West Coast Finalise Top 2
by Tim Stone, reporting for the AFANA @ Subiaco, WA.
Simply too classy, West Coast have accounted for the Kangaroos by a modest 26 points at a sunny Subiaco on Saturday, and with it have all but secured a home final in 2006. The undeniable turn in form for the West Australian side ensured they finished off a game they were expected to win, against a spirited Kangaroos outfit, 14.23 (107) to 12.9 (81).
With only 3 games remaining to close out the season, the Eagles are 3 games clear of the next side, meaning they would have to drop all of its remaining games to lose a top 2 spot, and with it a home final. Watching West Coast dominate proceedings in recent weeks, this simply isn't plausible. A midfield that is quickly being compared to the Brisbane elite that managed 4 consecutive grand final appearances, and 3 consecutive premierships from 2001-2004, was simply too good once more for its opposition.
Daniel Kerr continued his irresistible form with a best on ground 35 possessions, while regular heroes Chris Judd and Ben Cousins racked up 33 and 29 touches respectively. Even more notable was the roughhouse tactics from the likes of Daniel Chick and Beau Waters. Both players will receive close attention by the review panel for several incidents in the game.
An unfamiliar stiff breeze greeted players for the clash at Subiaco. The bearing it would have on the game became quickly became evident as Lynch unloaded a kick from inside the centre square, 65 to 70 metres out, to goal for his second and to jump the Eagles out to a 3 goal to nothing lead in the 11th minute.
If that kick was big, then Rocca's goal at the other end to open up the Kangaroos account would have been even better. Not to be outdone, he unloaded from 55 out into a gale strength wind. His goal was North Melbourne's first from 4 attempts and got the team rolling with his bomb from outside the arc.
The umpires were quick to show their control on the game in the following minutes. Beau Waters usual disregard for his and his opponent's physical well being was punished twice in succession. Corey Jones on the receiving end of both, as he received consecutive free kicks and made West Coast pay with both attempts to bring the game back to even.
Embley's goal to steady the Eagles was only a temporary measure as Rocca once again unloaded with a beast of a kick, this time from the same distance as Lynch's earlier effort. It didn't go through on the full, but it was into the breeze, and the slick surface ensured it skidded through the big sticks as the dramatics continued.
North shocked the home town with their audacity to match wits with the flag favourites. They threw it away momentarily however,as they put up the shutters going into the break, reverting to possession football to maintain their lead and ride out the quarter. The classy, no nonsense West Coast side punished them for this however, clamping down on the Roos and claiming 2 late goals to go into the first quarter 2 goals the better.
The barrage from West Coast didn’t stop at the siren. Lynch goaled 47 seconds into the second to open up a 4 goal lead. Ominous signs for the Kangaroos came when they were prepared to attack and let their game flow. Nathan Thompson was on the receiving end of a good passage for the Roos, only to miss. His next attempt from a fantastic mark 20 metres out on a worse angle in the pocket was converted, and they were rewarded for their positive work rate.
Daniel Chick made a solo attempt to deal with this revolt from the Roos. He cleaned up Sinclair with a nasty hip and shoulder that ended up in a clash of heads between the 2 men. Chick was visibly sore from the altercation, but Sinclair was even worse and didn't return to his feet.
As Chick held his head in pain and attempted to remove himself from the ground, he continued to find himself involved in the play. Leaving another player in pain on the ground from another full forced hip and shoulder, he eventually made his way off the ground, a war zone of injured bodies left in his wake.
The game could have gone dangerously out of control for the Roos if not for a few fundamental errors from Kerr. He got involved through his typical hard work and brilliance, however he marked and missed when he could have given it off. A minute later he made the polar opposite error, this time marking and giving it off to a player who was well covered. His conscience had gotten the better of him the second time, and it was the goal that would have torn the game right open. The scoreboard went unabated and the Roos remained in the hunt. Thompson kicked his second in a row as 13 minutes passed before the last goal, and when Jones goaled, the Roos had the last 3 goals of the match and returned the game back to 6 points.
With Lynch and Chick on the bench with head injuries, and Hanson pulling a hamstring early in the game, the Roos were able to flourish. They went forward again and had created a 5 on 3 as the ball went to the turf in their forward line. Harding was able to snap a goal from 40 out to return the game to status quo, 54 points each 25 minutes gone.
The aspirations for North Melbourne, and the ability to go with West Coast after the break, slowly seemed to fade into the sunset like the sun setting at Subiaco. Signs were ominous early when Brett Harvey kicked an inspiring 3 bounce goal, starting from centre wing and ending up in side the 50. They hit the lead for the first time in the game with his goal 4 minutes into the third quarter.
Unfortunately for him and coach Dean Laidey, his heroics were not enough to inspire his lackluster compatriots. His single-handed efforts simply didn’t match up to the class of the West Coast midfield. It took a strong mark by Embley in the 9th minute to mark and goal to get the Eagles moving. His goal was their first since the 1 minute of the 2nd quarter.
When Lynch was given a 50 metre penalty, taking him right to the goal line, the Eagles had restored their stamp of authority on the game. Staker's snap for goal restored their composure and the ascendancy with a lead of 16 points, 14 minutes in. It almost came unravelled however, Chicks loss of composure cost the Eagles a comfortable lead. He dumped Corey Jones after he kicked, and the free kick was upgraded to a 50 metre penalty with a shot on the goal line after he pushed over another player in front of the umpire. Corey Jones had 3 goals, all from heavy free kicks by the opposition.
Going into the final swap of ends, the 13 point lead that was minimal in size didn't show the true bearing for the quarter, in which the Eagles had 11 scoring shots to 4, but were only able to manage 4 goals.
Even working into the unrelenting breeze, West Coast were able to close out the game comfortably. With a midfield renown for its fitness, they simply overran their opposition. The game never seemed to trouble the West Coast side in the final quarter, only their inaccuracy in the final half blurred what was, in retrospect, an easy victory . Kicking an untidy 2.9 in the final quarter, they amassed 6.16 to 4.3, or 22 scoring shots to 7 in the final half.
North Melbourne's fighting performance gave reason for Coach Dean Laidley to praise his players. "...we found another player today in Daniel McConnell and people can now understand why we picked him up. He's only going to get better" Laidley said. "...Daniel Harris is not far behind him comparable to the same age. I think what our supporters have seen at home today, they'd be pretty happy about."
West Coast Eagles 7.5 8.7 12.14 14.23 (107)
Kangaroos 4.3 8.6 11.7 12.9 (81)
GOALS
West Coast Eagles
Quinten Lynch (4)
Andrew Embley (3)
Brent Staker (1)
Dean Cox (1)
Ben Cousins (1)
Mark Seaby (1)
Ashley Sampi (1)
Daniel Kerr (1)
Chad Fletcher (1)
Kangaroos
Nathan Thompson (3)
Corey Jones (3)
Brent Harvey (2)
Saverio Rocca (2)
Daniel Pratt (1)
Leigh Harding (1)
Article last changed on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 2:42 AM EDT
