Round 8 2020

West Coast v Collingwood
Round 8, 2020

Nelson in action. Photo: aflphotos.com.au

Date

Sun, 26 July 2020 (1.35pm WST)

Venue

Perth Stadium

Attendance

24,824

Result

Won by 66

Score

WCE 18.3.111 - 6.9.45 COL

Brownlow

3 J.Kennedy (WCE)
2 T.Kelly (WCE)
1 O.Allen (WCE)

Ladder

5th

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West Coast celebrated their first game in front of home fans and fired a warning shot to the competition with a comprehensive dismantling of Collingwood at Perth Stadium. The Eagles trailed at quarter-time but dominated from that point on, piling on 16 goals to the Magpies' two in the final three quarters, helped by amazing accuracy in front of goal. Josh Kennedy moved into Coleman Medal contention with a seven-goal forward master-class, and star recruit Tim Kelly had 29 possessions and a goal.

Summary

		1/4 time		1/2 time		3/4 time		Final
West Coast		2.0.13		7.2.44		13.2.80		18.3.111
Collingwood		4.2.26		5.3.33		5.6.36		6.9.45

Goals: Kennedy 7, Allen 3, Waterman 2, Cripps, Darling, Gaff, Kelly, Naitanui, Ryan

Best: Kennedy, Kelly, Allen, Naitanui, Yeo, Shuey, Gaff

Injuries: Shuey (hand)

Reports: Yeo for striking R.Wills, Sheed for striking T.Adams

Records: Collingwood lowest score vs WCE

Jumper: Home, blue shorts

Named sides

	West Coast				Collingwood
B:	5.Sheppard	37.Barrass	25.Hurn	B:	25.Crisp	23.Roughead	3.Quaynor
HB:	14.Duggan	20.McGovern	28.Cole	HB:	37.Maynard	30.Moore	9.Noble
C:	8.Redden	6.Yeo	3.Gaff	C:	21.Phillips	10.Pendlebury	16.Mayne
HF:	15.Cripps	27.Darling	4.Sheed	HF:	1.Stephenson	41.Mihocek	17.C.Brown
F:	2.Waterman	17.Kennedy	1.Ryan	F:	26.Daicos	32.Hoskin-Elliott	5.Elliott
R:	9.Naitanui	11.Kelly	13.Shuey	R:	4.Grundy	13.Adams	7.Treloar
I:	12.Allen	30.Nelson	33.Ainsworth	I:	24.Thomas	33.Wills	12.Scharenberg
	39.Cameron				14.Cameron
E:	32.Williams	35.Rotham	42.Edwards	E:	20.Reid	36.Sier	40.Bosenavulagi
	46.Reid				44.Madgen

In: Shuey

Out: Ah Chee (back)

Late changes: (WCE) Rotham for McGovern (thumb); (COL) Bosenavulagi for Pendlebury (quad)

Quarter by quarter

West Coast were forced to replace McGovern due to a thumb injury with Rotham receiving the call up, while Collingwood withdrew skipper Scott Pendlebury just moments before the bounce. The match was played in overcast conditions but forecast showers held off until after the game.

From the coach

"Against a quality side we were really efficient in the front half today. I think we had 35 inside 50s so maybe the scoreboard flattered us a little bit but overall our intensity and pressure was really good all day. Made the most of our opportunities. We’ve been building for a few weeks, but they were a few men short, too, the Pies. Losing Pendlebury before the game was a pretty big loss, albeit we lost McGovern. We had a pretty fit midfield and I thought they really stood up today.

"...Seeing two A-grade ruckmen going against each other is great for everyone’s watching. I thought Nic had pretty good support from Oscar as well. But Nic’s overall ruck work and dominance was really good for our mids. I think Grundy might have gone forward in the last quarter, so that’s when maybe a couple of our mids might have cashed in a little. But overall I thought our midfield was pretty damaging today.

"We were really concerned after the three losses we had, not really with personnel but our system wasn’t (working) and the identity of our side was a little bit off. I thought our players really took ownership. The leadership from the older guys to the guys coming through all stepped up and they’re playing a pretty distinct brand, so that’s been pleasing, and today was another step forward. I don’t know where we’re at in terms of the competition but I feel like we’ve caught up a little bit, more than anything, and now we’re ready to compete with anyone.”

From the papers

The West Australian

"For the second week in a row, the Eagles made their move in the second term. Spearhead Josh Kennedy kicked three goals for the quarter and finished with a stunning bag of 7.0 — the biggest haul from any player this season.

Having overpowered an undermanned and undersized Fremantle defence to claim his third Glendinning-Allan Medal, Kennedy went to a new level to make it 11 goals in the space of eight days.

The Magpies had All-Australian fancy Darcy Moore and Jordan Roughead in their key defensive posts, though Roughead curiously remained on the rampant Kennedy until the damage was done.

The efforts of ruckman Nic Naitanui and the rapidly developing Oscar Allen (three goals) were also critical."

The Age

"After the Pies kicked three of the game’s first four goals, the Eagles booted 17 of the last 19 goals of the game, including 13 in a row, to blow the game apart.

Nic Naitanui nudged out Brodie Grundy in the highly-anticipated and important ruck battle that brought Andrew Gaff, Tim Kelly and Luke Shuey into the game.

The closeness of the stats of the two big men didn’t do justice to the impact the big Eagle had, especially at stoppages. And Allen’s support in the ruck in the first half was also important.

With Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom and Jordan De Goey watching from the sidelines, there was too much for Taylor Adams, Adam Treloar to cover in the midfield."

Reserves

West Coast's reserves played a scratch match against Collingwood's reserves at Lathlain Park under lights, after the AFL clash. Ruckman Nathan Vardy suffered an ankle injury.

Appearing for West Coast: Brander, Brayshaw, Edwards, Foley, Hickey, Hutchings, Jamieson, Jetta, Johnson, X.O'Neill, Reid, Schofield, Treacy, Vardy, Williams.

Injury list

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

Player		Injury		Expected return
Venables		Concussion		Season		(placed on inactive list 4/3/20)
Rioli		Suspension		Indefinite
Petruccelle		Hamstring		4-5 weeks
Hutchings		IT band		Test
Shuey		Hamstring		Test
Ah Chee		Back		Test
M.O'Neill*		Back		Indefinite
Jones*		Hamstring		1-2 weeks

References

https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2813#match-report

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2020/041820200726.html