The WAFL Eagles scored a pulsating come-from-behind victory to defeat Perth by two points at Northam’s Henry Street Oval today.
While little separated the teams for must of the day the Demons led for 80 percent of the match before the work of Jai Culley and mid-season draftee Jack Hutchinson inspired the Eagles to a 10.11 (71) to 10.9 (69) victory.
Culley was prominent throughout as he amassed 30 possessions, 10 of them contested, and pumped the ball inside the forward arc 12 times on a windswept day that tested the skills of all players.
When the ball travelled inside the attacking zone Hutchinson, drafted from the Collingwood VFL team on Wednesday evening, was ubiquitous kicking his new club’s first three goals before finishing with a bag of five.
Northam dub 👏 pic.twitter.com/xgnJP0G62x
— West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) June 2, 2024
The Eagles had strong contributors throughout with Clay Hall also a force through the midfield with 30 possessions and Tyler Brockman was also instrumental in the victory when Perth looked to be wresting away control in the final term.
Coach Kyal Horsley swung Brockman into the midfield for the last 10 minutes and he won some crucial clearances and in conjunction with his silky skills created some gilt-edged scoring opportunities.
Other young Eagles including wingmen Coby Burgiel and Harvey Johnston and half-forward Tyrell Dewar were impactful while WAFL regulars Harley Sparks, Shannon Lucassen (two goals) and defenders Jack Eastough and Andries Mercer were resolute when Perth were at their most threatening.
The victory means the WAFL Eagles have won consecutive games for the first time since 2019 leapfrog Perth and Subiaco to move into eighth spot on the ladder.
Details
West Coast Eagles 1.5 3.8 6.10 10.11 (71)
Perth 2.1 5.4 7.6 10.9 (69)
Goals – West Coast Eagles: Hutchinson 5; Lucassen 2; A Reid, Brockman, Culley.
Perth: Chaplin, Quartermaine 2; Johnston, Stubbs, Wills, Cachard, J Clark, Kemp.
Best – West Coast Eagles: Culley, Hutchinson, Hall, Burgiel, Sparks, Eastough.
Perth: J Clark, Byrne, Thompson, Cooley, Manzone, Taylor.
At Henry Street Oval, Northam.
