West Coast have recorded a scrappy win in the Western Derby over the Fremantle Dockers, to sneak back into the top eight at the end of the round.
While the Dockers arguably had the better of general play, finishing with 12 more inside 50s, they were unforgivably wasteful in front of goal, and ultimately recorded five goals and fourteen behinds.
That trend began early, with Freo held goalless in the first term despite a number of chances. Liam Duggan, Shannon Hurn, Tom Barass and Jeremy McGovern were stifling in the Eagles’ defence, and made it hard for the Dockers to get a good look at the big sticks.
At the other end, West Coast were battling to get first use of the ball, but were much more effective than their opponents moving the ball into their forward line. They found forward space and more importantly goals much easier to come by, and went into quarter time with a solid four goal lead.
That early break roughly held for the rest of the game, as a familiar pattern began to emerge.
While the Dockers seemed to have an advantage in the middle, they simply couldn’t find a cutting edge in front of goal. David Mundy, Michael Walters, Nat Fyfe and the Hills all missed gettable chances, which prevented Freo from making real inroads into the margin.
West Coast for their part didn’t really take advantage of the Dockers wastefulness to the extent they should have done. It was a strange first half marked by a lot of skill errors and more tension than real excitement. But the Eagles continued to hold a healthy lead.
The Eagles started more brightly in the third term to kick the first couple of goals and push the margin out to five goals. The Dockers continued to miss chances, and it wasn’t until the final minute that Walters broke his side’s second half duck.
Having been given a tiny glint of opportunity to get back in the game, a sloppy 50m penalty gave Josh Kennedy a goal after the siren to push the margin back to 29 points at the last change.
To their credit, Freo kept fighting, and looked like they might finally make their charge in the last quarter, kicking consecutive goals.
But that was as close as it got, as the Dockers seemed to run out of legs and West Coast finished them off to record a 30 point win.
West Coast captain Shannon Hurn was unanimously awarded the Ross Glendinning medal after a fine defensive performance on a back flank, with 34 possessions.
Liam Duggan was also noticeable in a similar role, playing arguably the best game in his young career.
Andrew Gaff, Jack Redden, Dom Sheed and Matt Priddis were all busy in the West Coast midfield, while Josh Kennedy was a solid forward target with third goals.
For the Dockers, Lachie Neale was probably their best with 34 touches, Connor Blakely continued his good season with 33 possessions, and Fyfe continued to build on his improved form with 30.
Walters with two goals was their only multiple scorer, but he didn’t have the influence he has done in previous weeks.
This result brings the Eagles to a 9-7 record, and hanging on just barely to eighth spot.
One could argue that today’s unconvincing performance was a bit below what you’d expect of a finalist, but then they did get an important win.
They travel to Melbourne next week for a big game against the Pies, and a chance to push themselves further inside the top eight against a lower ranked team.
The Dockers now sit two clear games and a heft lot of percentage outside the eight, and it’s hard to see them recovering to play finals from here. Today they appeared to kick themselves out of finals contention.
Jolly Roger
Guest
Yes, I thought Mitchell has the foot better skills and classier 'time in space' moves...and that Priddis was the master of circle-jerking, handball happiness and helicopter kicks? Either way, they need to stay clear of each other..Priddis is a tackle machine all day long, while Sam's creative disposals come in handy..there was a lot of fumbling bad disposals to flat footed players in the Freo game, painful to watch, pressure I guess. I'd rather keep Mitchell and swap Priddis for Redden, or Partington. (Venables we probably wont see till next season due to a persistent foot injury-shame)
Paul D
Roar Guru
"If he keeps that up" He won't
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
Did they swab Redden after the game? Terrific game from him and about time he showed us something. If he keeps that up he is my pick to push Pridda out of the side.
Lroy
Guest
I kind of see it the other way around..but Im not one to argue over opinions, if thats the way you see it, so be it. Freo were pretty good i thought.... Apart from that initial 5 goal onslaught it was tight across the board, good hard contest. Eagles will be happy to bank the 4 points.
anon
Roar Pro
Fyfe was the most dominant player in the league then and was a contested mark beast. Lyon's gameplay falls apart when he doesn't have Fyfe polling maximum votes in 9 out of 13 games lol
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
I'm sure I read at one time in 2015 (maybe 2014) that Freo were leading the competition that season in points scored from kick-ins.
Don Freo
Guest
It's interesting this Mitchell/Priddis thing. Mitchell is constantly giving the ball to someone under the pump or going 5 metres sideways for no advantage. Priddis is by far the better clearance player because he gets the ball to team mates in the clear. They need Priddis in the centre square at all times and Mitchell well away from it. Mitchell looks like he is doing well but he has fragmented the fluency of WC's midfield.
Lroy
Guest
Just saw the replay, good win for the Eagles.. but if we are brutally honest, horrendous kicking for goal by the Fockers went a fair way to helping the WCE get the result. Having said that, they did some of the hard things very nicely, Schofield, Shuey both at times executed brilliant sheperds to clear space for someone else... they wont get a stat for it, but its the kind of thing the purists love. Schfield had a great game actually, got in a few fracas as well, so he must have annoyed someone down there. They brought the scattergun back and he sprayed it all over the place as usual..the galapagos tortoise was as ineffective as he has been most of this season except for a goal early. Mitchel was pretty good...hes had a good season actually, gives them something in close. Jetta had another good game. Backline great across the board, forwards worked hard. Still think they need a permanet third tall down there...Petrie or Vardy could do it..the other one goes into the ruck. Dockers played some nice footy actually, their kicking for goal was simply inconceivable... guys missing open goals from 20-30 yards out on not much of an angle...happened 4-5 times I believe. So, will be interesting to see how they go. IF Simpson stopped picking his tried and trusted lemons and instead took a punt on a young guy they might be able to spring a suprise or two come September.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Was always exciting playing freo when Scott "the prince of pockets" Chisholm was kicking those short ones to the pocket ;)
Don Freo
Guest
That makes no sense. 22 years... Neesham, Drum, Connolly, Harvey, Lyon...all coached the same way?
rusty
Roar Rookie
Ballantyne is finished. It's why on one wanted him at the end of last season when he shopped himself around.
rusty
Roar Rookie
Anon is right Don. It is actually my biggest gripe with Freo that after 22 years we can't work the ball out from a kick in. Short pass to the pocket, no one leads, then a kick to the 55 boundary and more often than not it comes racing back in again. Time after time, year after year. If you watch west coast they simply refuse to consider the option that may give the ball up from a behind. I sit in the three tier stand and watch the spread and west coast have us totally sussed out. So much more organised. They know what we are going to do before we do it because it is so predictable.
Don Freo
Guest
They didn't have too much trouble doing that. Blakely was a clearance monster there and Hughes, Ryan and Weller were good too. WC found it very hard to lock it in. Only when the ball was in Spurr's hands did we have trouble clearing it. Your cut and paste probably thinks Sheridan and Sutcliffe played too. Freo was regularly pushing forward. Just didn't have effective targets. Time for Johnno up forward.
WCE
Roar Rookie
great to see big JK back kicking 3 goals and well done to bunga for the medal , very well deserved. Good to see Schofield not take any crap from ballantyne who still thinks he's a threat - more of a flea pest than anything. Well done boys.
anon
Roar Pro
It's all representative, Don. Fremantle is horrific trying to exit from defence on set plays from full back. They couldn't make a bigger mess of things. Chip to the pocket, stand around looking for 5 seconds waiting for all the targets to be covered, then just bomb it up the line praying Fyfe takes another contested mark.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Deflating forward entry after deflating shot on goal after deflating forward entry...
rusty
Roar Rookie
I wanted to gouge my eyes out at the end of the game. That was horrible beyond words.
Don Freo
Guest
You must have watched a game from your archives. Either that or you cut and pasted the wrong comment from another year. None of that is representative of yesterday's game.
anon
Roar Pro
I thought West Coast controlled the game. They moved the ball out of the backline with relative ease, picked their way through Rossy's zone without much trouble, they had a lot of quality inside 50's. Fremantle's inside 50's just consisted of bombing the ball in and hoping for the best, and they really struggled to move the ball out of defence. It's like they have no gameplan at all. Chip the ball into the pocket, then bomb the ball up the line. This match was more about West Coast since we know Fremantle are ordinary.
Don Freo
Guest
If you can beat Freo, you can probably take the flag. Just as well Tabs was playing for Peel. He would have sunk you.