Eagles break Derby drought

Updated May 15, 2011 20:50:00

West Coast snapped a seven-game losing streak against western rivals the Dockers with a 33-point triumph in the 33rd edition of the Derby in Perth on Sunday.

The Eagles led from the outset and were never headed despite a handful of challenges from Fremantle, posting an impressive 14.12 (96) to 9.9 (63) victory.

The win also lifted West Coast in to the top half on the ladder, one-place ahead of the eighth-placed Dockers who share a 4-3 record with their neighbours.

Eagles midfield gun Matt Priddis (27 disposals) was awarded the Ross Glendinning Medal for his best on field performance, the first West Coast player to win the award since Michael Braun in 2007 and the 10th in the club's history.

Josh Kennedy booted three goals for the Eagles while Matthew Rosa, Quinten Lynch and Mark Lecras had fantastic outings for West Coast after the late withdrawals of Daniel Kerr (groin) and Andrew Embley (hamstring).

Priddis said his side was not distracted by the loss of the two veterans and stayed on employing their match-winning forward pressure.

"We were very confident the two boys would know their structures and it was a great, hard fought, four-quarter win," he told Grandstand.

"There is a real steel in this group, the guys across the whole squad are very clear with the roles that we play.

"I think that is the real big difference this year, everyone is on the same page.

"We want to create great defensive pressure and we know we will get rewards from that."

Nathan Fyfe along with Aaron Sandilands and David Mundy did their best to inspire the Dockers who were down in intensity after a lacklustre defeat to Richmond in Melbourne last week.

Fyfe said the Dockers were feeling the impact of a long list of key injuries, including Hayden Ballantyne this week, but did not take away from the performance of West Coast.

He agreed a number of young guns like himself and Stephen Hill have been forced to step up more often in what has been an underpowered outfit due to injuries.

"The young guys at Fremantle know we have to take all the responsibility off the older guys and start performing week to week like the Pavlichs, Mundys and Sandliands have been doing for this club for a long time," he said.

"The faster we can perform regularly the better our side will be."

West Coast set up the win with a dominant second term, booting 5.4 to 1.3 despite kicking against a stiff breeze.

The Eagles led by 12 points at quarter-time, but shut down Fremantle's engine room in the second term to take control of the contest.

Fremantle entered its forward 50m just four times for the quarter as West Coast piled on 5.4 from 15 entries.

Lynch and Darling marked everything which came their way, while Priddis was tough in the clinches, tallying 10 touches for the term as the Eagles went into the long break with a comfortable 37-point advantage.

The margin extended to 40 points early in the third quarter and, although a magical goal from Fyfe sparked Fremantle to life, it was only a momentary pulse as the Eagles closed out the win.

Eagles: 14.12 (96) - J Kennedy 3, J Darling 2, M LeCras 2, M Nicoski 2, C Masten, D Cox, L Shuey, N Naitanui, Q Lynch.

Dockers: 9.9 (63) - C Mayne 2, N Fyfe 2, D Mundy, K Bradley, M Johnson, M Pavlich, R Crowley.

-ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, wa, fremantle-6160, perth-6000

First posted May 15, 2011 19:29:00

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Eagles primed to break Derby hoodoo

Updated May 11, 2011 18:29:00

West Coast skipper Darren Glass is adamant the Eagles now possess the weapons needed to break their demoralising losing run against AFL arch-rival Fremantle.

The Eagles made life miserable for Fremantle in the early days, regularly playing the role of bully both on the scoreboard and in the physical stakes as the Dockers were handed a series of painful Western Derby losses.

But the tide has turned since Mark Harvey took the reins of Fremantle in late 2007, with the Dockers winning the past seven Derbies to narrow the ledger to 18-14 in West Coast's favour.

Although Fremantle is expected to push for a top-four berth this season and West Coast is still in rebuilding mode, Glass is confident the rejuvenated Eagles will be able to more than match it when the two teams meet at Patersons Stadium this Sunday.

"It's probably our best chance in a while," he said on Wednesday.

"I think over the last couple of years they've clearly been the better side.

"I don't think they've got the wood on us.

"I think this side has changed a lot over the last three years.

"Clearly we are a different side to last year so hopefully it can be a different result.

"There's certainly an element of wanting to win the derby.

"It's a big disappointment not having won one for quite some time, so we are keen to rectify that."

West Coast midfielders Andrew Gaff and Chris Masten are in line for a recall after starring in the WAFL last week.

Gaff, who has been used as West Coast's nominated sub for much of the season, tallied 34 disposals for South Fremantle last week, while Masten has now played two WAFL games since recovering from the knee injury he suffered in round one.

"I'd expect them both to be in the mix," Glass said.

"Gaffy was a good contributor for us coming on as a sub anyway ... and Masto has been in great form as well. I'd expect both of them to be thereabouts."

The Dockers will assess the fitness of goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring) on Saturday, but Fremantle coach Mark Harvey declared Kepler Bradley (shin) and Nat Fyfe (shoulder) certain starters.

West Coast (3-3 record) has enjoyed a bright start to the season and Glass was confident the side's young guns would stand tall in the heat of Derby battle.

"We've got some game breakers like Luke Shuey (and) Scotty Selwood's a ferocious tackler," he said.

"I think we've got the mix in there for guys to play well in big games."

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, wa, fremantle-6160, perth-6000

First posted May 11, 2011 18:12:00

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Jack Anthony struggling to break in

Updated April 19, 2011 18:31:00

Former Collingwood forward Jack Anthony may be forced to bide his time in the WAFL for an extended period as Fremantle's pint-sized attack continues to flourish.

Anthony, who crossed from the Magpies to Fremantle at the end of 2010 on a three-year deal, is yet to play an AFL match for the Dockers after struggling to hit the scoreboard during the preseason.

The 23-year-old has been in solid form for WAFL club Subiaco, booting four goals in the team's six-point loss to Claremont last week.

But with goalsneaks Hayden Ballantyne and Chris Mayne in good touch and Matthew Pavlich, Adam McPhee, Kepler Bradley, Nat Fyfe and Stephen Hill regularly scoring goals, Harvey sees no need to select an out-and-out key forward.

"I think the real strength of the team is to not have a goalkicker as such or a main man to go to," Harvey told Perth radio station 6PR.

"Quite often I look at a number of sides that are low on the ladder and they've got a potent full-forward but that can be their weakness in the end."

Although Harvey said Anthony was one of a host of players vying to squeeze back into the team, the 192cm forward is almost certain to be overlooked for Monday's clash with Western Bulldogs at Patersons Stadium.

The Dockers will make at least one change for that match, with former Port Adelaide defender Nick Lower expected to earn the nod to replace Nick Suban (broken leg).

Meanwhile, Harvey urged the AFL not to tinker with drawn games, saying he liked the idea of each team receiving two competition points instead of playing extra-time to decide a winner.

Three draws have already been played out this season, with the latest being last week's epic between Essendon and Carlton.

"Look, leave it. Let it go. Don't keep changing things in the game," Harvey said.

"Just keep it pretty much how it's been for a long period of time.

"Some things have got to be a little bit sacred."

- AAP

First posted April 19, 2011 18:32:00

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