Where and when: Marvel Stadium, Saturday, March 18, 1.45pm (10.45am WST)
TV: Live on Ch7 in WA, Fox Footy and streaming on Kayo
Last time we met: North Melbourne 10.14 (74) def. West Coast 8.11 (59) at Marvel Stadium, round two, 2022
It was a week like no other in club history. Decimated by Covid and injuries, the Eagles scrambled just to get a team together two days before the game and – after one last twist when Jackson Nelson hurt his knee in the warm-up and was replaced by contingency player Declan Mountford – made an unbelievable 14 changes from the round one team. The cobbled together line-up featuring six first-gamers – including raw young talls Jack Williams and Callum Jamieson – remarkably almost snatched what would have been a famous victory, but ultimately fell short as North spearhead Nick Larkey (six goals) did the damage.
What it means for the Eagles: The chance to get a new era off to a positive start can’t be underestimated after the difficulty of an injury-riddled 2022. North Melbourne under the stewardship of master coach Alastair Clarkson for the first time will be up for the contest – and are favourites – but the Eagles will be just as desperate to sing the song after only twice tasting victory last year.
The stat: Last time West Coast played North Melbourne in round one was also at Docklands in 2017, when the Eagles registered a 43-point victory in Roos champion Drew Petrie’s first game in blue and gold.
The match-up: Tom Barrass v Nick Larkey
Barrass was among a host of key Eagles sidelined in round two last year and Larkey capitalised with a six-goal bag to be the difference between the teams. The 198cm Roos spearhead again looms as a danger man but this time West Coast will hope defensive twin towers Barrass and Jeremy McGovern can command the skies down back.
It’s a big week for: Campbell Chesser
You could name a large group of players here – any of Oscar Allen, Dom Sheed or Tom Cole returning from long-term injuries, recruit Jayden Hunt or first-gamers Reuben Ginbey and Noah Long – but running out against North Melbourne will be incredibly special for Chesser. The Eagles’ top pick in the 2021 draft would have debuted in round one last season, if not for a seemingly innocuous ankle injury suffered in the opening minutes of his first ever practice match for West Coast. That Chesser missed the entirety of last year was a devastating blow, so to see the athletic midfielder in action at long last will mean plenty for his family, his teammates, the entire club and West Coast supporters.
Big call: Top draftee Reuben Ginbey to kick a goal and pick up 25 disposals in the first game of what promises to be an exciting career in blue and gold.
