The West Coast Eagles were unable to get the job done against a classy Collingwood outfit on Sunday, losing the round six clash by 24 points in their first match at Mineral Resources Park for the year.
The Magpies were able to get their hands on it early in the contest, and despite the Eagles’ fightback they were unable to stop Collingwood’s rain of inside 50 entries in the 7.4 (46) to 3.4 (22) loss.
If Collingwood were fatigued after flying into Perth a day before the match, it didn’t show in their playing style, with their fast handball movement and pace around the contest often difficult to manage for the West Coast side.
The Magpies had too much space to move freely and kicked two in the first quarter, with West Coast defenders Belinda Smith (11 disposals, eight intercepts) and Evie Gooch (eight, three tackles) doing well to keep the score low after the Magpies tallied up 18 inside 50 entries in the first term.
Tackling machine Bella Lewis also played her role onball and finished the day with nine disposals and seven tackles, while skipper Emma Swanson (19, three) and Dana Hooker (21, six inside 50s, one goal) also performed nicely in the midfield.
After a difficult start, West Coast managed to move the ball better in the second quarter, with highlights including Lewis’ rundown tackle in the midfield and a terrific contested mark from Aimee Schmidt inside 50 which unfortunately wasn’t converted.
Niamh Kelly (16 disposals, one goal) also used her speed to create opportunities and was impressive on the wing, while Ashton Hill’s (nine disposals, seven intercepts) pressure and ball movement was important during key moments in the match.
Youngster Charlie Thomas (12 disposals, nine intercepts) also continued to build on her form across the season with impressive execution given it was her first game in half-back, while Sarah Lakay and Courtney Rowley rose to the intensity of the match.
Maddy Collier must also be commended for her determination in the contest, having played 100 per cent time on ground until the third quarter, while Kellie Gibson’s follow-up efforts were a vital aspect of West Coast’s game.
Despite a purple patch for Collingwood late in the third quarter – booting four consecutive goals and putting the game out of reach – West Coast showed resilience and composure for a majority of the match with the effort there all day.
Unfortunately work rate didn’t equal scoreboard pressure and Collingwood proved too strong when given any space to run, thwarting West Coast’s attempts at their first back-to-back wins in the AFLW competition.
DETAILS
Collingwood 2.0 2.3 6.3 7.4 (46)
West Coast 0.0 0.1 1.2 3.4 (22)
GOALS
Collingwood Alexander, Molloy 2, Cann, Vellardo, Bonnici
West Coast Kelly, Hooker
BEST
Collingwood Bonnici, Molloy, Cann, Rowe, Alexander, Lambert
West Coast Hooker, Swanson, N.Kelly, Thomas, Hill, Smith
INJURIES
Collingwood Nil
West Coast Nil
Reports Nil
