West Coast Eagles

Best in the west? Eagles down Giants ahead of Western Derby. An eight-goal second quarter has delivered West Coast only its third win since July 2021. By Nathan ...

Jayden Hunt was recruited for his speed, and on Sunday he showed his value with 23 disposals, two goals, and 566m gained. It brought substitute Conor Stone into the game early, with the forward providing a highlight with a clever tap over his head to set up an early goal for Jesse Hogan in the third quarter. Last week it was Shane McAdam who lined up Jacob Wehr with a brutal bump just as the Giant had taken possession, and on Sunday it was Eagle Liam Duggan. Since then, they have played a new club record 235 games alongside each other, taking the mantle from premiership captain Shannon Hurn and retired champion Josh Kennedy, who did a lap of honour before Sunday's opening home game. With the speedy duo in the game, the Eagles looked more dangerous and were able to get the ball inside 50 quickly and repeatedly, with the pair combining for 15 score involvements. The stoppage dominance of Shuey and Sheed, who shared nine clearances for the quarter, and the class and run of Kelly and Jones were critical as the Eagles controlled the game and field position with double the Giants' inside 50s (18-9).

It wouldn't bother West Coast one bit that it's 19-point win on Sunday wasn't the prettiest, nor that it came against an undermanned Greater Western Sydney.

This time, it was enough to hold them off. The last time the Eagles booted eight goals in a term was in the second quarter of a 91-point Derby win against Fremantle in Round 11 of 2019. That dates back to Round 21, 2021. But Liam Duggan’s big hit on the young Giant in the second term on Sunday ended his game early and is likely to keep him on the sidelines for a couple of weeks. It was the same margin the Giants came back from to win against the Crows. The Eagles were also on a nine-game losing streak dating back to round 16 last year, which equalled the club record, which was set between round 5 and round 14 last season.

Jake Waterman had the best day of his career in front of goal and knows he now has an opportunity to prove he belongs in the forward line every week.

“It’s only a few minutes a quarter but I’ve got to compete. The Eagles played at a relentless pace throughout the game and that led to them having 58 inside 50s. The boys were out on their feet at the end of the game because we ran so hard.” “But there’s a spot there and it’s mine to take. The boys up the field were great in the contest. The 24-year-old was overlooked in round one, continuing a frustrating trend where he has often been in and out of the team.

West Coast produced the best quarter of football they've played in quite some time to kick past Greater Western Sydney in a hard-edged performance to claim ...

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Jake Waterman and Jamie Cripps have helped West Coast set up a drought-breaking victory in front of a delighted Optus Stadium crowd.

Ryan and Allen miss gettable set shots to either side of the main opening. GWS push late to cut the deficit to 19, but it was never in doubt from midway through the third term - and on the back of that stunning eight-goal second-quarter burst. The Eagles enjoyed singing that one in the rooms, and as well they might.

West Coast has found a winning brand, responding to a week of fierce criticism with an impressive 19-point result against GIANTS at Optus Stadium on Sunday.

The GIANTS went on to produce their best period for the game, getting some run back into their game and making the Eagles look tired as they booted three of the last four goals of the term to bring the margin back to 30. The stoppage dominance of Shuey and Sheed, who shared nine clearances for the quarter, and the class and run of Kelly and Jones were critical as the Eagles controlled the game and field position with double the GIANTS' inside 50s (18-9). The win was set up in the second quarter, when Cripps and Long got the Eagles going, Long twice feeding his teammate for back-to-back goals that launched a run of six unanswered for the home team.

AFL 'mauling' in breakout Eagle's career game; unlucky Giant brutally crunched again — 3-2-1.

“Jamie Cripps with three goals early in this second term, and he was the one who really got West Coast going .. Given all the external factors though, it’s hard to know how much to take away from the Giants’ performance. But it needs all those big guns out there. “Dugan did it a couple of times, he ran through the line of the ball and there‘s a bit of collateral damage.” The Giants winger was subsequently subbed out out the game and seen with his shoulder in a sling, Wehr in the second quarter received a heavy — but fair — bump from Liam Duggan to the right shoulder that left him floored. The “despondent” Wehr was taken from the field and subbed out of the contest a short time later. “He’s a leader of the Eagles and it’s right in the back 50.” It was the ideal response from West Coast after falling to North Melbourne last week in a game where it got smashed in contested possessions -32 (152-115) and clearances -15 (41-26). The second quarter belonged to the Eagles and Jamie Cripps as he went to work in attack. The Giants’ loss was compounded by a shoulder injury to luckless Jacob Wehr, who was crunched by Eagle Liam Duggan in the second quarter and subbed out of the contest. “It’s really been a mauling from the Eagles.”

West Coast is far from the finished product but coach Adam Simpson could see promising signs in Sunday's uplifting 19-point win over Greater Western Sydney. The ...

He played a pretty good WAFL game,” Simpson said of Waterman. “Tim (Kelly) did set the standard. Not many have got through with eight quarters of brilliance.

AN EIGHT-goal second quarter has set up West Coast's first win since last June as the Eagles downed Greater Western Sydney 14.16 (100) to 11.15 (81) on ...

They finished with 58 forward half entries to 52 but more importantly won the contested possession count 125-119. Rebounding half-back Jamaine Jones, able to swing back to defence with the return of Petrevski-Seton, provided strong rebound run. It may not yet be the finished product and there will undoubtedly be some blips along the way, but this game provided affirmation they are heading in the right direction. With the midfield also doing well led by Kelly, Andrew Gaff, Shuey and Sheed the supply was strong as the Eagles went inside the attacking arc 31 times in the half. Wingman Jayden Hunt also excited the crowd of almost 45,000 with his dash and dare and thrilled them with a clever left foot snap in the final term, for the second of his goals in the game. Tim Kelly was brilliant through the midfield in conjunction with Dom Sheed and Luke Shuey while vice-captain Jeremy McGovern was a tower in the back half.

Jake Waterman and Jamie Cripps have helped West Coast set up a drought-breaking victory in front of a delighted Optus Stadium crowd.