West Coast have been chasing small wins in their rebuild. For a half of footy, it looked like they were going to claim an enormous one.
Less than a year on from an embarrassingly historic 171-point loss to Sydney, the Eagles threatened to claim the biggest upset of the young season.
Inspired by their leaders and rising star Harley Reid, West Coast showed signs of the rebuild bearing fruit, surprisingly leading the Swans at half-time at Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills in front of 9225 fans.
Ultimately, Sydney flexed their muscles enough after the main break kicking nine goals to four to claim a 15.14 (104) to 11.12 (78) victory and keep the Eagles winless after four games.
But West Coast found plenty of the small wins they’re looking for. No.1 draft pick Harley Reid continues to grow into his AFL career with 18 disposals, seven tackles and an emotion-charged goal, while Jeremy McGovern (26 disposals) continued an All-Australian calibre start to the season against an at-times dysfunctional Sydney attack.
Defender Brady Hough restricted Sydney stand-in skipper Tom Papley to little influence, while several established players stood tall against the odds.
It looked ominous early with the Swans peppering the Eagles’ defence with the first eight inside 50s but they had only the solitary goal to show for their efforts.
West Coast needed a spark and they got it from Reid, who snapped his first AFL goal before tugging on the jumper with passion – which brought the Eagles to life.
Veteran forward Jamie Cripps (two goals) defied a strong breeze to kick a tough set shot from the right pocket to give the WA side the lead, but there was an expectation it was only going to be a momentary advantage.
Sydney hit back with goals to Errol Gulden – courtesy of a 50m penalty – and Taylor Adams to give the more fancied Swans the expected advantage.
West Coast had made a habit this season of crumbling in second terms this season, recording only 17 points in the quarter for the first three games.
You wouldn’t have known watching in the Adelaide Hills, as they set about dismantling a lackadaisical and lacklustre Swans outfit.
Backed by the breeze, the reigning wooden spooners attacked the corridor with speed and a brashness that defied their placement in the league and it stunned Sydney.
Jack Petruccelle took a hanger that will be a contender for Mark of the Week, while Jayden Hunt (21 disposals and a goal) blazed a trail across the ground with 10 touches for the term.
Reid and Elliot Yeo (28 disposals, eight tackles and seven clearances) dominated in the middle of the ground and the Eagles were suddenly an offensive threat, breaking a streak of 13 consecutive losses in quarters to start the season.
They kicked four unanswered goals through the term to hold an unlikely lead of five points at half-time and even the most pessimistic of Eagles fan would have believed.
Sydney desperately needed to take full advantage of their last turn with the breeze and it was clear they wanted to go long and fast.
Their prime movers in Isaac Heeney (26 disposals, seven clearances and two goals) and Gulden (27, seven and two) began to find the footy and they were again pressuring the resolute Eagles’ defence.
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The star AFL defender had a tooth issue after a contest late in the second quarter during West Coast’s clash with Sydney.
Needing to limit the damage, the Eagles had co-captain Liam Duggan (30 disposals) as a spare man in defence at times and they were noticeably more cautious with their ball movement, slowing the game down.
They restricted Sydney to three goals for most of the term and were only down by nine points late in the term courtesy of an opportunistic goal from Jack Williams.
Unfortunately, for the Eagles the Swans were gifted a goal by Will Hayward (two goals) from a controversial 50m penalty just moments before the final break to give Sydney a 15-point lead at the final change.
To make matters worse the Eagles were down to 21 fit players, with Luke Edwards subbed out before half-time with a left hamstring injury while Ryan Maric was taken from the ground in an ambulance after he copped a knee from teammate Jack Darling in a marking contest in the third term.
The task became even greater for the Eagles when Matt Roberts defied the breeze to kick a monster goal within the first minute, before Joel Amartey sealed the win when he ran into an open goalsquare to kick his first.
West Coast looked as if they’d exhausted all their energy in an inspired first half and Sydney were pouncing, finally breaking free from the pressure of the plucky underdogs to gradually kick clear and grab the four points.
SYDNEY 3.5, 6.7, 10.10, 15.14 (104)
WEST COAST 2.0, 7.6, 8.7, 11.12 (78)
Goals – SYDNEY: J Amartey 2 E Gulden 2 W Hayward 2 I Heeney 2 L McDonald 2 T Adams R Fox H McLean M Roberts C Warner. WEST COAST: J Cripps 2 J Waterman 2 J Hunt T Kelly N Long R Maric J Petruccelle H Reid J Williams.
Best – SYDNEY: I Heeney E Gulden J Rowbottom C Warner B Grundy J McInerney. WEST COAST: E Yeo J McGovern H Reid B Hough L Duggan J Hunt.
Injuries – WEST COAST: L Edwards (hamstring) R Maric (ribs).
