Match

West Coast Eagles vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 21 Mar 2021

Pre Game

00:00

The Suns won the time in forward half differential by nine minutes and 19 seconds per game in wins last season, which was ranked No.1 in the competition.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

01:01

A fast start for the Eagles with Tim Kelly providing the assist on the goal following a forward half intercept. West Coast generated only 17 such intercepts per game last season (ranked bottom-4).

02:12

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jack Darling)

02:48

The second goal to the Eagles was generated from a centre bounce clearance. In 2020, West Coast was the No.1 ranked team at scoring from this source with 12 points per game.

04:21

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Oscar Allen)

04:29

A dominant start from the Eagles with the ever-impressive Oscar Allen scoring two early goals. West Coast has kicked three goals before Gold Coast has even recorded one effective kick.

05:48

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (David Swallow)

06:49

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)

09:10

A steadying goal for the Suns through Ben King following a perfect pass from Izak Rankine. The Suns are yet to record a tackle with the Eagles slick ball movement a result of this lack of pressure.

12:30

Last season the Eagles ranked third for kicking efficiency differential and the Suns ranked last in this measure. The Suns have recorded a kicking efficiency of 60 percent to start the game and the Eagles 71 percent.

13:09

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Josh J. Kennedy)

14:03

For all of their improvement in 2020, the Suns were outscored by a total of 87 points in the first quarter (ranked last). The Eagles were outscored in the opening quarter in each of their last three games to end the season.

15:58

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ben King)

18:01

Since the opening three goals to West Coast, the Suns have won the contested possession count 16-8 and the inside 50 entries 6-4, managing to work back into the game.

18:16

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Izak Rankine)

20:01

Jack Lukosius was the No.1 ranked player in the AFL last season for metres gained (472 per game). The stylish Sun has had recorded 190 metres gained and is being used in new role on a wing.

20:20

Suns Interchange - Matt Rowell and is possibly out for the game.

22:07

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Jack Lukosius)

23:57

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Alex Sexton)

24:14

The Suns have had the last four scores in the game, with both of their goals coming from midfield intercepts. Gold Coast has controlled the ball by foot and enjoyed more time in possession this quarter (49 percent to 40 percent).

28:06

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Josh J. Kennedy)

28:52

After a blistering start by the Eagles, the Suns worked back into the game well by winning contested possessions (30-23) and controlling the ball effectively (marks 41-28).

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

03:09

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Oscar Allen)

03:40

Oscar Allen has an equal career-high three goals early in the game, and looms as a dangerous option. Allen has been the target of more forward 50 kicks (4) than any of his teammates.

05:20

Gold Coast recorded only three tackles in the opening quarter, which equals an all-time low in any quarter for the Suns in their short history.

05:50

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Touk Miller)

06:38

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Lachie Weller)

09:38

Oleg Markov has made a busy start in his first game as a Sun. Markov currently has a game-high five intercepts and an equal team-high four contested possessions playing across half back.

12:10

The Eagles now have a 5-1 lead in forward 50 marks, but have only scored one goal from this source with a few errant set shots at goal.

12:27

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Andrew Gaff)

14:01

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Ben King)

14:20

West Coast was the No.1 ranked team for contested marks last season while Gold Coast ranked in the bottom-4. Currently, the Suns lead 6-2 in contested marks, including the mark taken by Ben King that produced the last goal.

18:26

West Coast retained possession from 60 percent of its forward 50 entries in the opening quarter, but only 20 percent of such entries this quarter with the increased pressure from the Suns contributing to more rushed entries.

22:55

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jack Darling)

23:50

All five goals for the Eagles have been kicked by Oscar Allen and Jack Darling with their smaller crumbing players yet to be involved in the game. Tim Kelly has also contributed a game-high six score involvements including two assists.

25:45

Gold Coast has taken more marks in the first half of this game (76) than any team has taken against the Eagles since Adam Simpson took over as coach in 2014.

27:07

The Suns averaged four backward kicks per game last season, but in an indication of their intent to control the ball, recorded 16 such kicks in the first half.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

01:29

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Josh J. Kennedy)

01:37

Another early goal to start the third quarter for the Eagles, and again it came from one of their tall forwards. West Coast leads 21-14 in points scored from defensive half chains, which equals its average score from this source in 2020.

04:17

Dom Sheed has been used in a central midfield role in the absence of Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo. Sheed has attended the most centre bounces, recording game-highs for clearances (6) and metres gained (429).

04:45

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Touk Miller)

05:38

Last season the Suns averaged 18 points per game from 19 forward half intercepts. Today Gold Coast has scored 18 points from just the nine such intercepts.

06:28

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Sam Day)

07:42

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Nic Naitanui)

08:33

Gold Coast now leads 50-33 in ground balls, which includes 26-11 in the forward half. Only two Sun players have not won a ground ball today, while West Coast has seven such players.

09:39

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Will Brodie)

10:54

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Zac Langdon)

11:48

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Ben King)

12:07

Some good defensive work from Lachie Weller set up the third goal for Ben King. Gold Coast has continued to win contested possession this quarter (15-10) and is now also starting to win the territorial battle (60 percent time in forward half).

15:35

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Tim Kelly)

17:44

SCORE GOAL - Suns (David Swallow)

17:57

Gold Coast now has seven of the last ten goals in the game. Touk Miller has been involved in nine of the 14 gold Coast scores today including two assists (no other teammate has been involved in more than five scores).

19:53

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Jack Lukosius)

21:56

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)

22:17

Some sharp work from Nic Naitanui set up Jamie Cripps for the forward half stoppage goal. West Coast ranked second-last in 2020 at scoring from forward half stoppages, and this was its first goal today from this source.

26:11

Jack Bowes has now recorded 24 disposals at 100 percent efficiency and gained 429 metres from these disposals, which is second only to Jack Lukosius for metres gained today (573).

26:27

Eagles Interchange - Jeremy McGovern off due to an injury.

30:27

Gold Coast has never beaten West Coast in Perth, and this is only the second time that the Suns have been in front at three-quarter time in a game in Western Australia.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:18

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Nick Holman)

00:24

A goal from the opening centre bounce clearance for the Suns to start the final quarter. Gold Coast has negated West Coast at centre bounces, winning these clearances 10-7, and now only trail 17-20 in points scored from stoppages.

02:20

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Josh J. Kennedy)

04:13

The tall Eagle forwards continue to cause problems for the undersized Sun defenders, with Oscar Allen now kicking a career-high four goals, and the three tall forwards have contributed eight of the nine West Coast goals.

04:16

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Oscar Allen)

06:06

Andrew Gaff recorded only eight disposals in the first three quarters today. This is his lowest return at the final break since Round 11, 2013.

07:39

While the inside 50 count is relatively even (42-36), the Eagles lead 12-4 in forward 50 marks with their multiple marking option forward line proving the difference.

07:50

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Nathan Vardy)

09:42

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Sam Day)

10:23

Gold Coast has only been able to take one mark this quarter, with West Coast able to prevent the Suns from having the ball control they have enjoyed throughout the game.

12:15

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)

13:55

In the final quarter, West Coast leads time in possession (56 percent to 31 percent) and time in forward half (61 percent). This control has forced the Suns to run hard to defend, and denied them offensive opportunities.

16:07

West Coast has also lifted in the final quarter in both contested possessions (21-14) and tackles (9-5), after trailing in these measures throughout the game.

17:44

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Alex Sexton)

18:42

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jack Darling)

19:51

While the Suns do lead the overall mark count, the Eagles lead 37-21 in forward half marks, indicating that West Coast has had more of its possession play in dangerous positions of the ground.

21:31

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Dom Sheed)

22:43

West Coast has been the stronger team in this term, and now has the last four goals of the game. The Eagles have lifted to win contested possessions 30-19, and the 13-5 advantage in forward 50 marks today has been telling.

27:33

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Jack Petruccelle)

29:51

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jamie Cripps)

29:53

A good win in the end for the Eagles against a gallant Suns team. West Coast was eventually able to overwhelm Gold Coast with its better ball use reflected in scoring 36-16 points from back half chains, and leading 14-5 in forward 50 marks.