What’s On | Round 12
West Coast Eagles v St Kilda
Saturday, June 1 | 2.35pm (AWST) | Optus Stadium / Whadjuk
Gates open 12.30pm

Join us this Saturday at Optus Stadium, as we take on St Kilda in round 12 of the 2024 Toyota AFL Premiership Season!

This match day is dedicated to FightMND and the Big Freeze 10. Now in the 10^th year, we need your help to bring us closer to finding a cure for Motor Neurone Disease. Once again, we will be holding our very own WA Freeze throughout the match.

Cheer on our three ‘dunkees’ (our own West Coast Eagles AFLW Senior Coach, Daisy Pearce, former Premiership player, Andrew Embley, and professional surfer, Taj Burrow) as they face the MND WA Freeze Dunk Tank in the quarter-time breaks!

This is a cause close to the Club’s heart. Neale Daniher, former AFL player, coach and West Coast Eagles General Manager of Football, was diagnosed with MND in 2013 and co-founded FightMND in 2014 to raise awareness and vital funds for effective treatments, care initiatives, and ultimately, a cure for ‘The Beast’ impacting thousands of Australians.

Big Freeze 10 Beanies will be available to purchase on match day from the MND volunteers roaming outside the Stadium and on Level 1, or online. For more information on Big Freeze 10 at the MCG, visit the FightMND website.

We also acknowledge National Reconciliation Week, which commenced on May 27, the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum. The referendum resulted in amendments to the Australian Constitution that, amongst other important changes, allowed First Nations Australians to be included in the census for the first time.

And don’t miss Auzzie’s pre-match flight around the ground from 2.15pm.

Curtain Raiser

Gate C will open from 11.30am as the West Coast Eagles Woomeras women’s team takes on the Fremantle Medleys women’s team, from 11.40am. Please note, all patrons must hold a valid ticket to the West Coast Eagles v St Kilda match to enter Optus Stadium for the curtain raiser.

Fan Zone

Head to the western concourse on level 1 (inside Gate D) from 12.30pm for some great kids’ and family activities.

Meet and greet with available players from 1.35pm to 2.05pm in a pre-match signing session, test your footy skills on the handball targets, enjoy face painting and the roaming magician. Get creative in making your own sign to cheer on the team and high-five our mascot Rick the Rock!

The WA All Abilities Football Association will also be hosting a wheelchair footy match in the Fan Zone, open to all members and supporters to play.

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.

Please note, the Armadale/Thornlie train line is closed until mid-2025. Suburban Event Buses will run to and from Optus Stadium, and trains will continue to operate between Victoria Park and Perth Stations, including Stadium Station. Information on changes to Optus Stadium special event services can be found here.

In particular, new arrangements apply to the arrival point of some bus routes from Morley and Mirrabooka, and the City Stadium shuttle has been replaced by the Red CAT.

SuperStore Click and Collect at Optus Stadium

‘Click and collect’ orders will be available from Gate C at Optus Stadium this match day, from 12.30pm until quarter-time. When placing your online order at the West Coast Eagles SuperStore, select Optus Stadium Game Day click and collect at checkout (available until 12noon (AWST) on Thursday, May 30; identification is required upon collection).

Vaping and Smoking

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

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.

Click here for troubleshooting tips if you experience issues accessing your tickets.

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 2.15pm 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 because of a ticket issue.

Seat Return Program

Can’t make it to the match? Our Seat Return Program is available now for all remaining home matches of the 2024 season. If your seat successfully sells, you’ll receive a credit towards your 2025 membership renewal.

For more information, including a step-by-step guide to returning your seats, please click here.

Credits will not apply if your seat does not sell, or if you do not attend and do not return your seat.

Social Media

Go behind the scenes and catch all the game day action via our Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram channels!

Where and when: Optus Stadium, Saturday, June 1, 2:35pm

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

Last time we met: West Coast 12.5 (77) defeated by St Kilda 12.13 (85) at Optus Stadium, round 16, 2023.

This is the 55^th meeting between the Eagles and St Kilda, with West Coast holding a 32-win, 21-loss and 1-draw record to date. The last time these two teams met, St Kilda secured an eight-point win over the Eagles at Optus Stadium. In what was an absolute thriller of a game, an undermanned yet ferocious Eagles fell just short when St Kilda stormed home, forced to come from 31 points down to pull themselves across the line. Luke Shuey applied relentless pressure to the visitors with eight tackles, while the defensive efforts of Tom Barrass were outstanding.

What it means for the Eagles: The Eagles suffered a 99-point loss to the Crows at Adelaide Oval last weekend, a game they would soon like to forget. West Coast’s performances at Optus Stadium have been impressive in recent weeks and the home crowd advantage will hopefully be just what the Eagles need to make amends for last week and get back on the winners list.

The stat: Jake Waterman has taken 36 marks inside 50 this season, ranked second in the league.

The match-up: There will be a couple of key match ups to keep an eye out for, including a battle of the bigs with Eagles’ debutant Matt Flynn and Rowan Marshall. Flynn’s first task in the blue and gold will be a tough one, with Marshall in impressive form for the Saints and currently sitting atop the Saints’ 2024 leaderboard for Coaches Votes. Eagles defender Tom Barrass will shape up against Saints star forward Max King, who comes into this game after kicking three goals against Melbourne last week.

It’s a big week for: Matt Flynn

Former GWS ruck Matt Flynn will make his club debut on Saturday and will be a welcome inclusion into the side after missing the first half of the season with a tendon injury. Flynn played his first game of football in over 12 weeks for the WAFL Eagles last weekend, bringing leadership and maturity to the side, finishing with 27 hitouts and a win.

Big call: Campbell Chesser will finish with a career-high 26+ disposals in his 26^th AFL game.

West Coast was outworked in the final term and succumbed to St Kilda by 14 points in arm-wrestle at Optus Stadium on Saturday.

Leading by 11 points early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles couldn't sustain their effort when it mattered most as the visitors won 12.10 (82) to 10.8 (68).

In a scrappy at times but highly entertaining clash that saw the lead change nine times, Saint Mason Wood was the difference late with three of his four goals in the last term.

Usual suspects Elliot Yeo (27 disposals, eight clearances), Liam Duggan (25) and Jeremy McGovern (21) stood tall, while Tom Barrass was a rock in defence for West Coast. 

Sharpshooter Jamie Cripps snared three majors, as did sidekick Liam Ryan in encouraging displays. 

Matt Flynn showed some promising signs in the ruck on club debut alongside Bailey Williams, taking some strong marks and competing well around the ball, while veteran Andrew Gaff started strongly and kicked the Eagles' opening goal before finishing with 21 touches. 

Harley Reid's blistering first-half saw midfielder Marcus Windhager tagging the young star, who finished with 20 disposals and seven clearances.

The Eagles will now wait on the Match Review assessment of Reid's tackle on fellow draftee Darcy Wilson, which will at least be looked at after the Saints' speedster was slung to ground and hit his head before being assessed and playing out the game.

Reid looked like ripping the match away from the Saints in a brilliant second quarter, but he was held by Windhager to just three disposals in the second half.

The Saints launched into Saturday's clash and had 11 of the first 12 forward entries, but their haphazard delivery forward of centre let them down repeatedly and they kicked only 1.2 for their dominance.

When the game settled and the Eagles were able to assert themselves more in the contest, they got some late reward through Andrew Gaff and Jack Darling and were able to take a nine-point lead into the first break.

The second quarter followed a similar early pattern as St Kilda controlled the contest and got its transition game going through the speed and clean skills of important pair Jack Sinclair and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

They took a three-point lead when former Docker Liam Henry crumbed and snapped a nice goal in his return to Perth, and the Saints had all the momentum and a style that looked to be working. 

From that point on, however, it was Reid's quarter as the young star racked up 13 disposals and six clearances for the term in a physically assertive period that led to a three-goal run for his team. 

The highlight was a broken tackle as he was spun on the wing before lowering his eyes and finding teammate Liam Ryan, who set up the first of two consecutive goals for Jamie Cripps in the same pocket.

When Ryan converted inside the final minute of the quarter, the Eagles had a 14-point lead and were on top in clearances (26-17), contested ball (76-73) and inside 50s (25-22).

The Saints got on top in the contest as a result and kicked three consecutive goals, including a 50m set shot for Sinclair, which gave the visitors the lead again after the seventh lead change of an entertaining game.

The response came yet again as Ryan booted back-to-back goals to give the Eagles a five-point lead at the last change, and Cripps' third at the start of the fourth quarter gave them an 11-point lead and momentum.

The Saints showed grit in the final term to wrench back the advantage, kicking five of the last six goals to snag an impressive road win against an Eagles team that has been hard to beat in Perth.

WEST COAST           2.5   6.6   8.7   10.8 (68)

ST KILDA                  1.2   4.4   7.8   12.10 (82)

GOALS

West Coast: Ryan 3, Cripps 3, Darling 2, Gaff, B.Williams

St Kilda: Wood 4, King 2, Caminiti, Henry, Higgins, Membrey, Ross, Sinclair

BEST

West Coast: Yeo, Barrass, Cripps, Ginbey, Duggan, Ryan, Reid

St Kilda: Wood, Wanganeen-Milera, Windhager, Sinclair, Dow, Wilkie, Marshall

INJURIES

West Coast: Nil

St Kilda: King (knee)

LATE CHANGES

West Coast: Jake Waterman (shoulder) replaced by Jack Williams

St Kilda: Nil

SUBSTITUTES

West Coast: Zane Trew (replaced J.Williams in the third quarter) 

St Kilda: Dan Butler (replaced King at three-quarter time)  

Crowd: 47,526 at Optus Stadium