Melbourne Demons vs West Coast Eagles: AFL match result, highlights

Match result:

The West Coast Eagles have defeated the Melbourne Demons by 13 points at TIO Traeger Park on Sunday afternoon.

Under clear skies in the red centre it was a great day for footy. A swirling breeze did create a few problems, particularly for the Dees set shots early.

West Coast stretched out to a 32-point lead early in the second term, before a Demons fightback brought the margin in to a 1-point ball game at the main break.

Melbourne, thanks to a huge quarter from Clayton Oliver, lifted and led by six at the final change.

The Eagles, though, were better when it mattered and ran over the top of the Demons for a 13-point victory.

Final score
Melbourne Demons 11.12.78
West Coast Eagles 14.7.91

Match preview:

The game travels inland in Round 18 with the Melbourne Demons hosting the West Coast Eagles at TIO Traeger Park on Sunday afternoon. Join The Roar for coverage of the match from Alice Springs, with live scores and a blog of the match from 3:20pm AEST.

The Demons gave it a good crack, but lost by eight points to the Western Bulldogs last Sunday.

Max Gawn was dominant, though his efforts to keep Melbourne in the match were unsuccessful with Bulldog Josh Dunkley running riot at his feet.

Really, the Dees were lucky to be in the contest late in the game. Had the Bulldogs kicked straight it would have been over well before three-quarter-time.

West Coast are also coming off a narrow loss, a one-point thriller against Collingwood on Friday night.

It was a shootout to begin with and the creative Eagles forward line should have been able to keep up. However, the team was shut down and unable to score a goal in the final 45 minutes of the match, eventually losing by one behind.

During the week, the Eagles announced tall forward Jack Darling had signed a five-year contract, which will see the 27-year-old remain a one-club player.

Melbourne have made two changes for the game in Alice Springs.

Brothers Corey and Josh Wagner come into the side, Mitch Hannan and Kyle Dunkley make way for them.

West Coast have been forced to make a couple of changes as well.

Jamie Cripps (adductor) and Nic Naitanui (ankle) will both miss the match after sustaining injuries in the Eagles’ loss last Friday night.

Jake Waterman and Jack Petruccelle have got the nod at selection to replace the injured stars.

The two young forwards come in on the back of a great WAFL performance including six and five goal hauls, respectively.

The two sides played earlier in the year, Round 9 at Optus Stadium.

Melbourne dominated much of the Friday night clash, before a late surge from West Coast meant they overran the Dees by 16-points.

Melbourne will wear their Indigenous guernsey for the third time this year.

Prediction
The Dees will run hard for the opening half, but West Coast are likely to break the game open from the third.

Melbourne must be measured with their entries inside forward 50, as without strong tall-forward options, players such as Hurn and McGovern will dominate for the Eagles.

West Coast by 29 points.

Where: TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs
When: 3:20pm AEST
TV: Network 7, Fox Sports
Online: AFL app, Foxtel app, Kayo Sports
Betting: Melbourne $2.75, West Coast $1.44

Melbourne Demons
B: Jake Lever, Steven May, Neville Jetta
HB: Harrison Petty, Sam Frost, Michael Hibberd
C: Jayden Hunt, James Harmes, Nathan Jones
HF: Jordan Lewis, Christian Petracca, Bayley Fritsch
F: Clayton Oliver, Braydon Preuss, Christian Salem
Foll: Max Gawn, Jack Viney, Angus Brayshaw
I/C: Jay Lockhart, Corey Wagner, Alex Neal-Bullen, Josh Wagner

West Coast Eagles
B: Shannon Hurn, Tom Barrass, Brad Sheppard
HB: Lewis Jetta, Jeremy McGovern, Tom Cole
C: Andrew Gaff, Elliot Yeo, Chris Masten
HF: Jarrod Cameron, Jack Darling, Willie Rioli
F: Liam Ryan, Josh J. Kennedy, Oscar Allen
Foll: Tom Hickey, Jack Redden, Luke Shuey
I/C: Jake Waterman, Dom Sheed, Jack Petruccelle, Jackson Nelson