1. Inside 50s were few and far between for West Coast at Casey Fields last weekend, but that certainly wasn’t the case against Gold Coast on Sunday. The Eagles dominated the stat throughout the contest and only a late flurry from the Suns evened up the key battleground before the final siren sounded at Mineral Resources Park. At game’s end West Coast recorded their most attacking entries of the season to date to win the supply battle 29 to 26, which helped them come out on top in the inside 50 mark count six to four.
2. Unfortunately the Eagles failed to convert those entries into goals. The home side had plenty of opportunities to hit the scoreboard, but a combination of desperate defence from Gold Coast and several errant set shots meant West Coast finished the contest with just eight points.
West Coast are on the board through Eagles Academy graduate Hayley Bullas ??#AFLWEaglesSuns pic.twitter.com/WJ1khOAYCW
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 15, 2020
3. One player who looked poised to break the game open all day was star midfielder Dana Hooker, who produced one of the best performances of her four-year AFLW career. The two-time all-Australian was seemingly everywhere at Mineral Resources Park on Sunday, finishing the contest with a career-high 31 disposals (the most of any player in the league this weekend) to go with six marks and six tackles.
4. Another Eagle who stood tall against the Suns was dogged defender Belinda Smith. The 24-year-old attacked the contest all day and helped the Eagles transition from its defensive 50 to the midfield with her slick link-up play and precise use via foot. The former Bulldog, who has been among the team’s most consistent players all season, finished the contest with a season-best 18 disposals plus four marks and three tackles.
5. A defensive effort that caught the eye was Kate Orme’s brilliant chase down tackle in the second quarter. With just four minutes remaining in the term, Gold Coast worked their way through the corridor and found a free player, Tiana Ernst, sitting unmarked in the attacking 50. Orme, who had at least 10 metres to make up, showed brilliant closing speed and executed a textbook tackle just as Ernst attempted to throw the Sherrin on her boot at the top of the goal square. It was a brilliant piece of play and epitomised the Eagles' fighting spirit.
