Australian Football

Match Report

West Coast has bounced back from a round nine loss to North Melbourne to convincingly defeat Essendon at Subiaco on Saturday. After a relatively even first quarter, the Eagles got right on top, running away to win by 50 points. For the Bombers, another lacklustre performance has left them with a 4-7 record and further sharpened the public focus on coach James Hird and his ability to take his team to its next premiership. 

The match started well for Essendon, with Dyson Heppell goaling for the Bombers in the first three minutes, but West Coast got on top soon after. Mark LeCras opened proceedings with a goal at the 10-minute mark, after which the Eagles had several chances tho break away but they could convert those opportunities into more than four behinds. The Dons made them pay on their next foray forward, a goal to Shaun Edwards giving them the lead. Just before quarter time, Andrew Gaff threaded West Coast's second goal and the Eagles led by five points at the first change. 

Edwards had a chance to restore a lead for Essendon early in the second term but his shot missed. Jack Darling then put the Eagles 10 points clear with his first but Paul Chapman answered with a goal which brought the margin back under a goal. But the Dons' resistance ended there as West Coast got right on top in the remainder of the term. The Eagles added goals via Scott Selwood, Callum Sinclair, LeCras and Josh Kennedy, restricting Essendon to just one behind, to take control and lead by 29 points at half time.

To their credit, the Dons came out firing in the early stages of the second half. The first 13 minutes of the third term saw them score five times, but their conversion was poor and the return was just 1.4, the goal coming from the boot of Jake Melksham. Though the Eagles had few chances after that, they made them count, with goals to Darling and Nic Naitanui stretching the margin to 31 points in time on. A late goal to Brendon Goddard brought the difference back to 25, giving Essendon fans some cause for hope at 'orange time'.

Sadly that hope was quickly dashed when the last quarter began. Kennedy goaled inside the first minute and added another two minutes later. Another pair of goals to Mark LeCras before the 11-minurte mark gave West Coast a lead if 52 points and removed any doubt as to the result. Each side added another goal in the last 15 minutes, the Eagles coasting to a 50-point victory to firmly cement their place in the top four. 

LeCras was outstanding for the Eagles, with four goal and eight marks, while Gaff (33 disposals, four marks) and Matt Priddis (32 possessions and five tackles) were also excellent. For the Dons, Brent Stanton (11 marks, 31 touches) and Zach Merrett (11 tackles, 29 disposals) were good throughout the match.

The Bombers will have a week off to lick their wounds before facing Hawthorn - whom they beat in round two - in round 13. The Eagles meanwhile will take on Richmond in a blockbuster at the MCG next Friday night.

GOALS
West Coast: LeCras 4; Kennedy 3; Darling 2; Naitanui, Gaff, Sinclair, Selwood, Hill
Essendon: Edwards 2; Heppell, Chapman, Melksham, Goddard

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
West Coast: LeCras, Gaff, Priddis, Naitanui, Cripps, Schofield, Selwood
Essendon: Hooker, Hibberd, Goddard, Stanton, Heppell, Watson, Merrett

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
West Coast: LeCras, Priddis, Gaff, Schofield, Naitanui, Cripps
Essendon: Stanton, Merrett, Heppell, Goddard, Watson, Hibberd

INJURIES
West Coast: McGovern (thigh)
Essendon: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Dom Sheed replaced Jeremy McGovern at three-quarter time
Essendon: Michael Gleeson replaced Paul Chapman in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Donlon, Armstrong, McInerney

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Dermott Brereton, Jonathan Brown, David King