Australian Football

Match Report

Despite missing perhaps 10 players who would be part of its best 22, GWS has pulled off a remarkable victory against West Coast at Subiaco Oval, defeating the Eagles by eight points in a thrilling game on Sunday. The match was in the balance until the final couple of minutes, and the last quarter alone saw eight lead changes, but a run of three goals inspired by Toby Greene enabled the Giants to get over the line and record their first win against the Perth side.

Dylan Shiel got the visitors off to a good start with a goal at the three-minute mark but the Eagles hit the scoreboard four minutes later when ex-Kangaroo Drew Petrie, returning from injury and playing only his second game for West Coast, kicked his first from inside the goal square. Malcolm Karpany, playing only his second AFL match, followed up with his first AFL goals to put the Eagles ahead by five points but Jonathon Patton marked and goaled to give GWS a one-point lead midway through the term. The Eagles made the most of their chances after that, adding three goals while the Giants added three behinds and it was the home side 14 at the first break.

It took six minutes before the first major of the second term was scored, and when it came it went the Giants' way to Lachie Whitfield after a West Coast turnover in defence. With both teams' defences holding firm, there were only two further goals scored in the quarter, the first a roving goal to Mark Hutchings at the 13-minute mark, and the second a nice running goal to Shiel five minutes later. At the half it was West Coast holding sway by seven points.

A clever one-handed mark from Jeremy Cameron saw him goal with two minutes of the start of the third term, signalling a potential GWS comeback, but it was the Eagles who got onto a roll after that, with full forward Josh Kennedy kicking two goals in a row, with Nathan Vardy following up with another one as West Coast jumped out to a 15-point lead. Another mark and goal to Cameron cut the deficit back to eight and then Harrison Himmelberg and Josh Kelly added further majors in time on to give the Giants a three-point buffer going into the final term.

The scene was set for a grandstand last quarter and the two teams delivered. They scored eight goals between them in the first 20 minutes, with every goal kicked by the Eagles answered by one from GWS, each of the majors seeing the lead change hands. The Giants broke the run in time on when Toby Greene kicked two superb goals in a row to extend their lead to 15 points but Lewis Jetta gave the Eagles one final chance when he intercepted a Whitfield pass and goaled with a couple of minutes remaining. But GWS's defence stood firm after that, and the undermanned Giants held on for a memorable win. 

Kelly continued his fine form for the Giants, collecting 29 touches and laying six tackles, while captain Callan Ward (33 disposals, six tackles) also played a great game for the winners. For the Eagles, Jeremy McGovern (22 touches, nine marks) , Sam Mitchell (31 possessions and a goal) and Andrew Gaff (35 disposals, eight marks) all had great games. 

The Giants are well placed, second on the ladder with an 8-2 record with injured players set to return over the coming weeks. They will host Essendon at the Sydney Showground on Saturday. For the Eagles, the loss saw them slip out of the top four. They will travel to Carrara to play the Gold Coast Suns (17th, 3-7) also on Saturday.

GOALS

West Coast: Kennedy 3; Vardy, Darling, Jetta 2; Petrie, Karpany, Cripps, Hutchings, Mitchell
Greater Western Sydney: Shiel, Cameron, Patton, Greene 2; Whitfield, Himmelberg, Kelly, Williams, Taranto, Lloyd

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
West Coast: McGovern, Sheed, Mitchell, Gaff, Yeo, Jetta
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Shiel, Williams, Kennedy, Ward, Greene

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
West Coast: Mitchell, McGovern, Sheed, Yeo, Gaff, Jetta
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Ward, Greene, Shiel, Williams, Kennedy

INJURIES
West Coast: Kennedy (lower leg)
Greater Western Sydney: Nil

UMPIRES: Margetts, Nicholls, Fleer 

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Gerard Healy, Matthew Pavlich, David King