It was a little less than two years ago that the West Coast Eagles won the 2018 premiership, with the forward line a major factor in that remarkable triumph.
Last night against the Bombers there were only two players remaining in the attacking arc who were part of that memorable performance.
Missing were Josh Kennedy (concussion), Jamie Cripps (unavailable), Daniel Venables (unavailable) and Willie Rioli (unavailable).
It left Liam 'Flyin’ Ryan and Jack Darling to lead the charge and they did it wonderfully, kicking six of the team’s nine goals.
Ryan kicked an equal career-best four goals to also emerge as the best player on the ground.
He kicked the opening goal in the first minute of the game, marking after Nic Naitanui and Luke Shuey had combined to scramble the ball forward.
Ryan also had the last shot of the game, narrowly missing a set shot after the bell which would have given him a handful.
He took eight marks, five of them inside the attacking 50 metre arc, and his 344 metres gained with ball in hand was second only to Shuey (390 metres).
He enjoyed the opportunity to push a little deeper to help off-set the absence of Kennedy who, with 628 goals for West Coast is the club’s all-time leading goal-kicker, and he was a constant threat to the Bombers.
