After surely the most bizarre build-up to a game in club history, the Willie Rioli-inspired West Coast Eagles produced a gallant performance and pushed North Melbourne all the way in a 15-point loss on Sunday.
Decimated by a dozen players in the AFL’s Health and Safety Protocols and Andrew Gaff (foot) missing from their already understrength round one team, the Eagles scrambled to get a side together two days before the match, and the drama didn’t end there.
Just moments before the bounce, Jackson Nelson suffered a knee injury during the warm-up and had to be replaced by Declan Mountford, a former Kangaroo who had been sitting in the stands as the match was about to start.
It was the 14th change for the Eagles, and amid the most remarkable of circumstances Adam Simpson’s cobbled together team – featuring six first-gamers for the club and five COVID Contingency List players – took up the challenge at Marvel Stadium.
Nobody could fault the effort and willingness to compete, but ultimately the weight of available talent and cohesion told the story as North Melbourne ran out 10.14 (74) to 8.11 (59) victors, led by tall forward Nick Larkey’s six goals.
There were plenty of positives again for West Coast, with skipper Luke Shuey (23 disposals) and Liam Duggan (18, one goal) impressive in their return games, while Rioli (four goals, 18 disposals) lit up the forward line with another dazzling display.
The likes of emerging key position duo Callum Jamieson and Jack Williams will also surely never forget their debuts in earlier-than-expected tastes of AFL football.
Nor will Aaron Black (15 disposals, one goal) after a stellar WAFL career finally saw him called up, or fellow CCL players Stefan Giro, Angus Dewar, Brayden Ainsworth and Mountford (12, one) who might have thought their elite careers could be over.
The Eagles were seeking victory against the odds and started brightly when Rioli, who successfully fought a rough conduct suspension to take his spot at the AFL Tribunal during the week, drilled two first-quarter goals.
First, he shimmied past his man and rolled through a brilliant checkside from the pocket, before following with a classic poacher’s goal when he intercepted a North handpass and snapped over his shoulder.
With the midfield holding up, West Coast was within a kick at the opening stanza.
Mountford also had a nice moment when he found Liam Ryan in space, only for the star Eagle to smack his kick into the woodwork on the siren.
Led by dominant ruck duo Tristan Xerri and Todd Goldstein, the Kangaroos had the better of the second term, but couldn’t put a gap on the visitors as unlikely goalkicker Duggan and Bailey Williams converted important shots.
Rioli added two more in the third to help West Coast win the quarter by a point, and Simpson’s men were right in the hunt at the final change.
Black provided a highlight in the last quarter when he drilled a superb running goal from the pocket, followed by Mountford slotting a late major, but - despite also winning the last term - the Eagles missed some gettable chances to apply scoreboard pressure in the dying minutes.
Ultimately, the Roos had enough answers and West Coast will reload for a huge home RAC Derby against Fremantle.
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.3 6.10 8.11 10.14 (74)
WEST COAST 2.3 4.4 6.6 8.11 (59)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Larkey 6, Turner 2, Mahony, Thomas
West Coast: Rioli 4, Duggan, Williams, Black, Mountford
BEST
North Melbourne: Larkey, Ziebell, Xerri, Corr, Greenwood, Turner
West Coast: Rioli, Shuey, McGovern, Hurn, Ryan, Duggan
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke (TBC), Thomas (ribs)
West Coast: Nelson (knee), Ainsworth (ankle)
SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Bonar (replaced Davies-Uniacke in the second quarter)
West Coast: Edwards (replaced Ainswoth at half-time)
Crowd: TBC at Marvel Stadium
