Australian Football

Match Report

For a match between two genuine premiership contenders, this produced very little in the way of pretty football. It was a highly defensive struggle, but it proved to be strangely enthralling as the result was still in dispute right until the final seconds. Incredibly, West Coast kicked 0.12 in the first half and still managed to come away with the win. It was the first time the Eagles had gone goalless in a half since Round 4, 2004 against Carlton. The Hawks weren’t much better, going scoreless in the opening term, but managing to slot two goals in the second. At three-quarter time, it was looking more like a soccer game, as the Hawks had three goals to the Eagles’ two. But young forward Jack Darling stepped up for the Eagles in the final term, converting two long-range opportunities. West Coast’s tall forwards threatened to blow the game apart all night, with the Hawks’ lack of height in defence a glaring weakness. Former Demon Cameron Bruce was a late inclusion for the Hawks after defender Grant Birchall was withdrawn from the side.



GOALS:

West Coast: Darling 2, Kerr, Hill, Kennedy
Hawthorn: Rioli 2, Franklin, Osborne, Lewis



BEST - AFL.COM.AU
West Coast: Kerr, Darling, Mackenzie, Waters, Rosa, Glass

Hawthorn: Mitchell, Lewis, Gibson, Suckling, Schoenmakers, Bruce

BEST - THE AGE
West Coast: Kerr, Waters, Glass, Naitanui, Darling
Hawthorn: Sewell, Mitchell, Gibson, Franklin, Schoenmakers

COACHES COMMENTS
John Worsfold (WC): It was a pretty tight, tough game, and both teams played pretty close. We saw it as pretty much nil-all at half-time with a big arm-wrestle and contest to come in the second half. I didn't think it was going to crack open, but it was really who was going to grab hold of the opportunities when they were there, and they were pretty slim opportunities.

Alastair Clarkson (Haw): Unfortunately we just weren't in front at the right time. But it was a great contest, we're proud of our boys with their endeavour and how proud and how tough they played, but the Eagles were just a little bit too good on the night.

Umpires: Dalgleish, Meredith, Findlay