What’s On | Round 24
West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows
Saturday, August 26 | 6.10pm (AWST) | Optus Stadium / Whadjuk
Gates open 4.00pm

This Saturday, be there as we take on Adelaide, from 6.10pm at Optus Stadium, in our final match of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership season.  

Join us as we celebrate the careers of three West Coast Eagles champions, Shannon Hurn, Luke Shuey and Nic Naitanui, as they retire from the AFL. 

Stay in your seats during half time for a celebration of the AFL careers of Shannon, Luke and Nic, and have your say on which retirees’ favourite song should lead us into the fourth quarter!

Show your support for our champions by collecting your free souvenir ‘thank you’ clapper from the Fan Zone on the western concourse on match day, and submit your message of thanks to Bunga, Boots and Nic Nat, it may feature on the big screen during the match!

Stick around after the match to say your final farewells to our three retiring champions!

‘Kick a Barrel like Bunga’

In celebration of Shannon Hurn’s signature big kicks, three lucky Eagles members will be selected to join us on ground at three-quarter time to kick a barrel like Bunga! The best barrel, as decided by the match day MC, will win a $1,000 Claremont Quarter gift card, and the runners up will walk away with a $500 Claremont Quarter gift card. Click here, or the button below to enter!

Fan Zone location for 2023

Head to the western concourse on level 1 (inside Gate D) before the match for some great kids’ and family activities.

From 4.00pm until bouncedown, enjoy face painting by the West Coast Eagles fairies, and keep an eye out for our mascots Rick and Rosie roaming the concourse. From 5.00pm until 5.30pm, meet and greet with available players, to have a poster signed.

Be sure to collect your free souvenir ‘thank you’ clapper from the western concourse, to cheer on the team!

Auzzie’s Flight

Be sure to be in your seats from 5.45pm to catch Auzzie’s pre-match flight around Optus Stadium at 5.50pm!

Vaping and Smoking Reminder

Vaping and smoking are not permitted anywhere in Optus Stadium or on concourses. Offending patrons risk immediate eviction.

Public Transport

Remember to plan your journey ahead of Saturday with Transperth’s Journey Planner, and please click here for further information. Event buses will operate post-match. 

Public Transport is included in the cost of your match day ticket, with free travel on Perth’s buses and trains three hours either side of the match. If asked, please show your ticket to the driver or inspector.

If you’re heading through Gates A or B from Perth Stadium train station, 96FM will provide the afternoon’s soundtrack, with various games and giveaways on offer.

Contactless Payment

All food and beverage outlets at Optus Stadium now accept payment by credit or debit card only. If you do not have access to credit or debit card, cash can be exchanged for a complimentary ‘Cash Card’ via Cash Exchange points located around the stadium. Optus Stadium event day staff will direct you to the nearest Cash Exchange point at the stadium. For more information, please click here.

Mobile Ticketing

Tickets for Reserved Seat members are now available to download in the official West Coast Eagles App.

Avoid match day delays by downloading the official West Coast Eagles app and logging in to your West Coast Eagles account now, ahead of Saturday’s match. We strongly recommend not to leave this until the last minute, in case you encounter problems, and to save your tickets to your phone wallet to ensure no delays.

Instructions on how to use mobile ticketing are available here, and instructions on how to forward your ticket to a family member or a friend are available here.

The West Coast Eagles Membership Services team will be available at the box offices B, C, and E from 4.00pm on Saturday to answer any questions; however, please arrive early if you think that you may require assistance with your tickets.

If you have any issues with your tickets, please attend the match and the Membership Services team will assist; there is no need to miss the match solely for this reason.

Where and when: Optus Stadium, Saturday, August 26, 6:10pm

TV: Live on 7 in WA, Fox Footy and streaming on Kayo

Last time we met: West Coast 8.4 (52) def. by Adelaide 27.12 (174) at Adelaide Oval, round 13, 2023.

It was a disappointing day out for the Eagles in their last clash with Adelaide, going down by 122 points at Adelaide Oval. In his 250^th game, Adelaide’s Taylor Walker kicked 10 goals in a dominant display, leaving the Eagles with very few positives to take out of the game. Emerging Eagles ruck Bailey Williams stood tall with 35 hitouts, while mid-season rookie draftee Ryan Maric had an impressive debut, finishing with a team-high two goals. Elliot Yeo (30 disposals) and Tim Kelly (27) fought hard, with young midfielder Reuben Ginbey (19 disposals, seven tackles) also working well around the ball in a tough showing.

What it means for the Eagles: After a remarkable upset win over the Western Bulldogs last weekend, West Coast will be looking to draw on that momentum and energy and replicate it against the Crows for the team’s final game of the 2023 season. In what was an unexpected victory against an in-form Bulldogs, the developing Eagles squad demonstrated what they are capable of. Aside from the 101-point loss to Fremantle in round 22, the past four weeks have been encouraging for West Coast, with a five-point win over North Melbourne in round 20, a one-point loss to Essendon in round 21 and a seven-point win over the Bulldogs in round 22. The Eagles will want to finish strongly to not only propel themselves into a new season of growth and further development, but to honour retiring legends Shannon Hurn, Luke Shuey and Nic Naitanui as they step away from the game.

The stat: Jamie Cripps kicked a season-high five goals last weekend, and has kicked at least one goal in each of his last five games against Adelaide.

The match-up: Jeremy McGovern v Taylor Walker

All-Australian defender Jeremy McGovern will have the tough task of keeping Adelaide’s Taylor Walker at bay on Saturday night. Walker currently sits in second place on the Coleman Medal leader board, his tally boosted by 10 goals the last time these two teams met. McGovern will need to bring his A-game and keep Walker from getting on a roll if the Eagles are going to stay competitive in the contest.

It’s a big week for: Retiring West Coast legends

Premiership-winning captain Shannon Hurn and current skipper Luke Shuey will lead the team out for the final time on Saturday in front of their family, friends and fans. The retiring stars will leave behind an everlasting legacy as first-class players, teammates, leaders and role models. ‘Bunga’ and ‘Boots’ will be savouring their final moments in the blue and gold and will leave it all out on the field, as they have done throughout their careers.

Big call: Shannon Hurn will farewell his career the way he started it, kicking at least one goal in his final game. 

Adelaide has spoiled the farewell party for West Coast's retiring champions with a 45-point win during an emotionally charged night at Optus Stadium.

Premiership captain Shannon Hurn and Norm Smith medallist Luke Shuey were chaired from Optus Stadium through a guard of honour alongside game-changing ruckman Nic Naitanui as the Eagles closed an era that has been defined by the trio.

While the match got away from the Eagles in the final quarter, it was a performance worthy of their three club greats up to that point, with Adelaide putting its foot down to kick the last eight goals of the game and win 17.21 (123) to 12.6 (78).

EAGLES v CROWS Full match coverage and stats

Walker's intent was evident early when he took the ball out of the ruck in the opening two minutes and snapped a brilliant goal on his left foot from 45m after shrugging off two Eagles. 

It launched an entertaining first quarter that saw Oscar Allen get his eye in early from long range and Shuey hit the ground running with three first-quarter clearances and a terrific running goal on his left.

While Walker added a second, the Crows were wasteful and entered the first break with a 10-point lead that should have been more after controlling play and dominating inside 50s (18-7). 

The Eagles' commitment to the cause was evident in the second term when their pressure went to a new level, with Andrew Gaff providing a highlight with his chasedown tackle on Josh Rachele as the classy Crow ran towards an open goal. 

With their defensive intent high, the Eagles' offensive game got rolling. Their best passage with the ball involved Liam Duggan and Samo Petrevski-Seton linking up on the wing before Tim Kelly delivered inside 50 with class to Allen, who kicked back-to-back goals from 50m set shots. 

It capped a five-goal-to-one quarter that opened up an 11-point lead for the home team at the main break, with Jack Darling extending that to 17 when he converted off the ground in the first 20 seconds of the third term.

With the game at risk of getting away from his team, Walker lifted and kicked three of the next four goals, including a brilliant snap set shot from the boundary as the Crows took control.   

It was a rollicking quarter with 10 goals kicked as both teams took the entertaining clash to a new level. When Darcy Fogarty converted his set shot from beyond 50m, the Crows took a seven-point lead into the last break before Walker did the rest. 

Champions show their class 
Consistent to his last game, Hurn finished in trademark style with 22 disposals and seven rebound 50s, while Shuey showed flashes of his best with 25 and six inside 50s. His left-foot goal was all class as he burst through congestion, with the skipper attacking the contest relentlessly in his final game. Great mate Josh Kennedy was on hand to chair him off, with Liam Duggan, Andrew Gaff and Jeremy McGovern sharing the honours with the retiring pair. The Eagles drew their largest non-Derby crowd since round seven, with the 47,027 fans paying a fitting tribute.

WEST COAST        3.1   8.3   12.4   12.6 (78)
ADELAIDE             4.5   5.10   11.17   17.21 (123)    

GOALS
West Coast: Allen 4, Darling 3, Cole, Cripps, Jones, Shuey, J Williams  
Adelaide: Walker 9, Rachele 3, Soligo 2, Fogarty, Gollant, Keays

BEST
West Coast: Kelly, Allen, Duggan, Shuey, Hough, Darling 
Adelaide: Walker, Laird, Crouch, Soligo, Dawson, Rachele 

INJURIES
West Coast: Nil 
Adelaide: Schoenberg (Achilles tendon) 

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Jamaine Jones (replaced Luke Edwards in the third quarter) 
Adelaide: Riley Thilthorpe (replaced Reilly O'Brien in the third quarter)

Crowd: 47,027 at Optus Stadium