by Janet Linn reporting for AFANA from Subiaco Oval
The West Coast Eagles are back on track for a finish in the Final Four after defeating bottom of the Ladder team and rank outsiders the Richmond Tigers in Round 20. West Coast stars Chris Judd and Ben Cousins were late withdrawals with nagging injury worries. It was West Coast power duo Daniel Kerr and Dean Cox who made the difference in their absence.
The first quarter was a competitive and entertaining affair. The first kick of the game went to Tigers player Kane Johnson, celebrating his 200th game in AFL football. The Richmond team looked sharp, playing an attacking style of football. Dean Cox dominated the ruck hit outs for West Coast and Daniel Kerr exploded out of the center square time and time again to spear precision passes to West Coast forward line players. Matthew Richardson was prominent in the play for the Tigers kicking two goals but through the quarter both teams missed easy shots on goal. In the end it was the West Coast’s superior foot skills and ability to make better decisions under pressure that gave them a nine point advantage at the quarter time break.
In the second quarter the Cox-Kerr duo continued to carve up the Richmond center players and was instrumental in providing multiple scoring opportunities for the West Coast forwards. After scoring the first goal Richmond faltered under the intense pressure applied by the Eagles’ running players. Some scrappy, undisciplined play and costly turnovers by the Tigers saw the Eagles extend their lead through goals to Mark Seaby, Quinten Lynch and Marc LeCras. Late in the quarter a lull in the Eagles’ concentration allowed Richmond players to gather more possessions and score late goals through Richardson and Brown. At half-time it was 20 points the difference and in spite of the Tigers’ endeavor, the game looked set to be blown wide open in the third quarter by the Eagles’ superior skill level.
The third quarter was surprisingly entertaining given the huge difference in the two teams’ positions on the AFL Ladder. West Coast’s dominance in the center continued and halfback player Adam Hunter came into the play taking several outstanding marks in front of goal and converting on goal. By mid-quarter it looked like the Eagles would run away with the game. However the Tigers rallied and staged a comeback, scoring through Nathan Brown, Jack Riewoldt (cousin of Saint Kilda star center half forward Nick Riewoldt) and Richard Tambling to come within nine points of the Eagles. Just before the siren sounded for the three-quarter time break, Quinten Lynch scored a steadying goal for West Coast to make the margin 15 points.
It was a fiery start to the last quarter as tempers flared and a series of scuffles broke out up and down the ground. Richmond won the physical duels with Brett Deledio being awarded a free kick and posting a six pointer, bringing the Tigers closer to a potential boilover. With the momentum turning the Tigers way, Matthew Richardson continued to take strong marks but let the side down as he wasted two consecutive shots on goals. Adam Hunter showed how it should be done when he took a spectacular mark in the West Coast goal square and kicked the football straight through the goal posts. The Tigers continued to have a lot of the play in this quarter but poor skill execution and costly misses on goal proved the difference between the two teams. Goals to Brent Staker and Lynch sealed the game for the Eagles who ran out comfortable 31 point winners.
Although the margin was a convincing one in the end, the Eagles were definitely challenged by the young Tigers team. This should give them pause for thought with the Finals only two weeks away and several key players under injury clouds. Positive signs for the Eagles were the match-winning combination of Cox and Kerr and the excellent form of Quinten Lynch and Adam Hunter up forward. As for Richmond, on the cusp of finishing the season as undisputed owners of the Wooden Spoon, supporters can take heart from the spirit shown by the young Tiger players. They took the game right up to the Eagles for most of the day and looked once or twice like they might cause the biggest upset of the 2007 AFL season.
Final scores
West Coast 4.5 9.8 13.8 18.9 (117)
Richmond 3.3 6.6 10.11 12.14 (86)
Goals
West Coast Lynch 7, LeCras 4, Hunter 3, Staker 2, Seaby, Braun
Richmond Brown, Richardson 3, Deledio 2, Tambling, Patterson, Riewoldt, Edwards
Best
West Coast Kerr, Cox, Lynch, Hunter, Priddus, Staker
Richmond Brown, Richardson, Tuck, Johnson, Polak
Crowd 39752
Umpires Brett Allen, Derek Woodcock, Gary Fila
The West Coast Eagles are back on track for a finish in the Final Four after defeating bottom of the Ladder team and rank outsiders the Richmond Tigers in Round 20. West Coast stars Chris Judd and Ben Cousins were late withdrawals with nagging injury worries. It was West Coast power duo Daniel Kerr and Dean Cox who made the difference in their absence.
The first quarter was a competitive and entertaining affair. The first kick of the game went to Tigers player Kane Johnson, celebrating his 200th game in AFL football. The Richmond team looked sharp, playing an attacking style of football. Dean Cox dominated the ruck hit outs for West Coast and Daniel Kerr exploded out of the center square time and time again to spear precision passes to West Coast forward line players. Matthew Richardson was prominent in the play for the Tigers kicking two goals but through the quarter both teams missed easy shots on goal. In the end it was the West Coast’s superior foot skills and ability to make better decisions under pressure that gave them a nine point advantage at the quarter time break.
In the second quarter the Cox-Kerr duo continued to carve up the Richmond center players and was instrumental in providing multiple scoring opportunities for the West Coast forwards. After scoring the first goal Richmond faltered under the intense pressure applied by the Eagles’ running players. Some scrappy, undisciplined play and costly turnovers by the Tigers saw the Eagles extend their lead through goals to Mark Seaby, Quinten Lynch and Marc LeCras. Late in the quarter a lull in the Eagles’ concentration allowed Richmond players to gather more possessions and score late goals through Richardson and Brown. At half-time it was 20 points the difference and in spite of the Tigers’ endeavor, the game looked set to be blown wide open in the third quarter by the Eagles’ superior skill level.
The third quarter was surprisingly entertaining given the huge difference in the two teams’ positions on the AFL Ladder. West Coast’s dominance in the center continued and halfback player Adam Hunter came into the play taking several outstanding marks in front of goal and converting on goal. By mid-quarter it looked like the Eagles would run away with the game. However the Tigers rallied and staged a comeback, scoring through Nathan Brown, Jack Riewoldt (cousin of Saint Kilda star center half forward Nick Riewoldt) and Richard Tambling to come within nine points of the Eagles. Just before the siren sounded for the three-quarter time break, Quinten Lynch scored a steadying goal for West Coast to make the margin 15 points.
It was a fiery start to the last quarter as tempers flared and a series of scuffles broke out up and down the ground. Richmond won the physical duels with Brett Deledio being awarded a free kick and posting a six pointer, bringing the Tigers closer to a potential boilover. With the momentum turning the Tigers way, Matthew Richardson continued to take strong marks but let the side down as he wasted two consecutive shots on goals. Adam Hunter showed how it should be done when he took a spectacular mark in the West Coast goal square and kicked the football straight through the goal posts. The Tigers continued to have a lot of the play in this quarter but poor skill execution and costly misses on goal proved the difference between the two teams. Goals to Brent Staker and Lynch sealed the game for the Eagles who ran out comfortable 31 point winners.
Although the margin was a convincing one in the end, the Eagles were definitely challenged by the young Tigers team. This should give them pause for thought with the Finals only two weeks away and several key players under injury clouds. Positive signs for the Eagles were the match-winning combination of Cox and Kerr and the excellent form of Quinten Lynch and Adam Hunter up forward. As for Richmond, on the cusp of finishing the season as undisputed owners of the Wooden Spoon, supporters can take heart from the spirit shown by the young Tiger players. They took the game right up to the Eagles for most of the day and looked once or twice like they might cause the biggest upset of the 2007 AFL season.
Final scores
West Coast 4.5 9.8 13.8 18.9 (117)
Richmond 3.3 6.6 10.11 12.14 (86)
Goals
West Coast Lynch 7, LeCras 4, Hunter 3, Staker 2, Seaby, Braun
Richmond Brown, Richardson 3, Deledio 2, Tambling, Patterson, Riewoldt, Edwards
Best
West Coast Kerr, Cox, Lynch, Hunter, Priddus, Staker
Richmond Brown, Richardson, Tuck, Johnson, Polak
Crowd 39752
Umpires Brett Allen, Derek Woodcock, Gary Fila
Article last changed on Friday, September 07, 2007 - 1:09 AM EDT
