Australian Football

Match Report

We're heading across the Hilton Bridges to the City Mazda Stadium in Richmond where the "Western Derby" was afoot between the Bloods and the Eagles under Friday Night Lights. These two mobs have battled each other probably more times in the last five years than any other match up. From their 77-all draw in Round 2 in 2009 up to last year's Qualifying Final, the Eagles have won seven while the Bloods have taken six, Westies' sixth win coming from that last clash to the tune of seven points.

The Bloods would dominate most of the opening quarter, but some poor shooting would see them ahead by just nine points at the first change after kicking 3.3 to the Eagles' two goals. It was here that the Eagles would assert themselves as they kicked four of the first five majors of the second quarter, some inaccuracy of their own preventing them from taking real control of the match as they went into the long break with a one-goal lead, Eagles 6.4 to West 5.4. From here it was an arm-wrestling match, both sides struggling to make a real impact on the scoreboard. The Bloods would lock things up by the three quarter-time break, kicking 2.4 to the Eagles' 1.4 to tie the scores at 50 points each to set up a heart-stopping finishing term. The Bloods rallied in the last quarter, but in the final minutes the Eagles would get the match winner after a holding the ball charge allowed them to put the game out of Westies' reach. The visitors scored 3.4 to the Bloods' two goals to take a 10-point win. The Eagles would name James Boyd as their best afield, while the Bloods named Chris Schmidt as their best.