Only two games left and still a much coveted top-four spot is up for grabs in what is shaping as a true blockbuster between the West Coast Eagles and Hawthorn Hawks. Join The Roar from 8:10pm (AEST) for all the action!
Hawthorn bounced back from their loss a fortnight ago in tremendous style this past Saturday, blitzing North Melbourne in the opening quarter and going on to win comfortably.
Cyril Rioli is in sensational form and, given his ability to stand up in big games, will surely play a big part for the Hawks.
West Coast’s crucial interstate victory over the Greater Western Sydney Giants last week did the job of shirking their ‘flat-track bully’ tag, but also showed just how important Nic Naitanui is to this side.
Despite being written off after some subpar performances, the Eagles have snuck up on the competition, winning seven of their last eight games and jumping to within a whisker of a top-four spot.
In recent times the Hawks have the wood over their western rivals, taking the points in eight of the last ten encounters; most importantly being the big grand final triumph of last season. There might not be any silverware on the line this time around, but given the tightness of the top eight, there’s no mistaking the importance of a win.
A West Coast win means the Hawks probably lose the right to host a game in the first week of finals, and puts their chances of a top-four finish back into question. Not only that, it means the Eagles throw their hat back into the ring for the double chance and almost certainly guarantees at least one home final.
Hawthorn win and the minor premiership and all its perks are just about sewn up, the Eagles (probably) fall to seventh, and their chances of retribution look all but gone.
Lewis Jetta and and Jackson Nelson come into the West Coast side to replace the suspended Tom Barrass and injured Simon Tunbridge. On paper, this side is just about as strong a 22 as the Eagles can field. Interesting to note that No.1 offseason recruit Jack Redden has been named as an emergency. A dynamic player like Elliot Yeo or Jack Darling could be the difference here in unsettling a Hawks team that is usually so unflappable.
Hawthorn have the same team that beat the Kangaroos last week. Their ability to blood so many new players this year and still keep the wins ticking over has been such a credit to their success as a club, and will only help prolong their reign. It’s hard to understand why youngster James Sicily has been named as an emergency though – he’s been a great avenue to goal this year.
Watch out for Isaac Smith. The most underrated player in the game (in my humble opinion) has starred in the last month, and on the wide expanses of Domain Stadium could run his way to another big outing.
Grand final rematch, primetime slot, plenty on the line – bring it on.
Prediction
The Eagles at home can get the job done – just.
West Coast by 1.
The West Coast Eagles or the Hawkthorn Hawks – who goes up in the pecking order? Join The Roar from 8:10pm (AEST) for live coverage of this monster clash!
Don Freo
Guest
Wc's win assures them of either a home final or a double chance. It was a necessary win.
anon
Guest
It doesn't change anything for West Coast. They still won't make the top 4 therefore the result had no real bearing on their premiership chances. Hawthorn on the other hand will now have to travel in the crucial QF rather than stay at the MCG. In the space of 24 hours they've gone from $3.75 premiership favourites to $6 and fourth in the betting.
anon
Guest
So were Freo last year, but I knew they were suspect from round 4 onward, and rubbish from round 8 onward.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Disagree. The Eagles would have been crucified if they'd lost this game.
Cat
Roar Guru
Hawthorn veterans looked old, slow, fumbly and pea-hearted. Gibbo had 4 clangers in the first quarter alone and finished at 56% DE. Hodge pulled out or refused to go in a number of contests. Hawthorn's youth was completely and utterly invisible, none of them stood up at all.
Don Freo
Guest
Most stats are meaningless...but this is not a stat. It is a statement of results. These results have meaning. They show West Coast is winning...a lot.
anon
Guest
"Yeah the Eagles well and truly won that game – and they had to, lot more riding on it for them than the Hawks." Hawthorn had far more on the line. They have to now play a crucial final away instead of at the MCG.
anon
Guest
I think the Eagles are better than Hawthorn at Subiaco (why I tipped them), but the Eagles winning 9 out of the last 10 is a meaningless stat. Barely got over the line against a bunch of mediocre teams, lucky win against GWS, and then early in the season got smashed away by Geelong, Sydney and Hawthorn. Kind of like people pointing to Hawthorn being 16-5 as if it means they are as good as last year.
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
Agree with you for once Don, Lycette was excellent. IMO he had more impact than Nic Nat around the ground and had more hit outs than Nic Nat. All he lacks is the athleticism of Nic Nat. He if can carry last night's form into every game going forward WCE might have a chance of going deeper into the finals.
Don Freo
Guest
Really impressed with Lycett yesterday. He was more dominant than Nic. Of course Nic will be missed but Lycett is now as good as some of the best ruckmen and better than most. Darling did really well on the ball in the 4th quarter when giving Lycett a chop out.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Yeah the Eagles well and truly won that game - and they had to, lot more riding on it for them than the Hawks. Real shame about NicNat, I know accepted wisdom is they're finished now without him. Maybe they are. But wasn't it great to see the Hawks mortality in full flight. That goal Kennedy kicked at the start of the 4th term, after a succession of mistakes from the Hawks was glorious. Brand, Frawley, Mitchell - all of them losing their composure at once. Great to watch. Burgoyne is starting to make mistakes. You notice them a lot more now. I actually hope he hangs up the boots at the end of this season as I hate seeing him as a shadow of what he was. It's like when Mark Waugh dropped all those catches over in Sharjah at the tail end of his career. No-one likes seeing that. Sam Mitchell though, I'll happily watch that dumpy little bastard mess up all day. More please.
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
Barrett is nearly as bad as Robinson.
Don Freo
Guest
Is that the Damien Barrett one? His take on Freo is crazy too. The gossip columnists are getting so trigger happy...hoping to put in a thumb and pull out a plum. Hurley "confirmed" going to Doggies. Getting everything wrong. Never mind, just make up another "insider" piece of rumour. They ought to try watching footy.
Don Freo
Guest
Nothing to with "The Hawks losing it". Look at the behinds scored. West Coast is a better side. They've won 9 of their last 10...without umpire assistance.
Angela
Guest
Agree with Chris More - over here in Sydney watching the match on 7Mate couldn't help noticing how 'the boys' kept talking up the great Hawks finding a way to win right up until about the last 3 minutes of play. I reckoned it was all over by half-time. Congrats Weagles, great to see Hawthorn go down - it's not the team so much as their supporters who need a big dose of what so many of them dish out to all and sundry. Hope Nic Nat is okay, very sad to see him hobble off.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
The soft underbelly in our midfield when Mitchell is tagged was ruthlessly exposed with it leaving our defence exposed and giving our attack no chance WCE, to a large degree exposed our reality, one of us being a shadow of our former self and being long odds for the flag. Roughy's absence has been huge but you cannot give excuses when on Hawks forums, fans are forever banging on about our depth. It was a real nice touch at the end seeing Brendan Whitecross, who has suffered two knees go over to NicNat to see how he is. Hopefully, all is well for NicNat for he is brilliant to watch and makes WCE a darkhorse for the flag
anon
Guest
Chickens coming home to roost for Hawthorn. Going 5/5 in close games is fools gold as I have said all along. The soft, uncontested brand of football is not by Clarkson's design. His team genuinely has a soft underbelly. I think this win was more about the Hawks losing than Eagles winning. Eagles went into this match favourites after all. The Eagles still won't be a factor in September. Their only road win of consequence was beating GWS with 2 seconds to go. They were still uncompetitive away against Sydney, Geelong and Hawthorn. I can't see Hawthorn winning 3/3 or 3/4 against top 4 or top 6 teams in September. They might even go out in straight sets if they run into GWS in the second week of the finals.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"The way the media has portrayed West Coast’s season you would have thought they were fighting for the Wooden Spoon." Yeah it's been very strange. The Eagles haven't had a fantastic year overall, but it's not as if they have easily the best list in the comp, and should be games clear in top spot. They sit about where they should sit, I reckon. They're an above average side who had a really good run in a lot of ways last year and came from nowhere to make a GF, after missing the finals the previous year. Considered it that context, their "fall" this season hasn't exactly been extreme.
Chris Moore
Roar Rookie
The way the media has portrayed West Coast's season you would have thought they were fighting for the Wooden Spoon, and they're % off second spot! I pretty much watch Access all Areas to see what creative new way they can come up with to criticize a West Coast win while going on about how Hawthorn 'just find a way to win'.
Lroy
Guest
News flash.. Nate Fyfe will accept a significant pay cut and request a trade to the Eagles. he wants to win a flag!! ;-)