reid (North Beach)

Injury list

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

Player		Injury		Expected return
Naitanui		Knee		Indefinite
Barrass		Foot		TBC
Rioli		Foot		3 weeks
Redden		Achilles		Test
Watson*		AC joint		2-3 weeks

References

https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/7/wce-v-gcfc