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West Coast coach Adam Simson upbeat about his side’s finals prospects after they stitched up second spot on the AFL ladder with a breezy 26-point win over Brisbane.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Brisbane Lions 11.6.72
West Coast Eagles 14.14.98
The West Coast Eagles will aim to confirm their home final when they travel to play the Brisbane Lions on the final day of the regular season. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 1:10pm (AEST).
The Eagles hold second spot on the ladder, which would earn them the right to host a qualifying final in the first week of the finals and, should they win, a preliminary final in Week 3.
So close is the difference in percentage though, almost any loss to the Lions in Brisbane would see both the Melbourne Demons and Hawthorn Hawks overtake them next week, meaning the Eagles would surrender their home ground advantage.
On paper at least, this should be a fairly easy Sunday afternoon out for the Eagles, who have had a strong season.
There is an element of risk there though. Complacency in a game like this could creep in, and after last week’s effort where they fell to the Melbourne Demons to keep the race for second spot open, anything seems possible.
The loss to Melbourne back at home continues a somewhat worrying form line at the end of the season for the West Coast, who have lost two of their last four, but that included only just scraping past the Port Adelaide Power in a sloppy affair by four points a fortnight ago.
The Lions, on the other hand, sit at the wrong end of the ladder. While that comes as no surprise to anyone, some of their efforts in recent weeks have been much better as they start to build for what will hopefully be a promising 2019 season.
While a win in the Q Clash against the Gold Coast Suns by four points would have lifted spirits last week, their fighting efforts against the Collingwood Magpies, North Melbourne Kangaroos and Adelaide Crows in the last month have been pleasing to watch.
None of those teams are quite on the level of the Eagles, but the visitors do have a host of stars out including Andrew Gaff, Nic Naitanui and Josh Kennedy, so that may throw a spanner in the works.
Prediction
The Eagles will be desperate to win and make sure they do it well. The last thing they want to do is travel next week, so there is plenty riding on the game and for that reason I expect them to gallop away with a handy lead in the first half, then hang on.
Eagles by 35 points.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this crucial Round 23 match from 1:10pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.