Australian Football

Match Report

On the surface of it, a match between two teams that finished 13th and 15th in 2013 wouldn’t normally promise much. This game, between West Coast and the Western Bulldogs however, pitted a side that had had a top four finish in 2012 and which under new coach Adam Simpson was expected to roar back into contention this season, against a team which had finished off last year with a flourish and was expected to take further strides towards being a finals contender in 2014.

When the game was done and dusted, with the Eagles a massive 65 points to the good, the question about West Coast had been answered emphatically. In dismantling a disappointing Bulldogs outfit, the Eagles showed skill, scoring power and, perhaps most importantly, an intensity in running and at the ball that suggested it would be part of the elite bracket of teams when the business end of the season arrives in September.

The Western Bulldogs have made significant progress in the past two years under coach Brendan McCartney specifically in the areas of winning the contested ball and the clearances, but it was the Eagles who dominated these two facets of Sunday evening’s match at Subiaco, and after a relatively even first 20 minutes, West Coast blew the Dogs away.

The final margin was a fair reflection of the difference between these two sides and the magnitude of the loss would have dented the confidence of the young and developing Bulldogs team. Minimizing this loss of confidence will be the job of McCartney over the next few days, with the team looking for some redemption when they take on fellow first-round losers North Melbourne at Docklands next Sunday. New skipper Ryan Griffen, who missed the Subiaco with back soreness, is expected to be a welcome addition to the Dogs’ team for that match.

For debutant coach Simpson, the Eagles’ crushing victory was the perfect start to his career. With Nic Natanui returning to his best after a long road back from injury, and Dean Cox looking as dangerous as ever, West Coast’s ruck division is likely to be as potent as any this year. Coupled with a multi-pronged attack and a very tight defence led by veteran captain Darren Glass, the Eagles look to be a complete team that will challenge for highest honours this season.

But Simpson, who played 306 games for North Melbourne, will know as well as anyone that the season is a marathon not a sprint. The next phase of that marathon will be against Melbourne, which should give Simpson a great chance to extend the perfect start to his career.

GOALS
West Coast: LeCras 5; Darling 4; Cripps, Shuey, Kennedy 2; Priddis, Rosa, Selwood, Wellingham, Gaff, Masten
Western Bulldogs: Hunter, Crameri, Higgins, Murphy, Macrae 2; Boyd

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
West Coast: LeCras, Darling, Rosa, Selwood, Priddis, Wellingham, Mackenzie
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Boyd, Hunter, Murphy, Dahlhaus

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
West Coast: Rosa, LeCras, Cox, Darling, Selwood, Priddis
Western Bulldogs: Morris, Boyd, Macrae, Hunter, Higgins, Cooney

INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Dom Sheed replaced Luke Shuey at three-quarter time.
Western Bulldogs: Daniel Giansiracusa replaced Tory Dickson during the third quarter.

UMPIRES: Wenn, Findlay, Armstrong

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Gerard Healy, Danny Frawley, Cameron Mooney