Tag: mainwaring

1990 Rewind: Job Done, Eagles Eye Pies

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Eagles One Point Away From Double Chance

Fitzroy made West Coast work, but the Eagles’ class rose to the top as they pulled away to a 37 point win at Subiaco Oval.

The Eagles led by just eight points at half-time against the lowly Lions, but a seven goal third quarter separated the two sides, consolidating the Eagles’ position inside the top five.

Peter Sumich booted six goals and Brett Heady four, while Dean Kemp put in the finest performance of his 12-game career to collect 35 disposals.

Sumich’s haul saw him move to the top of the Coleman medal, overtaking both Tony Lockett and Darren Bennett to lead the competition with 56. Lockett had been the pacesetter at the start of the season, booting 52 goals in the first eight games. But the Saints spearhead had been sidelined with a medial ligament injury since, allowing the likes of Sumich, Bennett and Kangaroos full forward John Longmire to make ground on the goalkickers list.  

With the state-of-origin clash between Western Australia and Victoria taking place at the W.A.C.A. in the lead up to the Fitzroy clash, the Eagles had had a 16 day break following their win over the Hawks.

However, the gap between the two games hadn’t equalled a relaxing period for many of the players.

12 Eagles were selected for WA, with a further three – John Worsfold, Dwayne Lamb and Phil Scott – pulling out ahead of the match due to niggles lingering from the Hawthorn game.

Steve Malaxos captained the WA side, with key Eagles players Chris Mainwaring, David Hart, Chris Lewis and Peter Sumich partaking. Brett Heady was selected for his state debut after a stellar start to his first AFL season, while squad member Tony Evans (who had yet to join his Eagles teammates since being drafted the previous year) and under-19 sensation Glen Jakovich were also picked.

WA were favourites to beat the Victorian team, who had already been embarrassed by New South Wales and Tasmania in earlier state-of-origin matches, but the ‘Big V’ were able to restore some pride with a 37 point win.

Simon Madden claimed the Simpson medal with a dominant performance in the ruck, while Gary Ablett (six goals) and Paul Salmon (four) ably filled the positions that were normally reserved for injured pair Tony Lockett and Jason Dunstall.

Eagles coach Mick Malthouse admitted the state-of-origin hadn’t been ideal for his club.

“It is a fact that interstate football affects the Eagles more than any other team in the competition.”

“While we are the only AFL side in WA, we will always provide a large proportion of players for the match,” Malthouse continued. “The disruption makes it extremely hard to prepare the side for a game during what is a vital part of the season.”

Malthouse suggested playing interstate matches as a pre-season carnival would be of greater benefit.

Following the interstate game, the Eagles had several players facing fitness tests to play the Lions.

Chris Mainwaring was the greatest concern, lining up for WA despite having scans on his knee. Guy McKenna (groin), Dwayne Lamb (achilles), Michael Brennan (groin), Karl Langdon (wrist) and Peter Wilson (groin) all needed to get through training, while Brett Heady suffered bruised ribs after being collected heavily front on by Simon Madden, while playing for WA.

When the teams were released, all were selected to play, with the suspended Craig McGrath the only change to the side that defeated the Hawks. Stevan Jackson – who had been dropped for the previous game after a poor run of form – was given the chance to reclaim his spot in the senior side as McGrath’s replacement at centre half forward.

Mainwaring would ultimately pull out ahead of the opening bounce, with Todd Breman coming into the side.

The Lions flew to Perth having found their best form ahead of the split round. Wins over Hawthorn and Sydney came either side of a competitive effort against the Kangaroos. And unlike West Coast, Fitzroy had enjoyed the benefit of a fully rested squad, with only ruckman John Ironmonger taking part in the mid-week interstate clash.

The Lions made two changes to the side that defeated the Swans in their last start by 45 points. Paul Broderick and Mark Trewella were both dropped in favour of Darren Kappler and David Strooper.

Interestingly, the Lions chose not to bring back full forward Richard Osborne, who had impressed in three consecutive reserves games in his comeback from a serious knee injury suffered the year before.

Regular defender Murray Rance started on the bench for the Eagles, with Phil Scott preferred at centre half back against Fitzroy superstar Paul Roos. At the other end, Alastair Lynch lined up at full back on Peter Sumich, while Kappler returned to the middle, opposed to Dean Kemp.

Despite half the side coming off just a five day break, there were no signs of sluggishness from the Eagles when they burst out of the blocks with the opening four goals, to establish a 21 point lead. Fitzroy soon closed down the contest and with Roos getting the better of Scott at half-forward, the Lions were able to work their way back into the game.

Fitzroy had almost 40 more disposals in the second quarter as they started to control the centre line. Matthew Dundas had 10 disposals on his own for the term up forward for the Lions, while Scott Clayton and Andrew Johnston had seven each as Fitzroy got on top through the middle.

Dale Kickett was relatively well held in the match, but his extraordinary checkside kick from the 50m arc helped Fitzroy bridge the Eagles lead back to eight points at the major break.

Twice during the third term Fitzroy drew within two points, but Troy Ugle sparked the Eagles up forward when he was switched from the back pocket. Ugle booted a goal and had a hand in four others as West Coast piled on seven for the quarter – five of which came in just nine minutes.

Leading by 39 points at the final change, the Eagles continued on with their momentum in the final term, but Wally Matera came off the bench to add three late goals and reduce the final margin.

The final quarter effort from Matera would prove costly for his former side. The Eagles were set to replace the Demons in third spot, but lost crucial percentage as Matera got off the chain, leaving West Coast sitting in fourth spot – just 0.07% behind the Demons.

In fact, just one more point would have been enough to elevate West Coast into the double chance positions.

Fitzroy coach Rod Austin conceded the Eagles’ burst in the third quarter was costly for his side. “We had done well to fight back, but we missed some opportunities – and that has been the story of the year as far as we’re concerned.”

Eagles coach Mick Malthouse was understandably pleased with the win, but quickly moved the focus post-match to the upcoming clash against the Magpies at Victoria Park.

“You haven’t played football until you’ve played at Victoria Park.”

Malthouse admitted that there was plenty to work on ahead of the Eagles match against the second-placed Magpies, but believed a lack of continuity had affected his sides’ preparations.

“… the past three weeks have been indifferent, in as much as we rarely trained together.” Happy to get the win and take the four points, Malthouse said his side ‘used the ball correctly after half-time.’

As well as Kemp’s 35 possession game through the middle, he was ably supported by captain Stephen Malaxos who tallied 32 touches. Chris Lewis finished with 27 possessions and Brett Heady recovered enough to pick up 25 rotating through the middle and half forward.

Paul Roos did all he could to keep the Lions’ in the contest with 19 disposals, 11 marks and 3.3 from centre half forward, but there were too few who could sustain the pressure on West Coast for the full four quarters. Michael Gale and Tony Woods each picked up 23 touches to lead the ball winners for the visitors, while former Eagle Wally Matera finished with four goals and Roos and Matthew Dundas three each.

The Eagles sat two games clear in fourth spot with nine wins after Hawthorn fell to the Bulldogs by 17 points at Waverley Park. The Hawks were replaced by the Saints in the top five, after David Grant booted five goals to engineer a 33 point win over a flat Melbourne.

Four teams sat behind the Eagles on seven wins as the race to qualify for the 1990 finals appeared to be down to one final spot. St Kilda, Hawthorn, Carlton and Footscray were all in the battle, with the Blues’ win over Geelong appearing to end the Cats finals’ hopes.

The Cats again paid dearly for woeful goal kicking, booting 13.26 in a 19 point loss. Ken Hinkley was the biggest culprit for Geelong finishing with 2.7, while Robert Scott managed just four behinds. The result followed similar matches earlier in the year when the Cats dropped points to Richmond and Sydney because of inaccurate kicking.

At the top, Essendon and Collingwood stayed a game ahead of the competition with routine wins over Brisbane and Richmond.

Malthouse believed his side was well placed heading into the second half of the season, but knew the Eagles’ greatest test would come the following week against one of the premiership favourites.

“We’ve had a good win under our belts and a good week of training in front of us before we go to Victoria Park.”

1990 Rewind: Eagles’ ‘Character’ Win

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Malthouse Lauds His Players Fighting Finish

Mick Malthouse declared in the lead up that it would be the Eagles’ greatest test of character.

The Eagles, coming off two disappointing losses to North Melbourne and Essendon and with their hold of a top five place under threat from the swarm of sides clambering to break their way into finals contention, needing to win against the twice-defending premiers.

West Coast’s poor record in Victoria had once again become the conversation as many questioned the Eagles legitimacy in the premiership race. Poor form had also seen a number of changes in recent weeks, unsettling the Eagles line-up.

To further frustrate Malthouse, incessant rain during the week prevented the Eagles from running their main training session on the WACA, which was sitting under a deluge of water. Players and staff arrived at the ground only to find a square tarp across the middle of the cricket wicket, forcing a mad dash back to Subiaco Oval.

However, by the time players had battled peak hour traffic to reach the other side of the city, the session was lost.

“We feel like lepers,” Malthouse said.

“That’s the sort of treatment we expect when we go to Melbourne and what Melbourne teams should cop when they come here.”

“It’s the same argument we had with them last time… Our whole preparation has been messed up.”

Like West Coast, Hawthorn had hit a mid-season stumble. After winning four of their first five games, including an emphatic 115 point demolition of Geelong in the opening round grand final rematch, injuries and suspensions had the Hawks similarly fighting for their top five spot.

Spearhead Jason Dunstall was sidelined with a fractured skull and Dermott Brereton was serving a four game suspension for striking Garry Lyon. The Hawks would also lose captain Michael Tuck ahead of the opening bounce after he failed a fitness test. Veteran Peter Schwab would take his place in the midfield, joining ruckman Stephen Lawrence who was named as an inclusion when teams were first announced.

The Eagles made just one change to the team that lost to Essendon, with Stevan Jackson dumped in favour of rookie midfielder Dean Kemp. Craig McGrath was shifted to centre half-forward, joining Sumich and Langdon in a three-pronged attack.

Hawthorn opted to change with routine, flying into Perth on the morning of the game.

At half-time, they may as well have still been on the plane.

The Eagles got the fast start on the visitors, kicking seven first quarter goals – four of which were booted by full forward Peter Sumich – to open up a 31 point lead at the first change.

The runners of West Coast were running rings around a sluggish Hawthorn, with rookie Brett Heady leading the way through the middle. Heady, along with Chris Lewis and Steve Malaxos were winning plenty of ball around the contest, with Chris Mainwaring giving the drive along the wing.

Steve Malaxos led from the front with 23 disposals in the middle

The Hawks closed the game up in the second quarter, managing to hold the Eagles to just one goal, kicked via Chris Lewis, but were unable to hit the scoreboard themselves going goalless. Making matters worse for the Hawks, Gary Buckenara and Peter Curran had both left the ground with knee injuries, meaning they were without a bench for the remainder of the game.

When Malaxos goaled early in the third quarter, the Eagles lead was out to 40 and the game looked done.

But Hawthorn then raised a gear, storming back into the contest with eight of the next nine goals. When John Platten – who was well held by David Hart all night – kicked truly just before three-quarter time, the Hawks had taken the lead, unthinkable just half an hour earlier.

Greg Dear was the architect of the Hawks’ comeback as he gained the upper hand in his intriguing battle with Eagles ruckman Dean Irving. Dear finished the match with 41 hit-outs, to go with 22 disposals and eight marks. In particular during the third term, Dear provided first use to the Hawk’s midfield brigade, with Dean Anderson, Anthony Condon and Peter Schwab all enjoying plenty of the ball.

The Eagles grabbed back the lead before the final change, before Platten booted his second goal early in the final term to put the Hawks back in front.

That would be the last salvo from the Hawks, as West Coast met the visitors’ challenge to boot five of the last six goals in the game. The Eagles rediscovered their run against a tiring Hawthorn outfit, with defenders Guy McKenna and Michael Brennan both running down the ground to kick goals.

Sumich added a fifth in the final term to take his season tally to the half-century mark and third on the goal kickers list behind Tony Lockett (52) and Darren Bennett (51).

Heady finished with 28 disposals and seven marks, while Chris Lewis and ruckman Dean Irving were the next best with 26 disposals. Guy McKenna had 21 coming out of defence, while Michael Brennan shut out Alex McDonald who came onto the ground as Buckenara’s replacement.

Malthouse was understandably pleased with the result.

“You’ve got to be happy when you beat Hawthorn.”

“Some might say that you throw (Dermott) Brereton and (Jason) Dunstall into the Hawthorn team and we lose that game, but who knows.”

Malthouse admitted that the Hawks got the better of his players through the middle stages, as they clamped the Eagles run.

But Allan Jeans said his side didn’t do enough to contain West Coast’s midfield, with their influence at the start and end of the match decisive in the defeat.

“Their running players got on top and created opportunities for their forwards and then we played catch-up footy for most of the night.”

Anthony Condon was the leading ball winner on the night with 30 disposals, and was well supported by Dean Anderson (29) and Peter Schwab (28), but not enough players were able to contribute across the night.

Without the key pillars of Brereton and Dunstall, the Hawks couldn’t gain an ascendancy forward of centre, bar the third quarter. Paul Dear kicked three goals and Stephen Lawrence and John Platten each chimed in with two.

Malthouse lauded his players for their continued fight in the last quarter.

“We sent 20 players down the race and they sent 20 and it was a terrifically courageous last quarter. We had some of our guys running up and down on the spot and they still came from behind to win.”

The result saw the two sides switch positions on the ladder, with West Coast moving up to fourth and the Hawks dropping to fifth. The Eagles remained one game behind Essendon, Melbourne and Collingwood, who all recorded victories.

The Bombers defeated the Kangaroos, while Melbourne and Collingwood beat finals aspirants Footscray and Geelong. They remained a game behind the Hawks outside the top five, along with St Kilda and Carlton.

The Blues easily defeated Brisbane at Princes Park to lift themselves into seventh, but it was the Saints who were kicking themselves the most after the suffered a shock defeat to the Tigers. St Kilda booted eight goals in the opening term, but were slowly reeled in the Tigers over the next three quarters, with a five goal final term giving Richmond a 20 point win. The defeat cost the Saints a chance to move back into the top five.

The string of results across the round meant the Eagles sat two games inside the top five and maintained their hopes of securing a double chance. But while there were plenty of positives to take from the win, the sour point of the evening was a two game suspension handed out to Craig McGrath, who was cited for striking Ray Jencke in the final minutes of the match.

With the upcoming state-of-origin clash between WA and Victoria at the WACA the following Tuesday week, those Eagles not selected had a fortnight to recover before the Eagles’ next game against Fitzroy in the second weekend of the split Round 13.

1990 Rewind: Big Fish Sinks Eagles

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Eagles Drop To The Edge of Finals as Forwards Misfire

It was a tale of the full forwards as West Coast dropped a second consecutive game to leave their finals aspirations sitting on the brink at the halfway mark of the season.

Windy Hill lived up to its name as the Eagles struggled to handle the swirling breeze that encased the ground with a forward line function that was virtually non-existent.

The Eagles were unable to contain Essendon full-forward Paul Salmon, who booted six goals from 20 disposals and 14 marks alternating between the forward line and in the ruck, while Peter Sumich was held goalless by Anthony Daniher.

In fact, not only did Sumich fail to register a goal, the Eagles spearhead failed to register a possession, despite spending all bar three minutes on the ground.

Stevan Jackson was another who struggled up forward, managing just a kick and a handpass in the opening half, before spending the entire second half on the bench.

The 39 point defeat left the Eagles precariously placed in fifth position, as a host of teams pressed their claims for a spot in the top five.

The disappointment of the previous weeks effort against North Melbourne lingered through the week, as coach Michael Malthouse took his team to task.

A brutal two and a half hour training session on the Monday was followed by a tackling session led by rugby league coach Russ Devonshire with Malthouse keen on igniting aggression towards the opposition.

The Eagles were then savage at match committee, dropping seven players for the clash with the Bombers. Peter Matera, Dean Turner, Geoff Miles, John Annear, Scott Watters, Dean Kemp and Don Pyke all lost their spots, with the Eagles inclusion centred around height to battle the plethora of talls at Essendon.

Craig McGrath was selected for his club debut after being picked up in the pre-season draft, following six seasons with Fitzroy. Dean Irving was also recalled for his first game since round 3, to partner Phil Scott in the ruck against Essendon pair Simon Madden and Paul Salmon. Geelong and North Melbourne had both exposed the Eagles in the ruck in recent weeks, with Phil Scott going it alone.

Peter Wilson, Dwayne Lamb and John Worsfold all returned after missing the loss to the Kangaroos through injury, while Craig Turley and David Hart were also welcomed back to the side. Troy Ugle held his place up forward after being a late replacement for Worsfold the week before.

Essendon were forced to make four changes, due to a raft of players left unavailable after their 90 point win over Sydney. Derek Kickett, Billy Duckworth and Ian McMillan were all out injured, while Andrew Manning copped a two week suspension.

Into the Bombers line up came defender Chris Daniher and midfielders Adrian Burns, Tony Antrobus and Ed Consadine. Kevin Walsh pressed his claims to return from a knee injury, but failed to recover in time.

In tricky conditions, the first half was a tightly fought affair.

Paul Salmon made his first imprint on the game with three goals in the opening quarter as Essendon opened up a 13 point quarter time lead. The two teams then managed just one goal between them as the game developed into a fierce lockdown.

Trailing by 18 points at the main break, the Eagles started the third quarter brightly, but ill-discipline undid much of the early good work in the term as Essendon were handed a string of easy goals.

The Eagles gave away three 50m penalties in the quarter, all of which directly resulted in goals for the home side. Greg Anderson kicked a goal from the first penalty, with Salmon then the recipient of the next two as he booted another three goals in the term to take his match haul to six.

Two goals late in the term to Troy Ugle kept the Eagles within 21 points at the final change, but a five goal to two last quarter sealed the win for the Bombers and consolidated their position at the top of the ladder.

Chris Lewis was the exception up forward for the misfiring Eagles, booting three goals

After the match, Mick Malthouse was blunt about his non-firing forward line.

“When we get the ball as often as we did and don’t score as often as our opposition – that is our breakdown.”

The Eagles matched the Bombers in total disposals and managed nine more forward 50 entries (64-55), yet registered four less scoring shots.

“At no stage did our forward line click”, Malthouse continued.

Malthouse was also forthright in his assessment of the umpires, questioning the legitimacy of the 50 metre penalties awarded against his side in the crucial third quarter.

“One was soft,” an exasperated Malthouse declared, “and I could almost argue about (the other) two of them.”

“I get sick and tired of trying to justify how good or bad the umpires are. It’s time (national director) Bill Deller… have a good look at the situation.”

Chris Lewis was the best forward for the Eagles on the day, finishing with three goals from 20 disposals across half forward. Lewis also proved he had paid attention during the week, laying eight tackles in the match.

Chris Mainwaring had 26 disposals on the wing and Stephen Malaxos was again industrious in the centre with 24 disposals and a goal. Dwayne Lamb and David Hart both had successful returns with 21 and 20 possessions, respectively.

Craig McGrath also impressed in his first game as an Eagle, collecting 21 disposals and six marks, showcasing his wares at both ends of the ground.

However, the Eagles had no answer for Salmon, who was arguably the difference between the two sides. Dean Irving was tasked with the role of tagging Salmon around the ground, but appeared out of his depth and the Eagles backline were again exposed for height against the taller forwards in the competition.

Simon Madden booted two goals while resting forward, with Salmon’s haul of six coming a week after John Longmire booted eight goals for the Kangaroos.

Greg Anderson finished as the leading possession winner for the Bombers with 26, while Terry Daniher was the next best with 24 touches and 11 marks. Tim Watson also booted a brace of goals from 22 disposals and Mark Thompson finished with 23 and eight marks through the middle.

The result moved Essendon a game clear of the Eagles, and they were joined by the Magpies and Demons. Collingwood recorded a routine win over the bottom-placed Bears at Carrara, while Melbourne survived an incredible Carlton comeback to fall over the line.

The Demons streaked away to a 56 point lead midway through the third term, off the back of a five goal performance from debutant Brent Heaver. However, the Blues stepped into gear to kick the final five goals of the term and reduce the Demons advantage to 21 at the final change. Carlton continued to surge with Stephen Kernahan leading the charge in the final term, but a poor return of 3.6 left them six points short.

Hawthorn also moved ahead of the Eagles when they had little trouble defeating the Swans, despite being without Jason Dunstall. John Platten booted five to be the surprise leading goal scorer for the Hawks, who returned to the top five in place of St Kilda.

The Saints lost their place in the five with a narrow eight point defeat to the Cats. In a high-tempo clash, Geelong worked their way to a 25 point advantage at the final change, before second-year Saint Robert Harvey dragged his side back into the contest. Harvey booted four goals in the final quarter to bring St Kilda within touching distance of the lead, but Stewart Loewe and Tim Pekin missed simple chances late in the game, which ultimately proved costly.

The result meant that St Kilda and Geelong both sat one game behind West Coast, as did Footscray who did what they had to in a 14 point win over Richmond. The Eagles’ hopes of finals now rested on a crunch home game against the 4th-placed Hawks the following week.

While the 39 point defeat wasn’t the desired outcome, the Eagles could find some solace in this performance compared to the previous season. In the corresponding fixture of 1989, West Coast conjured up just one goal for the afternoon in a 160 point shellacking – a 20 goal improvement on their last visit to Windy Hill!

1990 Rewind: Eagles Caught On The Hop

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MCG Woes Return

West Coast Eagles coach Mick Malthouse blasted his players ‘very soft’ performance, when they succumbed to a 28 point loss to North Melbourne at the MCG.

Sitting equal top, the Eagles had entered the match as hot favourites against a Kangaroos side who were on a six game losing streak, without a win since round 3.  

Malthouse had warned his players not to take the stumbling Kangaroos lightly, and it seemed the Eagles players had heeded their coach’s instructions when they booted the opening four goals of the game. But from there North Melbourne owned the contest and the ball, edging their way to the lead by half-time and then pulling away through the second half.

“We were second to the ball, did not run and allowed North Melbourne to dictate terms totally”, a furious Malthouse said after the game. “We are very soft.”

“Unfortunately, this seems to be the norm when we are beaten.”

North Melbourne full forward John Longmire booted eight goals in the win, matching his effort from nine days earlier when he led New South Wales to one of the great upsets in Australian football, over the powerhouse Victorian side in the state-of-origin.

Longmire had four goals by midway through the second term, forcing Malthouse to shift Murray Rance to full back, in place of Michael Brennan, but Longmire remained a strong focal point for the Kangaroos up forward. Jose Romero provided the supporting act, kicking five goals from 26 disposals in a clear best on ground display.

Tagger Dwayne Lamb would have been assigned with the job of minding Romero, but was one of three players unavailable for the Eagles, following their win in the heavy slog conditions over Geelong just five days earlier.

Lamb was ruled out with a calf complaint, while Peter Wilson was unavailable after straining a hamstring the week before. John Worsfold would then be a late withdrawal ahead of the bounce, with Don Pyke, Dean Turner and Troy Ugle the three inclusions.

North Melbourne made a staggering seven changes to the side that was comprehensively thrashed by Collingwood to the tune of 80 points. Alastair Clarkson was ruled out with concussion, while Ross Smith, Peter German, Ian Fairley, Donald McDonald, Anthony Stevens and Warwick Angus were all dropped.

Kangaroos coach Wayne Schimmelbusch turned to youth, bringing in Liam Pickering, Leigh Tudor, Craig Sholl, Shaun Smith and Mark Brayshaw. Ruckman Michael Gallagher was selected for his first game with the club after switching from Carlton in the off-season, while ‘veteran’ Matthew Larkin was also brought into the side.

Such was the youth of the Kangaroos, Larkin was the only player in the side with more than 60 games experience, while nine players had played less than 20.

John Longmire proved too good for both Michael Brennan and Murray Rance, on his way to a match haul of eight goals.

The Eagles started strongly with John Annear and Scott Watters providing plenty of drive through the middle. Karl Langdon provided the target up forward, booting two goals for the term as West Coast raced to a 22 point lead.

However North Melbourne kicked the final two goals of the quarter to reduce the Eagles advantage to 12 points, before taking control after quarter time.

Wayne Schwass and Matthew Larkin imprinted themselves into the game, John McCarthy closed down the dangerous Langdon and the ruck pairing of Mark Hepburn and Gallagher got on top of Phil Scott.

With the game delicately poised at half-time, Jose Romero stepped up. Romero gathered the ball at will around the ground and also hit the scoreboard, with the Eagles unable to find a match-up to quell his influence.

Conversely, the Eagles lacked any substantial contributors through the middle.

Peter Matera struggled to find the ball, Annear faded out of the game and Dean Turner could neither find the ball, nor limit Larkin in a defensive role.

In fact, only a handful of Eagles gave a solid showing.

In just his seventh AFL game, Brett Heady showed he had all the makings of an impressive career, picking up 28 disposals and taking 13 marks playing predominantly through the middle. Malaxos finished with 23 touches through the centre and Chris Mainwaring tried to bring run to the Eagles game on the wing.

Peter Sumich finished with six goals, but many came towards the end of the match when the result was already safely in the Kangaroos keeping.

The defeat, along with several other key results over the weekend meant that four teams shared equal spot at the close of Round 10. With Collingwood easily defeating league-leaders Melbourne by 52 points and Essendon thrashing Sydney by 15 goals, the Demons, Eagles, Magpies and Bombers were all equal on points.

Essendon moved to top spot, and premiership favouritism, with their thumping win over the Swans putting them 10 percent clear. Melbourne sat second, ahead of West Coast and Collingwood, with just 3.3% separating the three sides.

St Kilda completed the top five after they beat a terrible Brisbane outfit by 77 points, with Stewart Loewe kicking six goals. The Saints had opened up a 73 point lead by half-time, before coasting through the second half to record their largest win since an 89 point triumph over Richmond in 1972.  

The Saints took their position at the expense of Hawthorn, after they suffered a shock 14 point loss to Fitzroy at Princes Park. Carlton also missed a chance to climb the ladder when they lost to lowly Richmond by 23 points at the MCG, in David Cloke’s 300th AFL game.

Geelong arrested their slide when they came out on top by two points over Footscray. With Gary Ablett back in the side, the Cats bounced to a five goal lead at the first change, courtesy of four first-quarter goals to Ablett. Slowly, the Bulldogs worked their way back into the game and by midway through the third term, had opened up a 17 point lead. However, the Cats found something extra to will themselves back into the lead and end a three-game losing streak.  

As the battle for the finals, and specifically the double chance, tightened up, Malthouse forecast that the result could prove costly.

“At the end of round 22, they (the players), may rue the night they gave up the opportunity against North Melbourne.”

1990 Rewind: Eagles Storm Home

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Captain’s Call Pays Off

West Coast rode the wind – and the tide – with a seven goal final quarter that sealed a 19 point win in a rollercoaster game of momentum played in driving rain.

In one of the games of the season, the lead changed hands 12 times, and were level three times during the final quarter, before the Eagles were able to come out on top.

Recalled midfielder John Annear stood up in a desperate final quarter as he, Steve Malaxos and Chris Lewis inspired the Eagles to the gutsy win.

Annear was the only change for the Eagles, replacing Tony Begovich who had made his debut the week before against the Bears.

The Cats made three changes coming into the match, as they looked to arrest an embarrassing slide that had seen them drop games against cellar dwellers Richmond and Sydney.

David Cameron, Tim Darcy and Bruce Lindner were all dropped, with Ray Sterrett, Neville Bruns and Dwayne Russell all brought into the line-up. Geelong coach Malcolm Blight was conscious of the wide expanses of Subiaco Oval bringing in players renowned for speed to match the equally pacy Eagles.

The Cats though were still without match winner Gary Ablett, who had been unavailable since having surgery to repair knee cartilage heading into Round 6. Ablett had carried the injury since the Cats night series match against the Kangaroos, although that hadn’t stopped his proficiency in front of goal, booting 24 goals in his first four games of the season before being sidelined.

The first decisive moment of the match, came before the match, when Eagles captain Steve Malaxos won the toss but chose to kick into the gale that was sweeping towards the Subiaco end. West Coast then bounced out of the gates, kicking the opening three goals into the wind and holding onto a six point advantage at the first break.

However, the Cats were just as effective into the wind, restricting the Eagles to just one major although West Coast also had themselves to blame with six behinds for the term. The Eagles led by just two points at the main break, and were down a man after Peter Wilson limped off with a hamstring injury.

The second half then became a battle for momentum.

The Cats were far more effective with their second use of the wind, booting five goals for the term to open up an eight-point lead with a quarter to play. Adrian Fletcher had been kept quiet by Malaxos through the first half, but broke free in the third term with 12 disposals as he, Paul Couch (eight disposals) and Neville Bruns (six) took control through the middle.

Geelong ruckman Darren Flanigan provided the service for his midfielders at the ruck, overwhelming Phil Scott, and later Stevan Jackson. Flanigan finished with 39 hit-outs for the game as Geelong held an ascendancy at the stoppages.

However, the Eagles did enough to hang in the contest, mostly through the work of Chris Mainwaring on the wing and Karl Langdon up forward. Mainwaring was one of the Eagles’ best in the first half with 16 disposals and continued his fine work after half-time picking up nine disposals for the term.

Langdon had started the game on the bench alongside John Annear, but he burst into the game after half-time with three of the Eagles four goals for the quarter.

And as the rain dissipated before the start of the final term, Malaxos’ decision at the coin toss became vindicated. Chris Lewis and Phil Narkle provided the class in the final term, along with several desperate acts from Annear to get West Coast over the line. Annear also bobbed up for a vital goal at the start of the quarter and proved an astute inclusion given the conditions.

A bloodied John Annear was instrumental in the final quarter surge

After the game, a beaming Malthouse declared his side had answered another one of the Melbourne media criticisms. “We played tough footy in ordinary conditions and that’s what footy is all about – tough and relentless.”

“I would like to keep the dry tracks in Perth but we won’t be disappointed going to Melbourne in the rain.”

Malthouse, though, admitted his side were lucky with the gamble at the toss. “It was raining and we were fortunate to come home with the wind and without the rain.”

Mainwaring finished with 30 disposals for the match, while Chris Lewis and Stephen Malaxos were the next best with 23. Peter Sumich continued his strong form for the season, booting 5.4, stepping up with multiple goals in the final term as West Coast surged.

Geelong coach Malcolm Blight praised his side’s effort and intensity but shared disappointment with some of the ball use. “That touch of class at the end is not working for us.”

Barry Stoneham provided a focal target up forward and Garry Hocking was one of the best for the Cats, but they had too few contributors across the day.

“We’ve been having a dip over the past three weeks and we have lost three games by small amounts,” Blight said.

The third-straight defeat left the Cats with a tough task ahead through the second half of the season, sitting two games and hefty percentage behind the fifth-placed Magpies. However, Blight refused to concede the finals’ hopes of last year’s Grand Finalists were over.

“It’s mission impossible when you’re two games out with one game to go.”

The win saw the Eagles draw level with the Melbourne at the top of the ladder, although they remained in second spot behind the Demons on percentage. Melbourne suffered their second loss of the season when they were easily brushed aside by a Hawthorn side who were keen to atone for their humiliating loss to Carlton a week earlier.

The Hawks moved up to fourth, in place of St Kilda, who dropped out of the top five when they fell to Essendon at Windy Hill. In the battle of 3rd and 4th, the Lockett-less Saints pushed the Bombers all the way, but came up 11 points short.

Collingwood forced their way back into the top five for the first time in a month, when they thrashed North Melbourne by 80 points at Victoria Park. Gavin Brown and Peter Daicos each booted seven goals as the Magpies slammed on 11 final quarter goals to secure an important percentage-boosting win.

The Magpies moved a game clear of the Saints, who were joined by Carlton and Footscray on the edge of the finals’ spots, after they recorded easy victories over Fitzroy and Brisbane.

While the Eagles could feel satisfied with a hard-earned four points and equal-top spot on the ladder, they were less than thrilled with the AFL judiciary, who returned a no-result over their investigations involving Annear and Hocking. The pair clashed twice in a fiery last quarter, with Annear requiring two sets of stitches to repair cuts on his face.

But with Channel 7 unable to supply footage of the incidents from the match, the AFL determined there was insufficient evidence to move forward. Eagles general manager Brian Cook conceded the club wouldn’t lodge an official complaint over the incidents.

1990 Rewind: Eagles Bounce Back Against Bears

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Eagles Get Four Points But Miss Percentage Booster

West Coast returned to winning ways when they comfortably accounted for the Brisbane Bears at Subiaco Oval. In a performance that warranted a triple-digit winning margin, poor kicking on goal meant the Eagles had to settle for a 59 point victory.

Peter Sumich booted four goals, as did Geoff Miles who was thrown forward in the second half. With such a complete performance, many Eagles stood out, but the performance that would have most delighted the West Coast match committee was that of Phil Narkle, who returned for his first senior match in over two and a half years.

Narkle – a member of the Eagles inaugural squad of 1987 – was delisted at the end of 1988 after injuries restricted the gifted wingman to just nine games in two seasons. Returning to the WAFL, Narkle managed some games with Swan Districts late in the 1989 season, with the Eagles throwing a lifeline ahead of the 1990 season, with their final selection at the pre-season draft.

Narkle’s last appearance for the Eagles had been the 130 shellacking against Sydney in Round 16 of the 1987 season.

Narkle shone in his first game back, picking up 22 disposals and booting 2.3 playing mostly from the forward pocket. Malthouse, in particular, was delighted by Narkle’s showing.

“I was tickled pink with Phil’s game, especially as he was a bundle of nerves beforehand,” a ‘rapt’ Malthouse said after the game.

“His pace and genuine crumbing ability gave us something that we lacked.”

Narkle was one of four inclusions for the Eagles, who swung the axe after their poor display against the Demons the previous week.

Chris Mainwaring earned an instant reprieve after being dropped to East Fremantle the week before, responding as one of the best players for West Coast. Scott Watters and Tony Begovich were the others brought in, with Craig Turley, Andrew Lockyer and Todd Breman dropped. Dean Laidley was finished for season 1990 having undergone a knee reconstruction during the week.

Begovich debuted for the Eagles after being selected at the 1989 National Draft, but his selection capped off a rampant rise. Begovich initially rejected the Eagles offer to join the club, choosing instead to remain with WAFL club Claremont, alongside fellow draftee Peter Mann.

However, a change of heart in the new year saw Begovich join his new Eagle teammates and a strong start to the WAFL season garnered his first senior AFL game. While he spent most of his first match on the bench, Begovich still managed to have an impact booting his first goal.

The need for Begovich was limited as West Coast controlled the contest from the get go.

The Eagles registered 13 scoring shots in the first term and the game could have been done at the first change if not for an inaccurate return of 4.9.

Chris Mainwaring slotted back on a wing and gave plenty of drive, as did rookie Peter Matera who produced a more rounded effort in his 3rd AFL game. Fellow rookie Brett Heady provided class through the midfield and at half forward, while Peter Wilson was industrious around the ground.

The Bears had arrived in Perth off the back of their second win of the season, by eight points over Sydney, with forward Cameron O’Brien the difference in the win with seven goals. However, he was completely blanketed up forward by Michael Brennan. Murray Rance was similarly effective on Bears captain Roger Merrett.

Guy McKenna provided the drive from the backline and with Karl Langdon and Stevan Jackson up forward, along with Sumich and later Geoff Miles, there was too much class across the ground for the Bears to contain.

The Eagles added another four goals in the second term, and put the foot down after half time with six majors to take their lead out to 60 points with a quarter to play. However 2.7 in the final quarter cost the Eagles a chance at a significant percentage boost.

Remarkably, the Eagles booted 8.13 in each half, to finish with one of their most inaccurate displays in the clubs history, a final score of 16.26, from 42 scoring shots.

Mainwaring, McKenna and Wilson all tallied 26 disposals to be the leading ball winners for the Eagles, with rookies Dean Kemp (22 disposals) and Brett Heady (21 disposals, two goals) also impressive. The only concern for West Coast was full forward Peter Sumich limping off midway through the third term.

Bears coach Norm Dare admitted his side were ‘just not tough enough’ in the contest with the result undoing much of the good work they had showed the week before.

Ironically for the Bears, their best players were also Eagles. Mark Zanotti, John Gastev and Alex Ishchenko had all been a part of the Eagles’ inaugural squad, but had worked their way east to the Bears in subsequent seasons.

Zanotti was the leading possession getter for the Bears with 25 from defence, while Gastev offered an avenue to goal with 18 touches and two goals. Ishchenko was the Bears’ best on the day, completely monstering Phil Scott in the ruck and getting the better of his former teammate around the ground.

Ishchenko finished with 18 disposals and 10 marks, while also having 25 hit-outs in the ruck, compared to just nine for Scott.

While happy with the win, Malthouse bemoaned the missed opportunities on goal. “We worked hard to set up goals rather than kick them.”

And despite the win lifting the Eagles back up to second spot on the ladder, a game clear of the chasing pack, Malthouse acknowledged the win would mean nothing if they lost to the Cats the following week.

“We have to defeat Geelong next week,” Malthouse declared. “That will put us three games up on them.”

“In the wash-up, after 22 rounds they (Geelong) will be vying as we will be, for a place in the five.”

It was déjà vu for the Cats when inaccurate kicking cost them what should have been a straight forward win against a side at the bottom of the ladder. A week on from their shock defeat to Richmond at Kardinia Park, the Cats booted 13.20 in their nine point loss to the Swans at the SCG, who had started the round in equal bottom.

The consecutive defeats had robbed the 1989 Grand Finalists the chance to sit comfortably inside the top five, instead languishing in eighth position, a game and percentage out of the top five. Carlton pushed past the Cats into seventh when they won their third straight match, thrashing the Hawks.

The Blues led from the outset and slammed their advantage home in the final term with an eight goal quarter securing a 67 point win. The Hawks would be the big losers of the round, dropping from 2nd on the ladder to 5th.

Essendon and St Kilda each climbed a spot with narrow wins over Footscray and North Melbourne, respectively, while the Magpies remained stayed in touch with the top five with a ten goal final term turning a 17 point three-quarter time deficit into a 45 point win over Fitzroy. The Demons remained the pacesetters at the top of the ladder with an easy win over the Tigers.

MCG Demons Return

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Melbourne Claim Points in Top-of-the-Table Fizzer

A week can be a long time in football.

Seven days on from their breakthrough first win at the MCG, the Eagles horror record at the ground was once again at the forefront when they were humbled by the Demons to the tune of 55 points.

The Eagles and Demons headed into their round seven meeting occupying the top two spots on the ladder, with 5-1 records, but the top-of-the-table clash proved a non-event as Melbourne ran away with the game in the first half.

The Demons opened up a three goal break at the first change and were never seriously troubled, finishing with a seven goal final quarter to blow out the margin, and regain their spot at the top of the table.

And there was plenty of insult to injury.

Inaugural Eagle Darren Bennett – who was let go by the club after just one season – did the damage up forward for Melbourne, booting six goals, while West Coast were also left reeling after Dean Laidley was carted off the ground in the second quarter with a knee injury that would rule the half-back flanker out for the rest of the season.

Laidley would be one of three players who would fall victim to a serious knee injury at the MCG in Round 7. North Melbourne pair Brenton Harris (playing in the reserves) and Darren Steele both went down the following day, as criticism over the state of the MCG playing surface grew.

Both Melbourne and West Coast had aired concerns over before the match, with the Eagles declaring they were lucky not to incur any injuries the week before against Richmond. Demons coach John Northey was particularly vocal about the dangers, but AFL communications manager Tony Peek played down the comments.

“We will be keeping a close watch on the situation”, Peek said.

Peek would come to rue those words, with three serious injuries in less than 24 hours. Footscray and North Melbourne joined the chorus of voices demanding action over the state of the ground, with recent attempts to fill holes in the ground with sand failing to deliver any improvement.

Following the Eagles’ defeat, Malthouse wouldn’t be drawn on the playing field, but expressed disappointment over losing Laidley. “It did not look good.”

Malthouse also delivered a blunt analysis of his team’s showing.

“We made far too many mistakes.”

“I thought we could do better and it was a learning curve for all concerned”, Malthouse continued. “We will make adjustments and be a better side.”

The Eagles made two changes coming into the match, with Troy Ugle and wingman Chris Mainwaring both dropped. Mainwaring had struggled in his two games since returning from a back injury, but was still a surprise omission, marking the first time in his 63-game career he had lost his position.

First-year player Peter Matera was chosen for his second game to replace Mainwaring, with Geoff Miles the other inclusion. Miles had failed to play so far this season as he recovered from a hamstring injury, named at full back.

The Demons also made two changes, as they battled somewhat of an injury crisis. Already without Steven Clark and Trevor Spencer for the season, Melbourne lost defender Sean Wight the week before with a knee injury suffered while playing for the reserves and veteran Alan Johnson was unable to prove his fitness in his effort to come back from a calf injury.

The Demons also lost Brian Wilson to a broken cheekbone during the loss to Sydney the week before, with Wilson ruled out, along with Jay Viney who was dropped. Rod Grinter and Glenn Lovett were the two inclusions.

The Eagles started brightly enough with goals to Peter Sumich and Stevan Jackson early in the first quarter, after Simon Eishold opened the scoring. But the Eagles soon became their own worst enemy as Melbourne capitalised on a number of errors in defence.

Michael Brennan twice turned over the ball coming out of defence, leading to Demon goals before Greg Healy led the race back to goal to toe-poke from the square after Murray Rance couldn’t mark at centre half back.

The Demons added a fifth to take their lead out to 19 points at quarter time. The Eagles’ ball use didn’t improve in the second quarter as Melbourne doubled their advantage to 38 at the major break. Dean Laidley had come off the ground after his knee crumpled beneath him, with West Coast leaving plenty to do for an unlikely victory.

The Eagles for their part responded at the start of the second half, booting the first three goals, as they closed to within 17 points. But they were left to rue several other missed opportunities and some poor kicking into their forward line.

“We could have got closer and it may have been a different story in the final term”, Malthouse said.

Having worn everything the Eagles could muster, the Demons responded with two late goal to take their lead out to 29 at the final change, and when Melbourne booted the first three goals of the final quarter, the game was all but won.

While Bennett was the major contributor on the scoreboard, the Demons had an impressive spread of goal kickers with 11 players registering majors. In contrast, the Eagles had just five goal kickers as they constantly broke down going forward.

Dashing Melbourne defender Graeme Yeats provided plenty of rebound from the backline, picking off a number of errant passes, while Rod Grinter was impenetrable in the back half.  

The Eagles decision to only run with one recognised ruckman against Demon pair Jim Stynes and Steven O’Dwyer also proved costly as the Melbourne midfield were regularly gifted first use of the ball from stoppages. Phil Scott managed just five hit-outs for the match, compared to the combined tally of 23 of his direct opponents.

Andrew Obst and Simon Eishold were influential early, finishing with 21 and 15 disposals respectively, while Brett Lovett led the Demons with 26 touches through the middle. Stephen Newport (23 dipsosals), Steven Stretch (21) and Stephen Tingay (20) all gave the Demons plenty of drive, as West Coast often had to build their attacks from defence.

Dwayne Lamb was the sole winner for West Coast in the middle, collecting 20 kicks and 13 handballs. Stephen Malaxos picked up 26 touches and John Worsfold had 28 in a performance that drew praise from Malthouse after the game.

“He was outstanding, considering we only decided to play him five minutes before the game because of a nagging (leg) injury.”

John Worsfold was one of the few winners for West Coast

The result saw Melbourne reclaim top spot, a game ahead of Hawthorn and West Coast, who had fallen to third. However, a number of surprise results over the weekend meant the Eagles maintained a game advantage over the chasing pack.

Essendon were beaten by an improving Carlton, by 20 points, while St Kilda suffered a shock 18 point loss to the bottom-placed Fitzroy, despite seven goals to spearhead Tony Lockett. Despite the losses, the Saints and Bombers both held their spots in the top five, after Geelong blew a golden opportunity to move into the finals positions.

Hosting the second-last Tigers at Kardinia Park, the Cats booted a horrid 9.28 in a 14 point defeat, giving Richmond just their second win of the season. Collingwood were also left outside the top five when they fell to the Hawks in one of the rollercoaster games of the season. The Magpies trailed by five goals at half time, only to hold a 10 point lead at three-quarter time, before falling short by two points.

Following back-to-back games at the MCG, the Eagles were set for a fortnight at home against Brisbane and Geelong, but Malthouse was quick to dismiss the suggestion that the Eagles were happy relying on their perceived home ground advantage to bank the wins they needed for finals.

“We will end up on our backsides if we think [we are guaranteed those games]”, Malthouse warned.

“There are seven or eight sides vying for the top five and it might take at least 14 wins to make the finals.”

Sumich Eight Eclipses Swans

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Eagles Climbing After Third Straight Win

Eight goals from Peter Sumich helped West Coast to a commanding 61 point win over Sydney at Subiaco Oval. The Eagles recorded their third straight win to take their season record to 4-1, rising to third on the ladder.

The Eagles were sandwiched between the Hawks and Magpies, with all three teams on four wins, while the Demons remained the competition benchmark with their fifth win from five games after demolishing the Bears.

Sumich’s haul of eight came in two bursts during the game, mirroring the performance of West Coast through the match.

The Swans arrived in Perth without a win since round 1 and had lost key midfielder Greg Williams to a broken thumb the week before in their defeat to St Kilda. Sydney kept pace with the Eagles early in the game, before three goals to Sumich in time-on helped the Eagles build a 26 point lead at the first change.

West Coast remained in control of the game during the second term as they extended their lead to 43, before the Swans mounted a comeback after half-time. Sydney ruckman Michael Parsons took hold of the ruck combining with rover Gerard Healy to drive the visitors back within touching distance.

Healy had been well contained by Dwayne Lamb in the first half, but racked up 11 disposals in the third quarter as Sydney took over in the centre square. Healy had strong support from fellow midfielders Steven Wright (nine disposals) and Barry Mitchell (eight disposals) as the Swans slammed on five goals for the quarter to reduce the deficit to just 23 points at the final change.

Sumich had failed to add to his goal tally since quarter time, but another four goal burst in six minutes to start the final quarter snuffed out Sydney’s comeback effort. Three of those goals were set up by second-gamer Brett Heady, who was one of the Eagles’ best with 21 disposals and two goals.

Sumich kicked a fifth late goal for the quarter late in the term, finishing with a career-best eight for the match, equalling his effort against the Bulldogs in round five the year before.

Troy Ugle provided the perfect foil for Sumich up forward with three goals from 22 disposals and eight marks, while Peter Wilson (22 disposals) and Guy McKenna (21) were major ball winners for the Eagles. McKenna’s performance was even more striking considering the defender was forced off the ground during the third term with food poisoning.

Troy Ugle was a focal point up forward with three goals

McKenna’s departure from the game coincided with the Sydney’s strongest period of the game, as they converted centre square ascendancy into scores. But, unlike West Coast, the Swans didn’t have a reliable target in their forward arc, with Murray Rance a major roadblock in defence. Rance finished with 21 disposals and seven marks and had the better of a number of Swans opponents who were tried in the key forward position.

Malthouse again praised his defensive unit, admitting that it wasn’t his side’s best performance. John Worsfold stepped into McKenna’s role after he departed the field, while Dean Laidley was strong off the other half back flank.

For Sydney, Gerard Healy finished with 29 touches in his battle against Dwayne Lamb, while Barry Mitchell racked up 28 touches, although was less effective through the centre with Steve Malaxos for company. Neil Cordy tried hard in defence and Stevie Wright had 22 disposals to go with his three goals.

With the final quarter still fresh in his mind, Sydney coach Col Kinnear expressed disappointment in his sides’ ‘very soft’ finish. “As a realist, you can’t think of finals’, Kinnear said.

Mick Malthouse though was happy to take the four points from the underwhelming performance, as West Coast consolidated their position in the top five.

1990 Rewind: Malthouse Begins

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Off-Season of Change Brings Winning Start

The 1990 season promised a new beginning.

The AFL was officially born with league headquarters re-branding from the VFL to recognise that the competition was now national, with clubs located in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

The West Coast Eagles had also undergone significant changes since a disappointing 1989 campaign.

John Todd was replaced as coach after two seasons, with Victorian Michael Malthouse taking over the reins following six seasons at Footscray. The Bulldogs had only made the finals once during Malthouse’s tenure as coach, falling agonisingly short of a Grand Final appearance in 1985 in Malthouse’s second year.

The Bulldogs had remained competitive since, hovering just outside the final five, before crashing to second-last in Malthouse’s final year in charge, as the club battled football extinction. The Bulldogs would exist in their own right for season 1990 – saved from merging with Fitzroy – but Malthouse sought a new challenge across the Nullabor.

The transition between Todd and Malthouse hadn’t been a smooth one; news of Malthouse’s appointment had been leaked before Todd was formally told he would not be offered a new contract, with the Eagles hierarchy scrambling together a press conference on the afternoon of October 3, 1989 to present Malthouse as the clubs third coach.

Malthouse would not be the only key change for the Eagles heading into 1990.

Brian Cook was appointed CEO, after two years with the WAFC, and Trevor Nisbett was appointed football manager. On-field, Stephen Malaxos was named captain with John Worsfold vice-captain and the club was able to establish Subiaco Oval as its permanent training base, having operated out of a number of different locations across their first three seasons.

Leading up to the clubs opening game against Collingwood, the signs were positive the Eagles could return to finals action.

The Eagles lost narrowly to Essendon in their Fosters cup opening game, but were given a reprieve in the competition after Brisbane failed to travel down for the pre-season competition. West Coast played the Bears’ opponent in North Melbourne, and narrowly lost again. The Eagles lost both games by three points, with poor kicking for goal to blame in both defeats.

West Coast then hosted the previous seasons Grand Finalists in practice matches to round out the pre-season. Both were resounding victories. The Eagles thrashed the Cats by 89 points and then followed up that performance with a 12 goal win over the Hawks.

West Coast named a fresh squad to tackle the Magpies, who were one of the premiership favourites heading into the season. Collingwood had made the finals the previous two seasons under Leigh Matthews, but had been bundled straight out in both years. With a number of key recruits over the off-season, many believed the Magpies were ready to take the next step.

The Eagles named four players for their AFL debut. Peter Matera – the Eagles first selection at the 1989 draft – Dean Kemp, Dean Irving and Brad Gwilliam were all selected for their first matches, while Peter Wilson was also picked for his first game with the club, having switched across from Richmond.

John Worsfold was left to lead the club, after new captain Steve Malaxos was forced to miss the game with a broken foot. Malaxos had suffered the injury, stepping on a picket at his home, missing the start of the season.

The Magpies named new recruits Tony Francis and Scott Russell, who had both joined the club from the SANFL, but prized addition Paul Hawke and defender Michael Christian were both unavailable due to hamstring injuries.

The two sides had met in the final round of the 1989 season, with Collingwood easy 49 point winners.

But in a clear sign of how much the Eagles had progressed in one summer, West Coast extended their lead in every quarter to run away with a 46 point win.

In a bruising encounter that had plenty of moments of spite between the two sides, it was an all-in brawl midway through the third quarter that set the course of the final outcome. Collingwood first-gamer Tony Francis lashed out at Eagles defender Murray Rance as the two tumbled over the boundary line, sparking an altercation that involved most players from both sides.

Play was held up for several minutes as the umpires tried to separate the players and when the two teams did get back to playing football, it was the Eagles who settled quicker. The Eagles booted the next three goals to stretch their lead out to 34 points, and while Collingwood responded with the last two goals in the term, a five goal to two last quarter sealed an impressive win for the home side.

Peter Sumich starred up forward with six goals, but it was the improved defensive attitude that pleased new coach Mick Malthouse most. Collingwood could manage just eight goals for the afternoon, with Michael Brennan shutting out full forward Brian Taylor and Murray Rance the better of Craig Starcevich.

Sumich led the way up forward with six goals

Dean Laidley had the better of Jamie Turner, while John Annear found a new role in defence, marked with the task of minding Gavin Brown.

The Magpies struggled throughout the day with the man-on-man structure that Malthouse implemented, as well as the intense pressure around the ball.

“They (the players) didn’t talk about how much they’d won by or who kicked the goals. The first thing they said when they came in was the tackling was terrific”, an excited Malthouse proclaimed after the match.

“They acknowledged each other and it’s important that they think that’s one criterion of success, either at Subiaco Oval or Melbourne.”

Troy Ugle was stationed in the back pocket for the Eagles and provided plenty of dash through the first half, before being forced off the ground when he was caught under the pack of the melee, injuring an arm in the process. However, he returned to the field in the forward line for the final quarter, booting a goal and setting up two others in a best-afield display.

First-gamer Dean Irving combined well with Phil Scott in the ruck with the duo proving too strong for Collingwood pair Damien Monkhorst and James Manson at the stoppages. The Eagles midfield benefitted from this advantage with Paul Peos the leading ball-winner with 25 disposals and Chris Mainwaring next-best with 22.

Dean Kemp had 20 touches on the wing to get the better of Graeme Wright and Dwayne Lamb restricted Peter Daicos to just six kicks and a goal.

After having his colours lowered by Paul Tuddenham in the first quarter, acting captain John Worsfold was released into the middle, where he finished with 19 disposals and gave plenty of drive along with Karl Langdon, who collected 21 touches and booted two goals roaming between half forward and the centre.

For Collingwood, only captain Tony Shaw (24 disposals), newcomer Scott Russell (22) and Darren Millane (21) showed they were capable of matching the fierceness that West Coast brought to the contest.

It only got worse for the Magpies, with Francis later suspended for six games for kicking Rance. In his tribunal hearing, Francis remarked that he had been provoked when he felt Rance brush his groin area, and while he admitted responding with a kicking action, believed that he had missed Rance. The Eagles defender supported the claim by Francis that he didn’t make any contact, but that didn’t stop tribunal chairman Neil Busse rubbing the Collingwood midfielder out until round 8.

The Eagles themselves weren’t immune from the tribunal, with runner Rob Wiley charged for his involvement in the melee. Wiley was sanctioned and fined $1000.

While the result proved an awakening to the rest of the competition, Malthouse remained calm, saying there was plenty for his side to work on.

“If you come away from round one with a win, and plenty of work to do, that’s good.”

West Coast Demolish Cats For 1994 Flag

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Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad For Eagles

West Coast reinstated themselves as the kings of the competition when they crushed Geelong by 80 points to win the 1994 Grand Final.

Two years after an historic first flag, the Eagles steamrolled the Cats to their second premiership, erasing the disappointment of a failed 1993 season.

Dean Kemp claimed the Norm Smith medal for best afield and Tony Evans repeated his 1992 haul of three goals as West Coast booted their highest score in over two years.

Traditionally recognised as a defence-oriented side, the Eagles racked up 43 shots on goal in the Grand Final, a week after they posted 37 scoring shots against Melbourne. Ten Eagles in total hit the scoreboard as West Coast recorded the fourth largest winning margin in Grand Final history.

For the Cats, the defeat was their third loss in the season decider in six seasons, having gone down to the Eagles by 28 points in 1992 and the Hawks by six in 1989.

A shattered Malcolm Blight could offer no explanation after the match, saying there was ultimately nothing his side could do. “I could say a million things about what we might have done or could have done. But at the end of the day they were 80 points better than us, which is pretty hard to cop really.”

Eagles coach Mick Malthouse admitted he sympathised with the Cats, but was equally ecstatic with his side’s performance.

“I just love seeing the day for the club and all the players… I get a bigger kick out of seeing the players enjoy themselves.”

West Coast made just one change from the preliminary final, with Ashley McIntosh coming back into the team after missing with a knee injury. Mitchell White was the player to make way, after coming into the side as McIntosh’s replacement, but remained an outside chance on the morning of the game as West Coast debated whether to remove one of their ruckman.

However, the pair of David Hynes and Ryan Turnbull was retained to tackle John Barnes who was openly struggling with a lower leg injury. Geelong remained unchanged from their last-gasp six point win over North Melbourne, with Grant Tanner ruled out earlier in the week in his bid to recover from an ankle injury.

McIntosh started in defence on Bill Brownless, with Michael Brennan tasked with minding Gary Ablett. The Cats tried to throw the Eagles defence early, starting Ablett on the wing but he quickly moved to the goal square after failing to have an impact.

In a reverse to the 1992 meeting, it was West Coast who had the fast start, booting the first three goals in the game. Tony Evans, Chris Lewis and Shane Bond all kicked majors as the Eagles jumped to a 20 point lead.

West Coast had had all of the play out of the middle of the ground but the momentum of the game soon changed when Geelong piled on four goals in eight minutes. Tim McGrath and Michael Mansfield provided the dash off half back for the Cats with Paul Couch opening the Cats account.

Three more goals followed in quick time to give Geelong a seven point lead, before Brett Heady settled the Eagles just before quarter time to reduce the Cats lead to one point at the first change.

It would prove to be the only period of ascendency Geelong would have in the game.

West Coast resumed control at the start of the second term and only poor kicking on goal prevented the Eagles from having the game won by half time. Peter Wilson kicked consecutive goals to start the quarter as West Coast camped the ball in their forward half.

The Eagles created confusion at the Geelong kick-ins when they changed tack from their usual one-on-one set up to a zone defence. The usually precise Mansfield and Ken Hinkley were undecided with their re-entries preventing clean getaways from their back half, which had been a trademark through their finals campaign.

Twice in the second quarter West Coast picked off their kick-ins. Tony Evans intercepted a Ken Hinkley pass to mark and goal, before then having an intercepting hand that rebounded to Peter Sumich allowing the Eagles full forward to send the ball back over his opponent in Stephen O’Reilly.

The Eagles continued their dominance of general play but, remarkably, when Bill Brownless booted his third goal midway through the third term, the Cats were still within touching distance trailing by just 18 points.

However, three majors to Dean Kemp, Brett Heady and Peter Sumich extended their lead to six goals by three-quarter time and Geelong’s slimmer of Hope was all but gone.

The last quarter was a celebration for West Coast, as they slammed on eight goals to one to demoralise the opposition and the majority of the pro-Geelong crowd.

Symbolic of the day for West Coast and for their Norm Smith medallist Dean Kemp, their 17th goal came about purely by accident. Kemp’s kick inside 50 was intended for Chris Lewis who was crunched out of marking the ball by Tim McGrath, only for the ball to carry on its path and bounce harmlessly through for another goal.

Kemp was sublime for the Eagles on a day when they had a healthy number of contributors. The Eagles centreman had 23 disposals and booted two goals to outpoint Geelong captain Mark Bairstow, who had a dirty day. It also meant that Bairstow finished with the inglorious honour of once again playing on the Norm Smith medal, after lining up on Peter Matera’s wing in his five goal performance of 1992.

Dean Kemp was best afield for West Coast

Don Pyke collected 26 possessions through the middle and just had the edge over Geelong’s Paul Couch. One of Geelong’s prime movers was relegated into a defensive role as he tried to curb the influence of the Eagles centreline.

The Eagles defence was as impregnable as ever, led by Glen Jakovich (20 possessions) and Guy McKenna (23) across half back. Jakovich played his own game standing in the way of Geelong’s forward entries and proving too strong for both Steven Handley and David Mensch. McKenna provided the run from the backline as he outclassed Adrian Hickmott.

Michael Brennan blanketed Gary Ablett, with the Geelong superstar managing just one goal from five disposals and David Hart had the better of Leigh Tudor in the back pocket. Geelong’s only winner in their forward half was Billy Brownless, who exorcised some of his demons from the 1992 Grand Final when he was humbled by Ashley McIntosh.

Brownless kicked four goals for the Cats – he was the only Geelong player to kick a goal after quarter time – and took one of the great Grand Final marks when he soared over McIntosh and managed to hold onto the ball from a second attempt.

Michael Mansfield was arguably the Cats best player with 21 disposals out of defence and having the better of Shane Bond, while Tim McGrath also did his best to withstand the avalanche. Garry Hocking finished with 20 possessions after being forced off during the first term with a heavy cork and returning to the ground in the second half with heavy padding around his upper leg.

But it was a day that belonged to West Coast.

15 members of the 1992 triumph were now dual premiership players, while there was redemption for David Hynes and David Hart, who were the unlucky stories from two years earlier.

And even with two of the heroes from 1992, in Peter Sumich and Peter Matera, having subdued outings, there were plenty of others who stepped up. Sumich and Matera combined for 11 goals in the clubs first flag as West Coast had just four goal kickers for the day. This time around, nearly half of the team kicked goals, as the likes of Chris Lewis, Brett Heady and Jason Ball provided strong targets up forward.

Chris Waterman came onto the ground early in the second term after Chris Mainwaring was forced off with a corked hip and put in one of his finest performances with 18 disposals and two final quarter goals (to go with four behinds). Mainwaring himself was able to return to the field and pick up 18 disposals.

Mick Malthouse even broke with his own tradition in heading down to the bench with three minutes remaining. Malthouse had been reluctant to leave the box two years earlier, despite the urging of his coaching team, but with the game well in his side’s keeping, the Eagles coach revelled in the celebrations boundary side.

Malthouse admitted that he knew his side were home during the third quarter.

“We expected at some stage Geelong to give us a big quarter like they had over the last three or four weeks, so we were ready for it. We stuck to our basics, not to allow them to get that one quarter of football in.”

“At half-time I thought if we maintained our pressure, and we could hold them, we could do the job,” Malthouse said.

“So I guess three quarters of the way through the third quarter I thought we had them.”

Since taking over as senior coach at the end of 1989, Malthouse had steered the Eagles to no lower than fourth in five seasons, which now included two premierships from three Grand Final appearances.

The Eagles had massacred the Cats in one of the most emphatic premierships of the modern era and with that staked their claim as the pre-eminent club of the AFL.