Australian Football

Match Report

In a surprisingly close encounter, the West Coast Eagles have seen off a tenacious Carlton outfit to record a narrow but important win at the MCG on Sunday. The final margin was just seven points but the victory kept West Coast within percentage of a place in the top four and within sight of a top-two finish. The Eagles had looked to be cruising to victory when they led by 27 points at three-quarter time but a big last term from the Blues made for a few nervous moments before the final siren saw them hold on by seven points.

West Coast took control of play early and, after a behind to Jack Darling, a mark to Mark LeCras saw him kick the first major of the match at the four-minute mark. Goals proved hard top come by for the rest of the quarter, the second of the match not coming until 12 minutes later when Josh Hill converted after a mark to put the Eagles 12 points clear. Another long goalless period ensued, West Coast adding just two behinds until a free kick for high contact saw Ed Curnow kick Carlton's first goal. Each side added a behind before the quarter-time siren, which saw West Coast ahead, 2.4 to 1.2.

As they had in the first, the Eagles opened the second term attacking heavily but Carlton's defence stood firm, restricting West Coast to just two behinds in the first eight minutes before Jack Silvagni kicked truly at the other end to bring the Blues within four points. The Eagles then had another chance but Darling missed again, kicking his third behind before teammate Will Schofield finally found the big sticks to put his side 11 points clear. Josh Kennedy and Jamie Cripps then followed up with further majors and West Coast looked like drawing away but a late goal from Dylan Buckley kept the Blues' within 16 points at the long break.

Defence was the order of the day again early in the third quarter, each side adding just one behind in the first seven minutes. LeCras finally broke the drought with his second, and when Cripps also kicked his second six minutes later, West Coast's lead was out to 28 points. First year player Jacob Weitering, who had spent most of his debut season in defence, bobbed up to kick his first goal for Carlton at the 16-minute mark and when fellow first-year player Charle Curnow added another on the cusp of time on, the Blues were back within 15 points. The Eagles attacked heavily from there, though, kicking three of the term's last four goals - two to Elliot Yeo - to lead comfortably by 27 at the last break.

West Coast had chances to put the game to bed early in the final quarter but Darling, who couldn't buy a goal, missed twice more, making it five behinds for the afternoon. That left the door ajar for Carlton, and the Blues began to mount a challenge with a goal to Bryce Gibbs at the six-minute mark. Jamie Cripps responded for the Eagles with his third but Carlton then added 1.3 - the goal going Sam Kerridge - to draw within 20 points. Kennedy's second gave West Coast some breathing space but the last 15 minutes of the match belong entirely to Carlton. Patrick Cripps, Weitering and Gibbs all added majors as the Blues cut the margin to just seven points with two minutes remaining. The Eagles managed to hold firm for those lost couple of minutes, though, and survived a close call to win by seven.

Andrew Gaff, with 30 touches and six marks, was one of the Eagles' best, while Sam Docherty's 12 marks and 32 disposals stamped him as one of the best for the Blues.

Next up for West Coast is a home game against Melbourne at Subiaco on Saturday. A win in that match could see the Eagles back in the top four at the end of next weekend. The Blues have now lost five in a row but are definitely on the improve. However, they will face another tough task on Saturday, taking on fifth-placed Sydney at the SCG.

GOALS
Carlton: Weitering, Gibbs 2; Ed Curnow, Silvagni, Buckley, Charlie Curnow, Wright, Cripps, Kerridge
West Coast: Cripps 3; LeCras, Yeo, Kennedy 2; Hill, Schofield, Shuey

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Carlton: Docherty, Cripps, Simpson, Gibbs, Kerridge
West Coast: Gaff, Priddis, McGovern, Shuey, Cripps, Masten

BEST - THE AGE
Carlton: Cripps, Docherty, Simpson, White, Kerridge, Curnow
West Coast: Gaff, Cripps, LeCras, Priddis, Yeo, McGovern, Lycett

INJURIES
Carlton: Jacob Weitering (corked right calf)
West Coast: Jeremy McGovern (left thumb), Matt Priddis (left quad)

UMPIRES: Stevic, Edwards, Rya

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Sandy Roberts, Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, Jonathan Brown, Barry Hall