Lockett Burst Brings Eagles Back to Earth

A week on from their impressive dismantling of the Magpies, the Eagles were given a fierce reality check in a 68 point defeat to St Kilda, led by spearhead Tony Lockett.

Lockett finished with nine goals – six of which came in a devastating burst in the second term when the Saints were kicking into a howling wind, all but sealing the contest.

West Coast made just the one change to the team that accounted for Collingwood in Round 1, with Chris Lewis returning to the line up from injury. Lewis hadn’t played since aggravating his hamstring against North Melbourne in the Eagles second Fosters Cup match.

Lewis replaced Peter Matera, who managed just nine disposals in a quiet debut the week before. Stand-in captain John Worsfold held his spot despite sporting strapping around his thigh at training during the week and again led the team in the absence of Steve Malaxos.

The Saints also made the one change to the team that defeated Footscray in the opening round. Captain Danny Frawley returned after being a late withdrawal the week before, with Ian Muller making way.

Heading into the game, Malthouse made no secret of the danger Lockett posed, with the burly full forward the difference in the previous meeting between the two sides. In the only meeting between the two sides in 1989, Lockett booted 12 of the Saints 18 goals in a 35 point win.  

The Saints scored first use of the wind, but the Eagles did well to stay within reaching distance at quarter time. Karl Langdon opened the scoring, before the Saints finished with the last 10 scoring shots in the quarter, for an inaccurate 4.6.

24 points down at the first break was an acceptable margin given the wind advantage and Lockett had managed just one major for the term as the Eagles employed a loose man in defence to block his space. Michael Brennan was given the role on Lockett, teaming with Murray Rance to regularly double-team Lockett.

West Coast abandoned the tactic at the start of the second term kicking with the wind, leaving Lockett one-out with Brennan. Peter Sumich booted the opening goal when he was left alone in the goal square to reduce the Saints lead to 18 points.

Andrew Lockyer fell short in his attempt on goal moments later, before Chris Mainwaring blew a golden opportunity when he overran the ball in front of goal. The Eagles had much of the play early in the quarter as they worked their way into the contest.

Then ‘Plugger’ ripped the game apart.

With the Saints getting on top through the midfield, Lockett kicked five of the next six goals in the game, with only a long range effort from Murray Rance, breaking the run.

Lockett powered through the Eagles defence, often marking against multiple defenders in the air and in one instance, brushing aside two Eagles as he soccered the ball through at the top of the goal square.

Ruckman Damien Kitschke added a sixth goal for the term for the Saints when he was found unmarked in front of goal by Dean Rice, before Lockett booted his seventh goal for the match – and sixth goal in the quarter – when he was paid a juggled contested mark.

The Saints had booted seven goals to two against the wind to take a commanding 58 point lead into the main break. Their lead increased to 78 at the final change, before the Eagles limited some of the damage with a five goal final quarter.

Murray Rance took over from Brennan on Lockett in the second half, holding the full forward to just two second half majors. Still, Lockett finished with an impressive match haul of 9.4 from 18 disposals and 12 marks, making it 19 goals in two weeks after opening the season with a bag of 10 against the Bulldogs.

“Let’s face it, the man is awesome. Once he gets his hands on the ball, it’s good night Irene”, Malthouse exclaimed.

While Lockett was terrorising the Eagles defence up one end, the same couldn’t be said at the other, where Frawley and regular forward Stewart Loewe were impenetrable. Frawley held Eagles forward Peter Sumich to just one goal, while Loewe vied with Lockett for best afield honours as he continually intercepted many of the Eagles’ forward thrusts.

Loewe finished with 31 disposals and 15 marks in a dominant performance at centre half back. The Eagles could not find a way through their half forward line, with Murray Rance, Andrew Lockyer, Karl Langdon and Phil Scott all tried with little success.

The Saints were also well served by a number of recruits. Damien Kitschke – in just his second AFL game – was too strong in his duel with fellow second gamer Dean Irving, often providing the Saints midfield with first use at the stoppages.

Kitschke finished with 25 disposals, seven marks, 14 hit-outs and a goal, many of his possessions coming as he sat behind the play when West Coast kicked with the wind. Tim Pekin gathered a career best 38 disposals in just his second game at Moorabbin, after switching across from Fitzroy ahead of the 1990 season.

Pekin was particularly damaging early as St Kilda built their lead, with John Annear brought onto the ground in a bid to quell his influence. Grant Lawrie and Jim Krakouer were others to impress in their second games with the Saints, after crossing from Fitzroy and North Melbourne respectively, collecting 22 and 21 possessions.

Krakouer had shone in his club debut the week before with 36 disposals, earning the tag of Dwayne Lamb, but still having moments of magic. Peter Russo (32 disposals and a goal) and Nathan Burke (31 disposals) were other major ball-winners through the midfield.

And with Lockett garnering much of the attention of the West Coast defence, Rod Owen was allowed to slip under the radar across half forward, booting 4.4 from 21 disposals.

Ken Sheldon – who had made it two wins from two games in charge at the Saints – lauded his side’s second quarter into the wind. “It was a tremendous effort by the players.”

“The second quarter was one of the best quarters of football you would see anywhere. Our players have proved to themselves that they can match it with anybody.”

For West Coast, there were too few players who contributed.

Dean Laidley was arguably the Eagles best player in his negating role on Nicky Winmar at half back. Winmar still tallied 23 disposals, but didn’t have the impact he was renowned for, while Laidley finished as the Eagles leading disposal getter with 27.

Don Pyke booted three second half goals as the Eagles major goal kicker, while Guy McKenna was dependable at half back. Peter Wilson put on a second strong showing at his new club as one of the few Eagles to bring physicality to the game.

“I’m totally at a loss”, Malthouse said. “I’ll talk to the players as individuals. But there is no magic formula.”

“There was a complete lack of pressure on their runners.”

The turnaround in performance wasn’t the only concern for West Coast out of the match. Chris Lewis, in his return from injury, failed to last a quarter when he succumbed to an ankle complaint. Michael Brennan suffered a groin injury and Laidley played out the game with a corked calf.

Karl Langdon was placed on report for striking Tim Pekin with a forearm to the head.

The result also continued the Eagles’ poor record in Melbourne. The Eagles had now won just five games from 28 matches in Victoria, with Malthouse declaring changes would be made to arrest the horror record away from home.