AFL 2017 - R14 - West Coast Eagles v Melbourne : 17:50 AWST Domain Stadium

[_Mike_]

17:50 AWST Domain Stadium
18° Mostly Sunny


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Match Preview

West Coast got to work focusing on physicality at training over the bye period and claimed an important scalp when Geelong came to Perth last round. The Eagles' next challenge is to bring the same pressure and intensity against an up-and-coming Melbourne outfit. The Eagles laid 93 tackles in their impressive 13-point win over the Cats and kept a tight leash on some of Geelong's prime movers. Their priority this week be matching the Dees' hard-nosed midfield, which will be bolstered by star ruckman Max Gawn's return from hamstring surgery. At 7-5, both sides have plenty to play for. The Demons are in a strong position to break their 11-year finals drought and a rare victory in Perth – where they should have beaten West Coast last year in the wet - would be a major boost coming off victories over Collingwood and the Bulldogs.

West Coast

Emerging forward Malcolm Karpany will get another opportunity to showcase his talents after tonight being elevated to the West Coast Eagles team for the important clash with Melbourne. Karpany has been named as one of two inclusions – alongside Josh Hill – for the Saturday evening clash with the Dees, after star forward Mark LeCras was ruled out with a hip injury.
LeCras, who has battled the hip complaint for a few weeks, has been unable to contribute as he would like, so the medical staff has prescribed a rest this week in the hope that will aid him in the second half of the year.

Melbourne

MELBOURNE regained 2016 All-Australian Max Gawn for Saturday’s clash against the West Coast Eagles at Domain Stadium, but has lost co-captain Nathan Jones (quadriceps) and forward Jack Watts (hamstring).
The Demons have also included speedster Billy Stretch for his first match since round five, after shining for Casey in recent times.

Key forward Sam Weideman, ball-winner Ben Kennedy and defender Josh Wagner have been named emergencies. Coach Simon Goodwin said it was great to have Gawn back in the side after being sidelined with a hamstring injury since round four. He added that Stretch had worked hard to get back in the side after playing the opening five games of the season.

What looks as match of the round so far both sides need the win to continue on their finals campaigns

Tip: Eagles by 12

 

[QS]

Free kick count tips?

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Free kick count tips?

West Coast at home by 10.

 

[Righteo]

Hope Melbourne don't shit the bed again if they find themselves in a winning position.

Free kick count tips?

I'm going with the big upset, Melbourne by 2 FF's.

 

[QS]

West Coast at home by 10.

Only 10?

 

[Dez!]

Hope Melbourne don't shit the bed again if they find themselves in a winning position.


I'm going with the big upset, Melbourne by 2 FF's.

So many missed goals.

 

[Woobla Stainz]

In b4 umps ohhh... too late dammit

 

[LeverPuller]

Hope Melbourne don't shit the bed again if they find themselves in a winning position.


I'm going with the big upset, Melbourne by 2 FF's.

Referring to this year?

- Geelong game, Gawn hurt start of Q2 so Watts had to ruck the game out solo, ran out of tickets Q4 and we were overrun as a result
- Richmond game, two players went down hurt and Trac on one leg, all before half time; Watts had to ruck the game out solo again.
- Freo we stuffed it in Q3

Also have won the last three and been seriously behibd in two of those.

 

[Righteo]

Referring to this year?

- Geelong game, Gawn hurt start of Q2 so Watts had to ruck the game out solo, ran out of tickets Q4 and we were overrun as a result
- Richmond game, two players went down hurt and Trac on one leg, all before half time; Watts had to ruck the game out solo again.
- Freo we stuffed it in Q3

Also have won the last three and been seriously behibd in two of those.

Corresponding game last year.

 

[LeverPuller]

Corresponding game last year.

Thought so.

 

[QS]

Should be a good game really, Melbourne are hot atm even without Jones and Watts and we lifted our workrate and pressure last week. On paper it should be an interesting contest.

 

[Brend81]

Any whispers on a late out for eagles as the dees have been backed from $2.90 into $1.92

 

[schmuttt]

Hopefully all that money pushing us into 1.95 is the umpires loading up.

This should be a great clash, the up and coming #freekickMelbourne vs the all time great #freekickeagles.

 

[SterlingArcher]

Eagles 20 Melbourne 14 free kicks.

Eagles by 6 points. Melbourne to lose no supporters though, Eagles only been taken down there by GWS this year.

 

[Forward Press]

True 50/50.

Melbourne by 1 point.

 

[Dez!]

Any whispers on a late out for eagles as the dees have been backed from $2.90 into $1.92

Interesting.

Crownbet has us at $2 and the Eagles $1.85

Sportsbet has us $1.95 and the Eagles $1.89

Did the Eagles team bus breakdown?

 

[JohnZ]

Is it just me or should this game have been played at 8pm local time straight after the East Coast night game? That way 4 games back to back to back to back and no overlap. Shame

 

[Cudi_420]

Corresponding game last year.

Still hurting from that. Eagles just put a brick wall up and we simply couldn't score in the last. We won 3 in a row after that. Could have changed our season and put us in the finals. Eagles still one of our more troubling match ups.

 

[Cudi_420]

Should be a good game really, Melbourne are hot atm even without Jones and Watts and we lifted our workrate and pressure last week. On paper it should be an interesting contest.

Jones is a big out but he's probably our most easy to cover in the middle. Would hurt more if we lost Oliver or even Tyson imo. Watts hurts but Gawn straightens us up and Pederson is a tank. Eagles gotta watch out for Hannan. Imo tonight is his break out game. I can smell it.

 

[QS]

Eagles gotta watch out for Hannan. Imo tonight is his break out game. I can smell it.

We need to look out for anyone quick!

 

[ioppolo]

I'm surprised at the lack of optimism from Eagles fans. We should take Melbourne at home easy. Just hoping for a good showing from our boys.

 

[Scotland]

Is anyone else actually looking forward to this? I don't think I've looked forward to a WC vs Melbourne game since the early 2000s.

 

[ioppolo]

Is anyone else actually looking forward to this? I don't think I've looked forward to a WC vs Melbourne game since the early 2000s.

How can you forget those awesome encounters between 2008-2010?

 

[schmuttt]

I'm surprised at the lack of optimism from Eagles fans. We should take Melbourne at home easy. Just hoping for a good showing from our boys.

I think you'll beat us but won't be easy. You've struggled to kick scores without Kennedy and if we kick over 75 points we will be thereabouts.

 

[QS]

Is anyone else actually looking forward to this? I don't think I've looked forward to a WC vs Melbourne game since the early 2000s.

Yeah I am. If both teams turn up to play, should be a cracking game.