WEST COAST 20.10 (130) def GOLD COAST 17.11 (113)
IN the battle of the coasts, West prevailed over Gold by 17-points at Patersons Stadium yesterday afternoon led by the five goal effort of Josh Kennedy and a dominant ruck effort by Dean Cox.
Indeed as impressive as Kennedy was with his shots on goal the Eagles’ victory was keyed by Cox who finished the day with with 44 hit-outs, 19 possessions and a goal. By Dream Team arithmetic it was a 141 point effort by the Eagles veteran.
The win is the eighth on the year for West Coast and helps keep their slim finals hopes alive. With Port Adelaide on 10 wins and sitting at eighth on the ladder, the Eagles will be watching this afternoon’s Showdown XXXV and hoping that the Crows can keep the Power from tighthening its grip on that spot.
“We’re not out of the running there, but we have to play well enough to beat the teams we play coming up, that will be our absolute focus,” said Eagles coach John Worsfold about the club’s finals prospects.
“As much as I’m pretty proud of how our boys held up we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Indeed they do.
While the Eagles had built a 22-point lead at the end of the third term, the Suns fought on and closed the gap to just two points on two occasions in the fourth quarter before finally putting the game out of reach.
“I can’t fault the endeavour that’s for sure,” said Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna afterwards.
“We have to keep pumping games into them, get better composure and kick those goals when we’re going forward – execute better.”
For Gold Coast that spirited effort, highlighted by the long awaited return to action of Nathan Bock, kept the club close all day.
Bock, who had not played a game since breaking his leg in Round 6 last year, was a late call-up for the Suns and responded to the opportunity with two goals, two tackles and 10 possessions.
For Bock his performance crystalised the team’s commitment to him for 2014.
“We’re going to extend Bocky – there is no issue with that,” said McKenna .
“The pleasing thing for him and us is that we know he can run around with a metal rod in his leg and provide that sort of target.
“At the end of his season this year that rod will come out and the surgeon, the doctors, medicos are convinced that he will probably still run around with a bit of limp, similar to Barlow and the other blokes with broken legs, but he’ll be back to his best for us next year for sure.”
Here are the highlights from the game:
WEST COAST 4.0 10.1 15.6 20.10 (130)
GOLD COAST 3.3 7.7 11.8 17.11 (113)
GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 5, Hill 3, Schofield 2, Dalziell 2, Cox, Lycett, Cripps, Embley, Hutchings, Hams, Wellingham, Mackenzie
Gold Coast: Sexton 3, Bennell 2, Ablett 2, Bock 2, C. Brown 2, Hall 2, Dixon, Stanley, Swallow, Harbrow
BEST
West Coast: Selwood, Kennedy, Cox, Wellingham, Dalziell, Hill
Gold Coast: Prestia, Bennell, Harbrow, Sexton, Ablett
INJURIES
West Coast: Priddis (quad) replaced in selected side by Mitch Brown, Carter (cut head)
Gold Coast: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Andrew Embley replaced Adam Carter in the third quarter
Gold Coast: Timmy Sumner replaced Nathan Bock in the third quarter.
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Farmer, Harris, Armstrong
Official crowd: 32,140 at Patersons Stadium