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1990 Rewind: Eagles Squeeze Past Swans

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Eagles Below Best, But Still Grab The Points

West Coast put in a sub-par performance against the Swans, but still came away with an important 15 point win that kept them in touch with the top two.

The Eagles led by just a point at three-quarter time, but four goals to two in the final term was enough to secure a fourth straight win and leave them just one game behind ladder-leading duo Essendon and Collingwood.

Twice, West Coast pushed their lead beyond twenty points, only to be reeled in by an inexperienced Swans outfit.

Following their 75 point thrashing by the Saints the week before, Sydney turned over a quarter of their side for the clash with West Coast.

Paul Kelly, Matthew Ryan, Troy Luff, Matt Lloyd and Mark Eustice were all dropped, as Sydney brought in a number of youngsters. Craig Nettlebeck and Chris O’Dwyer were both selected for their AFL debuts, while Darren Denneman was picked for just his fifth game of football. Robert Teal was selected for his first game of the season after battling injury for much of the year, with veteran Rod Carter also returning.

The Swans were then dealt a further blow when Darren McAsey was rubbed out for two weeks after being charged for striking on trial-by-video. McAsey received the two week ban after teams were initially submitted during the week, with his place taken by small forward Shane Fell.

The Eagles on the other hand were far more settled making just the one change, with Karl Langdon replacing out of form forward Stevan Jackson. Peter Melesso remained at full forward with Peter Sumich still out injured.

Both teams slugged it out in the early stages, before a burst from West Coast just before quarter time allowed them to hold a 20 point lead at the first change. Undeterred, Sydney plugged away through the second term with goals to Leon Higgins, Shane Fell and Steven Wright to close within two points before a late Craig Turley goal saw West Coast head to half time with an eight point lead.

West Coast opened the third term with the first three goals to reach a game high 26 point lead and looked set to ease to a comfortable victory. But Sydney again wrested control in the game. The Swans booted the last four goals of the quarter to reduce the margin to just a solitary behind with a quarter to play.

Eagles coach Mick Malthouse didn’t hide his displeasure at three quarter time, demanding an improved performance in the final quarter. West Coast responded, led by Chris Lewis and Chris Mainwaring, to claim a 15 point win and hold their spot in third place.

While happy with the win, Malthouse acknowledged his side were far from their best.

“We won it playing poor football, but I’m just happy to get out of this bloody joint with a win.”

“That was our flattest game of the year.”

Sydney coach Col Kinnear was equally disappointed after the match, believing his side had missed out on a golden chance to claim just their fourth win of the season.

“At the 15-minute mark of the final quarter, I don’t think we believed we could win. When we wanted a lift from some of the senior players, it wasn’t coming,” a dejected Kinnear said.

Indeed many of the Swans’ best players came from their younger crew.

Six-gamer Gareth John was arguably best on ground for the Swans, as he had the better of Dean Irving in the ruck. John picked up 24 touches and seven marks, to go with 14 hit-outs, and was virtually another midfielder for the Swans.

Leon Higgins tallied 22 touches and booted two goals, while in defence Craig Nettlebeck stood tall in his debut game, blanketing Eagles forward Karl Langdon. Langdon managed just five disposals for the game, although he did manage to goal twice.

“The kids were terrific. I am bitterly disappointed for them,” Kinnear said.

Dwayne Lamb was one of the best for West Coast in his match up against Greg Williams

The Eagles, on the other hand, had a far greater spread and key players stood up when it mattered.

Captain Steve Malaxos again led from the front, finishing with a game high 31 disposals and a goal, while Dwayne Lamb was effective for the Eagles, while attempting to minimise the damage inflicted by Swans centreman Greg Williams.

Williams still finished with 30 disposals, but was not as dominant as he has shown in 1990, with Lamb able to match him with 25 possessions and a goal. Chris Mainwaring (24 disposals) and Chris Lewis (23) both had important touches in the final term as West Coast again built ascendancy in the match.

Up forward Craig McGrath kicked three goals from 16 disposals and with Langdon and Jackson both largely ineffective, remained the one constant focal point for the Eagles.

The result allowed the Eagles to hold onto third spot as pressure for the double chance continued to come from the Demons and Hawks below them.

“It was more a battle of survival and we are delighted to come away with a win at this time of the year when we are fighting for our top-three position.”

While the Eagles had worked their way through a lethargic performance to still claim the four points, Malthouse reminded the rest of the competition that his side were still expecting to be a force come September.

“A good side wins those sorts of games and we are a good side.”

The one downside from the match was the two game suspension handed down to vice-captain John Worsfold. Worsfold had been cited for striking Williams, with the tribunal rubbing Worsfold out of the Eagles’ next two matches against Richmond and Melbourne.

The Eagles remained hot on the heels of Essendon and Collingwood who both recorded victories. The Bombers scraped past Geelong, booting six goals in the final term to overturn a 27 point three-quarter time deficit. Gary Ablett booted eight goals for the Cats, but it would be another disappointing result for the 1989 runner-ups.

Collingwood made far lighter work of their opponent, thrashing a toothless Saints team by 68 points. The Magpies showed they were on early, registering 12 scoring shots in the opening term, but only managing an inaccurate 3.9 for their effort. Collingwood controlled the game throughout, delivering the Saints their worst loss of the season.

Hawthorn and Melbourne also won, meaning the top five held their positions at the completion of the round. The Hawks defeated the Kangaroos by 18 points in the Friday night opener, while the Demons held off Brisbane to win by 13 points, despite only kicking one goal in the second half.

In the other crucial match-up of the round, sixth-placed Footscray hosted the eighth-placed Carlton at the Western Oval, with both sides harbouring hopes of sneaking into the top five. At quarter time, the home fans would have had September action firmly in their minds, as the Bulldogs led by 26 points having held the Blues scoreless.

But Carlton managed to flip the script in the final three quarters, booting 15 goals to five to run out easy 29 point winners. Simon Minton-Connell proved the difference between the two sides, kicking eight goals, with Footscray unable to find a reliable target up forward.

The win saw the Blues join the Bulldogs on 10 wins, taking over sixth place on percentage, but the Hawks benefitted most of the result to move one game clear of the pair in the final spot for finals action.

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.

1994 Rewind: Eagles Crash To Blues

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Mick Malthouse had just one thought following the Eagles 64 point drubbing to Carlton.

“The bye has come as a blessing in many respects.”

That a week off was the one positive from the top-of-the-table clash against Carlton said plenty about the performance. Jason Ball kicked the opening goal of the game, but it was all the home side from that point on, as Carlton booted 10 of the next 12 goals to storm to a 42 point half-time lead.

It fared little better through the second half as Carlton did as they pleased to move back within a game of West Coast at the top of the ladder and with a game in hand.

The result also produced a crucial 10 percent swing the between the two sides in the tight race for the minor premiership. The Eagles lost seven percent from the heavy defeat, dropping from 135.6 to 128.1, while the Blues improved from 126.4 to 129.3.

Following the defeat, Malthouse implored his players to regroup from the result ahead of their final home and away game of the season in a fortnights time, after their round 23 bye.

“No one likes to lose by 10 or 11 goals. Your confidence goes out the door.”

To compound matters, West Coast lost several key players with injury and had Craig Turley placed on report. Turley would later receive a two week ban for striking Greg Williams.

West Coast could have wrapped up top spot with a win over the Blues, but Carlton – who were desperate to atone for a shock eight point loss to Sydney the week before – were desperate to keep their shot at the minor premiership alive.

The Blues made four changes for the clash with Mil Hanna, Adrian Whitehead, Brett Ratten and young ruckman Matthew Allan all coming into the side. Forward James Cook was forced out with a heel injury, while Troy Bond, Brett Sholl and Stephen Oliver were all omitted.

The Eagles made no changes to the team that defeated North Melbourne the previous Friday night, despite injury concerns during the week over Chris Lewis and Ashley McIntosh.

West Coast lined up as expected, but David Parkin threw his side around in a bid to quell many of the Eagles playmakers. Andrew McKay was moved to half-forward in a tagging role on Guy McKenna, while the Blues also considered their match-ups for the Eagles midfield trio of Peter Matera, Dean Kemp and Chris Mainwaring.

Matthew Hogg was given the run-with role on Kemp, while offensive runners Craig Bradley and Anthony Koutofides lined up on the wing to go head-to-head with Matera and Mainwaring. Carlton coach David Parkin said the Blues had placed a focus on limiting the Eagles midfield drive.

“With both sides having such strong backlines we knew the game would be won in the midfield. We knew we had to harass players like Kemp, Matera and Mainwaring and not let them break away.”

Hogg kept Kemp to just four possessions to three quarter time, with the Eagle midfielder then moved into the forward line when he became hampered with an achilles injury. Koutofides had the better of Mainwaring, while Bradley’s run forced Matera to play defensively, depriving West Coast of attacking flair.

Bradley had 10 first-quarter possessions, and finished the term with one of the goals of the year. Taking possession on the wing, Bradley had several bounces running the outer wing, partaking in a one-two with Andrew McKay, and then curling the ball from 40m with a checkside from the boundary, just out of reach of a sprawling Jakovich on the goal line.

While the Blues perfected their plans for the Eagles midfielders, there was nothing West Coast could do to stop Greg Williams. The Carlton centreman was central to everything early and by quarter time he had made his mark on the game.

Williams had 13 possessions by quarter time and had directly created three of the Blues six first quarter goals. Craig Turley was given the initial assignment on Williams, but was on the bench midway through the term after going into the umpire’s book for striking. Don Pyke and Drew Banfield both spent time during the day on Williams but he proved unstoppable.

Craig Turley copped a two week suspension for striking Greg Williams.

Four goals down at the first break, Malthouse swung the changes in an attempt to get his side back into the game. Jason Ball was sent to full back to mind Stephen Kernahan, who had booted two goals in the first term on Glen Jakovich.

Jakovich was moved to his customary position at centre half back on Earl Spalding, with Michael Brennan coming off the bench in place of Mitchell White. Brett Heady – a surprise starter on the interchange – was also introduced into the game, but the moves did little to stop the Blues as Carlton’s midfield continued to control proceedings.

The Blues booted the first four goals of the quarter to race to a 49 point lead and all but end the contest, with a late Ryan Turnbull long bomb just before half-time breaking the drought for West Coast.

In the second half, West Coast were forced into preservation mode as they regularly lost players to injury. John Worsfold had a recurrence of a groin problem and was joined on the bench soon after by Jakovich who suffered a knee injury from landing awkwardly in a marking contest.

Ryan Turnbull then became the third player consigned to the bench with his own knee concerns, with Pyke (wrist) and Kemp (achilles) stuck on the ground to battle through their ailments. For Malthouse, the game had left plenty to ponder.

Instead of going into the bye in a position of strength, the Eagles now had a fortnight to patch players up before their final game against Footscray and then a finals campaign.

“We are under a lot of pressure because we have a lot of players who have received injuries. [The bye] gives us the chance to get a couple of blokes up. But I don’t know whether we are going to get them all up. That’s the trouble.”

Carlton’s win saw them move up to equal flag favouritism, along with West Coast, as doubts grew over the Eagles late-season form. The defeat was their third in six games and with fresh injury concerns, questions started to grow over the Eagles premiership contention. The shift in percentage meant that the Blues could now take top spot with a win over Richmond the following week, while West Coast had the week off.

David Parkin praised the response of his players, describing the win as one of the best of his career, while also acknowledging the unpredictability of the season.

“I guess to be beaten by the bottom side at its lowest ebb and then to come out and beat the top side, which is in pretty good form, is one of the things that makes Australian football so exciting.”

Greg Williams continued on from his blistering start, doubling his opening quarter tally by half-time and eventually finishing with 45 touches. The Carlton centreman tallied 17 kicks and 28 handballs and was central in many of Carlton’s forward entries.

Williams was the clear best on ground, but there were no shortage of best players amongst his teammates. Craig Bradley finished with 29 touches and two goals and was far too good for Matera, Barry Mitchell had 27 possessions and also booted two goals in his 200th game, while Brett Ratten finished with 26 touches. Up forward, Stephen Kernahan completed the work of the midfielders with six goals and half-forward Tom Alvin chipped in with three.

For West Coast, it was hard to find a winner on the ground. Jason Ball toiled hard in defence against Kernahan and Tony Evans and Don Pyke each finished with 20 disposals, but too many Eagles had no impact on the game.

While West Coast and Carlton’s battle for top spot was set to go the whole way, the rest of the top eight was also still up for grabs with just one win separating third from ninth.

North Melbourne’s third straight loss – a 20 point defeat to Melbourne – saw them drop from third to sixth as Footscray, Collingwood and Richmond moved past them. The Bulldogs climbed to third when they saw off a late Brisbane challenge to beat the Bears by 10 points, the Magpies squeaked past Geelong by three points courtesy of a late Nathan Buckley winner and Richmond easily accounted for Fitzroy by ten goals.

Melbourne’s win over the Kangaroos saw them jump back into the top eight ahead of Geelong who fell from fifth to eighth, and Hawthorn who tumbled out of the top eight after they lost to Essendon by 52 points in a disappointing display.