Thursday night footy heads to Optus Stadium where the West Coast Eagles will host the Essendon Bombers to open Round 14. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 8:10pm AEST.
West Coast are coming off a 15-point loss to Sydney last Friday night, the Swans the only team West Coast have loss to this year (Rounds 1 and 13).
Kicking seven goals, 15 behinds for the night, the Eagles showed effort but lacked composure in front of goals.
Essendon have enjoyed their mid-season bye, after a 22 point win over Brisbane in Round 12.
It was a win that Essendon required to keep their finals hopes alive.
West Coast have made three changes; Josh Kennedy is out for 1-3 weeks with a hairline fracture below the knee, while young forward Jarrod Brander and midfielder Dom Sheed have been omitted.
Will Schofield, Mark Hutchings and Fraser McInnes have been included in the team.
Will Schofield missed the trip to Sydney for the birth of his first child, but returns to the side for this round 14 home clash.
Essendon have named an unchanged line-up to start the second half of their season; they were particularly pleased with the performance of young inclusion Mason Redman against Brisbane, while Dyson Heppell has pulled up fine from concussion.
These two teams have split their last eight encounters four wins apiece, with Essendon taking the points from their most recent clash in 2017, by 61 points at Etihad Stadium.
The Bombers have already lost once at Optus Stadium – to Fremantle by 16 points in round two – but are now familiar with the new venue and plan to take it up to the Eagles.
Prediction
After a small hiccup against the Swans that broke their run of ten wins, the Eagles will return to their home ground and want to get back on the winners list.
Essendon won’t have to defend Eagles’ dominant tall forwards Jack Darling and Josh Kennedy, which has to increase the Bombers’ chances of stealing a win.
West Coast will back their team game though and be too strong for Essendon, they’ll return to the top of the ladder with their eleventh win for 2018.
West Coast Eagles by 19.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 8:10pm AEST.
Jungle Jim
Guest
Meh, an aberration, every team has a bad game. Not taking away from the Bombers who were red hot. Eagles will bounce back. No need for meltdowns. Need to fix the forward zone. Barrass back will help structure. Then JK, then JD back and business as usual!
Slane
Guest
You call that a blowout? West Coast had more scoring shots than Essendon! If this is how you define a blowout it is no wonder you are up in arms about them.
BigAl
Guest
fancy that, an AFL BLOWOUT
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Bombers stun out-of-sorts Eagles The Essendon Bombers have defeated the West Coast Eagles by 28 points on Thursday night at Optus Stadium. An onslaught of Bombers’ goals in the first term set up the victory, the margin already 37 points at the first break. Jake Stringer kicked three goals in the dominant quarter, where the Eagles were held to just one behind. West Coast were shell-shocked early, they lacked aggression, missed tackles and didn’t look like they had come to play. Essendon on the other hand, were on from the first bounce; they had the first inside 50 and controlled the play from there. The Eagles, without tall-forwards Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling, lacked structure and leadership going forward. After eight Essendon goals, when the score-line read 50 to 1, West Coast finally got a major on the board in the second term through Nic Naitanui, but from there inaccurate goal kicking ruined any chance of an Eagles fight back. The Eagles kicked six goals, 16 behinds for the night, a total of 22 scoring shots. The winning score for the Bombers came from just 20 scoring shots, 12 goals, eight behinds. A last quarter attempt to throw Jeremy McGovern forward was too little too late, and did not have the desired impact. The Eagles got to within four goals in the final four minutes, but the Bombers held on for a 28 point victory. Devon Smith (3 goals, 23 disposals) starred for the Bombers, while Zach Merrett (30 disposals) and Dyson Heppell (27 disposals) got plenty of the ball. Elliot Yeo tackled hard (22 disposals, 12 tackles) and Andrew Gaff gathered 32 disposals, but Shannon Hurn (24 disposals) and Jack Redden’s (26 disposals, 12 contested) efforts in defence were best. Mason Redman was on crutches post-game with ice on his lower left leg, while Josh Green and Devon Smith limped at points, but got through the game fine. Next up for West Coast is a Saturday afternoon clash at Adelaide Oval against the Crows, while Essendon face North Melbourne on Sunday at Etihad Stadium. Final Score West Coast 6.16 (52) Essendon 12.8 (80)
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Woeful kicking by West Coast.Not on at all until it was too late. Won the second half.woo-hoo What's the go with the deflection off the ump? I suppose in the passage of play they're like motorcyclists in traffic,invisible to the statistician.
Maggie
Guest
The Swans go into their bye third on the ladder - and come out second. I like these byes!
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Thanks for tuning in tonight everyone! I'm switching to the soccer and cricket now. Enjoy your night of Aussie sport and I'll post a match review shortly.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Shocking goal kicking for the Eagles tonight, while the Bombers were very accurate early. The Bombers kicked the first eight goals and never looked like losing. The Eagles missed their tall targets up forward and need to find other ways to score, given Kennedy and Darling will be out for some time. Belief is strong for Essendon, onwards and upwards from here.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
I think we may see another miracle now, Harsh Truth Lazarus may rise from the grave.
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 0' - FULL TIME The Bombers' first quarter onslaught too big for the Eagles to recover from, Essendon take a 28 point victory over West Coast. First win in Perth against West Coast in 16 years. West Coast 6.16 (52) Essendon 12.8 (80)
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 1' - GOAL BOMBERS Langford hit up on the lead inside 50. He goes back, takes the set shot and sneaks it through for a goal. West Coast 52 Essendon 80
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 1' - GOAL EAGLES Cripps takes a grab and gets back behind the mark quickly. From 50, he nails it. West Coast 52 Essendon 74
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 2' McKenna has just done the Irish kick to himself, gained 20 metres, then gets a throw-in. Clever and amusing, wouldn't have called 'exciting' like Basil. West Coast 46 Essendon 74
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 3' - BEHIND EAGLES Naitanui out of the ball-up, takes possession, clean kick shaves the post. Behind. A sixteenth behind. West Coast 46 Essendon 74
User
Roar Rookie
And bulldogs are the only team to win a premiership due to umpiring, your point is?
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 6' Strong intercept mark by Bellchambers, floated across and took the grab on the second touch. He has had 10 disposals, 1 goal and 20 hitouts tonight. West Coast 45 Essendon 74
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 7' - GOAL EAGLES Bombers slow heading off half-back, the ball is turned over by both teams a couple of times, before Shuey gets on the end of one. West Coast 45 Essendon 74
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 9' - GOAL EAGLES LeCras gathers and kicks across the body for his first. West Coast 39 Essendon 74
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 12' - BEHIND BOMBERS 4 goal haul not to be for Stringer, he misses across the face. West Coast 33 Essendon 74
Sarah Wildy
Roar Guru
Q4 13' - GOAL BOMBERS Smith shoots it through for a goal out of the contest. Smith can't quite believe that wasn't touched by anyone. West Coast 33 Essendon 73