Australian Football

Match Report

Two round one losers, West Coast and Carlton, faced off at Subiaco on Friday night to kick off round two and it was the Eagles who emerged big winners, defeating the Blues by a massive 69 points. The Blues led by two goals after a high-scoring first quarter - as they had against Richmond in round one - but it was one-way traffic in the Eagles direction from that point on, with key forward Josh Kennedy kicking 10 goals in a dominant display.

After a goal from Eagle Nic Natanui in the first 20 seconds of the match Carlton took early control, with majors to Zach Tuohy, Lachie Henderson and Tom Bell over the next seven minutes. West Coast pulled one back when Kennedy kicked his first and then Luke Shuey levelled the terms of the match with a goal at the 15-minute mark. Another major to Mark Le Cras took the Eagles out to a seven-point lead before the Blues had another run of three goals - to David Ellard, Andrejs Everitt and Marc Murphy - to lead by 12 points at the first change.

Nine minutes went by before a major was scored in the second term, before Scott Lycett broke the drought for the Eagles to bring them within five points of Carlton. West Coast then dominated the remainder of the term, with the Blues held scoreless for the quarter, but that dominance yielded only two goals to Kennedy and seven behinds. The Eagles' lead at the long break was 13 points but should have been at lot larger.

The third quarter saw that dominance continue but the Eagles straightened up their kicking, adding 7.2 - an amazing six of those to Kennedy - while Carlton could muster only 1.2, the Blues' solitary goal coming via Liam Jones. The lead at the last change of ends was 46 points ion favour of West Coast.

Carlton did not find much to cheer about in the final term. The Blues started the quarter well enough with a brace of goals to Levi Casboult but the rest of the match saw West Coast reassert it's superiority. The Eagles kicked the last six goals of the match - one of those being Kennedy's 10th to career away to a huge win.

Kennedy was the stand-out for the Eagles, while Andrew Gaff (28 disposals, six tackles) and Luke Shuey (eight tackles and 24 possessions) were also excellent contributors. For the Blues, Bryce Gibbs (12 tackles and 26 touches), Everitt (nine marks, 22 disposals) and Tuohy (25 possessions and a goal) flew the flag.=

The Eagles will take on their undefeated neighbours Fremantle in next Sunday's Western Derby, while the Blues will take on Essendon on Saturday at the MCG, the Bombers fresh off a thrilling win over last year's premiers Hawthorn.

GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 10; LeCras 4; Shuey, Cripps 2; Naitanui, Lycett 
Carlton: Casboult 2; Tuohy, Henderson, Bell, Ellard, Everitt, Murphy, Jones

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
West Coast: Kennedy, Gaff, Priddis, Shuey, LeCras, Masten
Carlton: Gibbs, Everitt, Tuohy, Murphy, Casboult

INJURIES
West Coast: Tunbridge (left calf)
Carlton: Cripps (back) replaced in selected side, White (left knee)

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Liam Duggan replaced Simon Tunbridge during the third quarter
Carlton: Clem Smith replaced Simon White during the first quarter

UMPIRES: Donlon, Farmer, Hosking

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Dennis Cometti, Basil Zempilas, Wayne Carey, Cameron Ling, Matthew Richardson