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It was a comfortable win in the end by the Eagles as they finished over the top of the Dockers in the last 15 minutes kicking the last four goals to win by 33 points.
REPORT: SANDILANDS HURT AS EAGLES DOWN DOCKERS
The Eagles dominated the start of that last quarter but missed some easy shots and let the Dockers off the hook. As some times happens the Dockers rebounded and found some run and carry to kick three goals in four minutes and unexpectedly get within five point of the Eagles.
But with Naitanui again giving his midfielders first use of the ball, the Eagles were able to steady thank to Shuey, Gaff and Priddis.
The Eagles kicked 5.9 in that last quarter to the Dockers 4.1.
One of the turning points to this game cam in the second quarter when Docker ruckman Aaron Sandilands copped a knee in the back from Nic Natanui who took a towering mark over him. Sandilands came straight off in pain and was take to hospital for further tests.
Sandilands was dominating Natanui at the time and the Dockers seemed to lose momentum from that point onwards.
Alex Pearce was thrown in the ruck and battled before being moved up forward as the Dockers badly needed a tall target. That meant the Dockers having to use Matt De Boer in the ruck who was a full 12cm shorter than Nic Nat. The slightly taller Michael Johnson started the last quarter as the ruckman.
Natanui’s dominance gave his midfielders first use and key forwards Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling took 17 marks between them with Darling kicking three goals and an inaccurate Kennedy finishing with 1.4.
Priddis, Shuey and Gaff were dominant with over 30 possessions each and were particularly damaging in the second half. Priddis finishing with 18 contested possessions.
Nat Fyfe and Lachie Neale battled hard all night for the Dockers with 31 contested possesions between them. Pavlich kicked three but was generally fairly quiet. The Dockers lack of forward targets hurt them and they finished with only 8 marks inside 50.
The Dockers are in big trouble now at 0-3 and North Melbourne next week in Melbourne. Sandilands has a suspected punctured lung and could be out for quite some time.
The Eagles will be happy to have bounced back from last week’s loss but Adam Simpson would not be pleased with so many wasteful chances.
Final score
West Coast 12.20.92
Fremantle 8.11.59
The Fremantle Dockers are desperate to avoid their worst start to a season in seven years when they face the West Coast Eagles in the local derby at Domain Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:40pm (AEST).
The Dockers’ first ever loss against the Suns last week left last year’s minor premiers precariously placed with a 0-2 record.
Fremantle have problems all over the gound. Defensively they have conceded an average of 17 goals in their first two games, a very unlikely performance from a Ross Lyon side.
Their midfield has struggled to get the ball up forward, and they rank last in average inside-forward 50s, with just 45 per game.
When they do get it into their forward line they either struggle to mark it (17th in marks inside 50) or struggle to keep it in their forward line.
The Dockers’ opponents in their first two games, the Bulldogs and Suns, were constantly able to rebound from half back, launching many of their attacks.
West Coast came back to Earth last week when they were comprehensively beaten by the Hawks in a grand final replay. As they did last October, Hawthorn dominated from the start and held the Eagles goalless in both the first and last quarters.
But the Eagles kicking only seven goals last week was due to a lack of opportunities, and it’s hard to see how a struggling Dockers defence will hold Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and Mark Le Cras.
The key will be who can control the midfield, and in particular who will win the battle of two of the best rucks in the game, Aaron Sandilands and Eagles Nic Naitanui.
Nat Fyfe and Stephen Hill were terrific last week but they will need more support from their teammates if they are to compete against the Eagles midfield, led by Andrew Gaff, Matt Priddis, Luke Shuey.
Prediction
Eagles by 27 points.
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