The balance between celebrating the past while focusing on the future was one of the delicate conundrums of the pre-season.
And, on this day, as the club’s match committee and players plotted a course to claim the first points of the 2019 campaign, it was against the backdrop of a spectacular celebration of the club’s fourth premiership.
The players were locked in the warm-up room in the bowels of Optus Stadium as fans saw a spectacular unfurling of the 2018 flag. Club mascot Rick the Rock was on a zip line at the top of the stadium on the western side of the ground, back flipped off his perch and then descended, making a faultless landing inside the centre square, the flag trailing behind.
Moments later, Auzzie the Eagle did her thing, completing her lap of the stadium by landing on a plinth that contained the premiership cup in a perspex case.
Yet the players were removed from the distraction of reminiscing about one of the great days in club history, remaining entirely focused on the challenge of dispatching the formidable GWS Giants.
After a sluggish start, the Eagles slipped into top gear and carved out an impressive 52-point victory, doubling the Giants’ score with a powerful finish.
Leading by 28 points at quarter time, they withstood a solid challenge from the Giants in the third term and then completed an important assignment with distinction.
The return of Josh Kennedy was a significant step forward and not just because he was resuming after an interrupted pre-season. He played his 200th game for the club on the same day that Chris Masten also posted his double century and Shannon Hurn played his 250th.
Masten and Kennedy were part of the deal that saw Chris Judd go to Carlton after the 2007 season and remarkably reached the milestone on the same day.
All of the milestone men played their part in the victory, while the class of Luke Shuey was also a major factor. Shuey kicked two quality goals in the second term to stimulate the Eagles, while Tom Hickey, in his second game, was influential in the ruck.
Dom Sheed again racked up big numbers, Jack Petruccelle excited the crowd with his explosive pace, while Oscar Allen and Jack Darling were dangerous inside the attacking 50-metre arc.
Defensively, Hurn, Jeremy McGovern, Brad Sheppard and Tom Barrass were resolute, and former Collingwood utility player Josh Smith became the second recruit in as many weeks to make his club debut.
Round 2, 2019
Optus Stadium
West Coast Eagles 2.3 8.4 12.5 16.8 104
GWS Giants 1.3 3.6 6.10 7.10 52
Goals
West Coast Eagles: Darling 4; O Allen 3; Shuey 2; Sheed, Yeo, Kennedy, Petruccelle, Smith, Hutchings, Hickey
GWS Giants: J Cameron 3; Daniels, Haynes, S Reid, Williams
