Elliot Yeo

Chris Kowald reporting for AFANA from Optus Stadium, Perth.

The West Coast Eagles continued their strong early season form by demolishing the Gold Coast Suns. The Suns have a tough start to the year. Their home ground at the Gold Coast, is being used for the British Commonwealth Games for the first half the season, so they have to stay on the road. With two consecutive games in Perth (Fremantle and then West Coast),

AFANA AFL Power Poll (Round 4)
by Boris Kilpatrick, special to AFANA from Australia

1.    Adelaide Crows (Last Week - 1)
The Crows keep top spot after obliterating Essendon by 65 points in front of a rabid Adelaide Oval home crowd. No Josh Jenkins, no Mitch McGovern, no problems for the Crows who are on fire right now.

2.    Greater Western Sydney Giants (2)
The Giants didn’t have it all their own way against a feisty Port Adelaide at Spotless Stadium. Despite trailing by four points at three quarter time, the Giants stormed home to win by 31 points, keeping the Power goalless in the final quarter.

Chris Kowald reporting for AFANA from Domain Stadium, Perth

In a tight and closely fought struggle, reminiscent of the great battles between these two clubs a decade ago, West Coast held on to smother a desperate Sydney attempt to post their first win of the year. The Swans, who were the favorites to win last year’s Grand Final, will now have to perform an astonishing revival to make the finals, let alone the Grand Final.

St Kilda, desperate to atone for their loss to the Melbourne Demons the previous week, led the West Coast Eagles at Domain Stadium until time-on in the final quarter, but it was not enough. On a warm and still Perth night, the Saints’ hard running players ran themselves into the ground on the vast expanses of the Eagles’ home turf. In the final stanza, with both teams nearing exhaustion, it was the class and superior finishing of the Eagles that punished the Saints.

by Chris Kowald, reporting for AFANA from Perth, Australia

West Coast Eagles sent a powerful message east. From the first bounce, when Nick Naitanui flew over opposing ruckman, Stefan Martin, it was clear that the Eagles would not be dispensing Easter cheer. Brisbane though were not to be denied, Tom Rockliff was back to his best, as he showed his young charges how to draw first blood, with a goal at the three–minute mark. The Eagles responded a minute later by kicking long into the forward line.

Janet Linn reporting for AFANA from Australia

While it was the hottest Grand Final in history with the mercury hitting 31.3 degrees Celsius (88.3 Fahrenheit), the much anticipated “close contest” between Hawthorn and the West Coast did not bring the heat many anticipated and - in the case of West Coast supporters - hoped for. In the end, this Grand Final was not a replay of “David and Goliath”. The Hawks entered the match favorites and they won nearly everything - the coin toss, all the important game statistics, the Premiership Cup, the Norm Smith Medal and the full-blown respect of the Australian football public. The Hawks' players were never challenged in a master class performance of Aussie Rules football. Alastair Clarkson and his coaching staff cemented a well-earned place in history as the Hawks won the “three-peat”, back to back Premierships in 2013 (defeating Fremantle), 2014 (dominating over Sydney) and now in 2015. No doubt West Coast fans are wondering what happened and how their break out season ended so lamely.

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Domain Stadium, Perth

With a twelve goal burst in the third quarter, the West Coast Eagles delivered the highest score in any quarter in the club’s history and put the stranglehold on a one-sided Round 7 game against the Gold Coast Suns at Domain Stadium. The game was played in wet conditions and it wasn’t long before the Eagles put their winning stamp on the game.

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Australia

An undermanned and battered Collingwood held tough over the West Coast Eagles by eight points at the MCG in a thrilling Round 10 encounter. The Eagles had not beaten Collingwood on this ground since 1995 and were looking to turn the tables and set up their year by stealing a game that many thought they could not win. Collingwood players - down one man by quarter time and another by half time - looked out on their feet at times, and at one point trailed by nearly three goals. To their credit, the Pies stood tall when it counted and recorded the win in a high scoring game.