FINAL RESULT NOT A TRUE REFLECTION

West Perth was defeated by sixty nine points by the West Coast on Sunday but it wasn’t a true indication of the closeness of the match.  At the thirteen minute mark of the last quarter the Falcons only trailed by twenty one but the Eagles dominated the last part of the game to pile on eight unanswered goals. West Perth threatened at different times but could not match the class of West Coast, especially after we lost Connor West to a crude bump after he had marked midway through the first quarter.

The Eagles led early but the Falcons kicked the first major courtesy of Aidan Lynch at the seven minute mark. He received a free forty out. Aidan was amongst the Falcons best on the day. The only other West Perth goal of the term came at the twenty three minute mark after some great passing by Shane Nelson and Keegan Knott enabled Brayden Antonio to mark and finish from thirty. This gave them a one point lead but the Eagles kicked the last two to take an eleven point advantage into the first change. West Coast had the better of the term having eight scoring shots to two and led 3.5 (23) to 2.0 (12). Their tall forwards and bigger bodies had the Falcon defence under tremendous pressure.

The Eagles key forwards and the speedy Jack Petruccelle continued to wreak havoc in the second quarter. They outscored West Perth six goals to three. They controlled the term until the eighteen minute mark, extending their lead to thirty eight. Shortly after the Falcons rallied to kick three in a row and get back into the game. You have to admire the pluck that they showed all day as they constantly endeavoured to get back into the contest. At the twenty minute mark Tyler Keitel finished from the square. He, once again, had a very good day. Keegan Knott scored the first of his three soon after. It was a clever goal brought about by a great snap. Rudy Riddoch finished the run with a fine left foot snap that was shepherded through by Andrew Strijk. The margin had been reduced to twenty but once again West Coast kicked the last two of the half to take a thirty one point lead into the main break. They led 9.9 (63) to 5.2 (32).

The Falcons had their best quarter of the match in the third and outscored the Eagles four goals to three. Keegan Knott kicked his second from forty five and then Tyler Keitel scored his second after marking in the square. The speedy Keegan Knott then kicked his third and at the nine minute mark West Perth trailed by only eleven. Jake Waterman, who finished with six for the game, scored to increase the margin again before Andrew Strijk hit the scoreboard. He was on the end of an excellent pass by Tyson Moulton. But once again West Coast finished the quarter best to take a twenty four point lead into the final change. The score was 12.11 (83) to 9.5 (59).

A Mike Lourey major from forty on a sharp angle had the Falcons within nineteen but it was to be their only score for the term. West Coast took control and kicked eight unanswered goals. It was a shame because the final margin did not reflect the efforts of West Perth. Being a player down from early in the first quarter and the fitness of fifteen AFL listed players took its toll and the Falcons were over run. The final scores were 20.14 (134) to 10.5 (65).

As a West Perth supporter it is hard not to be frustrated being beaten by this margin by a side that was laden with AFL talent. That aside, the Falcons tried hard but their place in the five has now been taken by the Eagles. Best players were Aidan Lynch, Keegan Knott, Dean Munns, Tyler Keitel and Corey Chalmers. A vital game against East Perth next week before the bye. There were a number of very sore bodies so the challenge certainly lies ahead.