Round 8 2015

St Kilda v West Coast
Round 8, 2015

Yeo continued his good form but was reported. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Sat, 23 May 2015 (1:45 PM EST)

Venue

Docklands

Attendance

23,598

Result

Won by 53

Score

WCE 20.11.131 - 12.6.78 STK

Brownlow

3 L.Shuey (WCE)
2 M.Priddis (WCE)
1 J.Steven (STK)

Ladder

2nd

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West Coast won their fifth on the trot, but needed to weather a mid-match charge from the unfancied St Kilda who stormed back to within 7 points before the Eagles were able to steady and re-assert their dominance. Andrew Gaff ran all day for 33 possessions and young gun Liam Duggan had 23.

Summary

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
St Kilda		1.2.8		6.4.40		10.5.65		12.6.78
West Coast		7.3.45		8.4.52		15.6.96		20.11.131

Goals: Hill, Kennedy 4, Cripps, Yeo 3, LeCras, McInnes, Priddis, Sheppard, Shuey, Sinclair

Best: Shuey, McGovern, Priddis, Yeo, Naitanui, Duggan, Gaff

Injuries: Nil

Reports: Yeo for striking J.Webster

Sub: Selwood for Bennell in the third quarter

Named side

	West Coast				St Kilda
B:	Butler	Schofield	Hurn	B:	Shenton	Dempster	Webster
HB:	Bennell	McGovern	Selwood	HB:	Newnes	Fisher	McKenzie
C:	Sheppard	Priddis	Gaff	C:	Weller	Armitage	Roberton
HF:	Cripps	McInnes	Masten	HF:	Billings	Bruce	Montagna
F:	Hill	Kennedy	LeCras	F:	Templeton	Hickey	Membrey
R:	Naitanui	Yeo	Shuey	R:	Longer	Steven	Dunstan
I:	Hutchings	Duggan	Sinclair	I:	Savage	Acres	Schneider
	Wellingham				Sinclair
Em:	Colledge	Barrass	Nelson	Em:	Curren	Simpkin	Minchington

In: Selwood, McGovern

Out: Sheed (finger), Nelson

Late change: Nelson for Hutchings (back tightness)

From the coach

"Really pleased we got the win. Obviously disappointed in the second quarter, but we knew they wouldn't go away, the Saints. We scouted their spirit a little bit, they're a team that is young and exciting and they put some real pressure on us in the second term, and we didn't stand up to it."
...
"I thought it was pretty evident their pressure increased and we didn't find a way to handle it, but I thought we responded pretty well in the second half. We put our foot down towards the end of the game but I thought the game was always tense, for me anyway in the box."
...
"I think we've been a pretty good second half side, and our third quarters have been significant with the numbers that we're looking at. We've always been pretty fit. Before I got here it was well known that there was plenty of endurance and speed in our side with the right mix, and I think we're using it to our advantage at stages."
...
"I'm not surprised that we have quarters like that (second term). We're not consistently elite at everything we do. We need to play in a way that gives us the best chance of winning, and when we drop off with some basics we're vulnerable, just like every side."

From the papers

The West Australian

"The Eagles set the tone for the first quarter against St Kilda in the opening minute, with Kennedy booting the first goal of the match.

The visitors piled on 7.3 (45) – their best first-quarter score of the season – to lead by 37 points at quarter-time.

But St Kilda looked a different side in the second quarter and fought their way into the contest on the back of a vastly improved work rate.

The Saints laid 33 tackles to 11 in the second term and ran hard to gather 45 handball receives to 23, adding five goals to chop the margin to 12 points at the main break."

The Age

"The Eagles' rushing coast-to-coast play off half-back, through the corridor and use of lightning-quick handball chains on the way was more than a team at St Kilda's level of development is yet ready to handle.

They had an advantage in the midfield, where Nic Naitanui and Callum Sinclair owned the hit-outs, 59-36, which meant that the Eagles got takeways that led to goals at critical times.

Every time the Saints challenged and got close – in the third quarter, it was seven points - it just seemed like the West Coast would win the next centre bounce and get the game back on their terms.

Their on-ball brigade has "blink-and-miss-it" hands in tight, which helps them move swiftly from congestion and ignite their running game."

Herald-Sun

"West Coast impressive bookends with the first and final quarter dominance set up the sixth win against the gallant Saints who had only 20 fit men for the entire last term.

Springheel West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui was a valuable asset with his clearance dominance, particularly from the centre bounces.

His tap work regularly released Brownlow medalist Matt Priddis, Luke Shuey and exciting young midfielder Liam Duggan.

While St Kilda fought back admirably after a tardy start, the Eagles always seemed capable of holding the Saints at bay.

Twice, the Saints crept within seven points in the third quarter but each time West Coast found a way to answer with goals from Josh Kennedy and Shuey."

East Perth report

General bye as WA hosted (and defeated) SA at Lathlain Park. Ryan Davis won the Simpson Medal as best afield.

Injury list

In the lead-up to the match the following players were listed as injured or unavailable:

Player		Injury		Expected duration
MacKenzie		Knee		Season		(Placed on LTI list 2/4/15, replaced by Lucas)
Brown		Knee		Season
Tunbridge		Ankle		10 weeks
Lamb		Knee		5 weeks
Cavka		Foot		3 weeks
Darling		Foot		2-3 weeks
Rosa		Hamstring		2-3 weeks
Selwood		Ankle		Test
McGovern		Corked calf		Test
Newman		Finger		3 weeks (approx.)		(rookies not officially listed)
Maginness		Foot		Unknown		(rookies not officially listed)

References

http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2015/8/stk-v-wce

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2015/151820150523.html