southerncross
06-05-2007, 07:19 AM
Eagles collar Bulldogs (http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfmatchreport/eagles-collar-bulldogs/2007/05/05/1177788470024.html)
THE news gets better and better for West Coast, but no better for 2004 All-Australian Chad Fletcher.
The Eagles won their sixth match in a row in the 2007 season and their ninth in a row if you count the last three matches of 2006.
The Western Bulldogs were the latest victims — game but eventually overwhelmed 10.17 (77) to 9.8 (62).
Ben Cousins may be absent for the foreseeable future and Norm Smith medallist Andrew Embley pulled out before the game with a groin problem, but that was not enough to stop the Eagles.
Nor was it enough to get Fletcher a game after he played the first two weeks back from a pre-season knee problem in the WAFL.
Matt Priddis has been preferred to Fletcher in the past fortnight and probably will be again next week after he gathered 25 touches and kicked three goals as a worthy opponent for Bulldog gun Scott West.
Mark LeCras was given the nod ahead of Fletcher when Embley pulled out and he made a contribution with two goals.
This was a game that pitted contrasting strengths. West Coast is the AFL's best contested-ball winner, the Bulldogs the worst.
While the Eagles are no slouches with the way they move the ball, the Bulldogs are one of the league's most efficient ball-moving teams, running the ball from non-contest to non-contest on their way to goal.
It was a case of smarts and speed versus strength and structure.
West Coast, with Quinten Lynch and Ashley Hansen to kick to, Darren Glass and Adam Hunter to blanket who the opposition kick to and an all-powerful midfield to generate momentum, versus the Western Bulldogs, with West and Daniel Cross winning and distributing the ball and Rodney Eade shuffling his players like a deck of cards to keep the Eagles off balance.
The first half was absorbing. West Coast, as it had in a semi-final last season when it swamped the Dogs at Subiaco, tried to play a man-on-man game to stifle the slick Bulldogs' runners. It worked for most of the first term as the Eagles harassed and tackled the Bulldogs off balance and peppered the goals.
But they finished the quarter with 3.5 and the Bulldogs stayed in the game by making the most of their chances to go to the first break just four points in arrears after the clever Brad Johnson got goalside of opponent Brett Jones and soccered one off the outside of the boot, Farren Ray and Robert Murphy slipped into space and kicked straight. At quarter-time, West Coast's apparent dominance in general play had counted for little.
And for 20 minutes of the second quarter, it looked like the Eagles' inaccuracy could cost them dearly.
Eade shuffled Johnson into the midfield to counter the influence of Judd, while Matthew Boyd closed down Daniel Kerr. Johnson finished the first half with two fewer touches than Judd and one more goal.
The Bulldogs kicked the last two goals of the first quarter and the first two goals of the second quarter to pinch an eight-point lead but that would be their biggest break.
The Eagles kicked three of the last four goals of the first half to take a three-point lead to half-time.
It didn't look like much on the scoreboard but psychologically, it counted for plenty. The Bulldogs had enjoyed what was their best period of dominance for the match and were still behind.
Things looked ominous for the visitors when Priddis (twice) and Steven Armstrong kicked three of the first four goals of the third quarter to give the Eagles a three-goal break and control of the match.
Jordan McMahon dashed half the length of the field to kick the first goal of the final quarter but LeCras kicked the answering goal and the Eagles had met the best challenges the Bulldogs could muster.
And for 20 minutes of the second quarter, it looked like the Eagles' inaccuracy could cost them dearly.
Eade shuffled Johnson into the midfield to counter the influence of Judd, while Matthew Boyd closed down Daniel Kerr. Johnson finished the first half with two fewer touches than Judd and one more goal.
The Bulldogs kicked the last two goals of the first quarter and the first two goals of the second quarter to pinch an eight-point lead but that would be their biggest break.
The Eagles kicked three of the last four goals of the first half to take a three-point lead to half-time.
It didn't look like much on the scoreboard but psychologically, it counted for plenty. The Bulldogs had enjoyed what was their best period of dominance for the match and were still behind.
Things looked ominous for the visitors when Priddis (twice) and Steven Armstrong kicked three of the first four goals of the third quarter to give the Eagles a three-goal break and control of the match.
Jordan McMahon dashed half the length of the field to kick the first goal of the final quarter but LeCras kicked the answering goal and the Eagles had met the best challenges the Bulldogs could muster.
THE news gets better and better for West Coast, but no better for 2004 All-Australian Chad Fletcher.
The Eagles won their sixth match in a row in the 2007 season and their ninth in a row if you count the last three matches of 2006.
The Western Bulldogs were the latest victims — game but eventually overwhelmed 10.17 (77) to 9.8 (62).
Ben Cousins may be absent for the foreseeable future and Norm Smith medallist Andrew Embley pulled out before the game with a groin problem, but that was not enough to stop the Eagles.
Nor was it enough to get Fletcher a game after he played the first two weeks back from a pre-season knee problem in the WAFL.
Matt Priddis has been preferred to Fletcher in the past fortnight and probably will be again next week after he gathered 25 touches and kicked three goals as a worthy opponent for Bulldog gun Scott West.
Mark LeCras was given the nod ahead of Fletcher when Embley pulled out and he made a contribution with two goals.
This was a game that pitted contrasting strengths. West Coast is the AFL's best contested-ball winner, the Bulldogs the worst.
While the Eagles are no slouches with the way they move the ball, the Bulldogs are one of the league's most efficient ball-moving teams, running the ball from non-contest to non-contest on their way to goal.
It was a case of smarts and speed versus strength and structure.
West Coast, with Quinten Lynch and Ashley Hansen to kick to, Darren Glass and Adam Hunter to blanket who the opposition kick to and an all-powerful midfield to generate momentum, versus the Western Bulldogs, with West and Daniel Cross winning and distributing the ball and Rodney Eade shuffling his players like a deck of cards to keep the Eagles off balance.
The first half was absorbing. West Coast, as it had in a semi-final last season when it swamped the Dogs at Subiaco, tried to play a man-on-man game to stifle the slick Bulldogs' runners. It worked for most of the first term as the Eagles harassed and tackled the Bulldogs off balance and peppered the goals.
But they finished the quarter with 3.5 and the Bulldogs stayed in the game by making the most of their chances to go to the first break just four points in arrears after the clever Brad Johnson got goalside of opponent Brett Jones and soccered one off the outside of the boot, Farren Ray and Robert Murphy slipped into space and kicked straight. At quarter-time, West Coast's apparent dominance in general play had counted for little.
And for 20 minutes of the second quarter, it looked like the Eagles' inaccuracy could cost them dearly.
Eade shuffled Johnson into the midfield to counter the influence of Judd, while Matthew Boyd closed down Daniel Kerr. Johnson finished the first half with two fewer touches than Judd and one more goal.
The Bulldogs kicked the last two goals of the first quarter and the first two goals of the second quarter to pinch an eight-point lead but that would be their biggest break.
The Eagles kicked three of the last four goals of the first half to take a three-point lead to half-time.
It didn't look like much on the scoreboard but psychologically, it counted for plenty. The Bulldogs had enjoyed what was their best period of dominance for the match and were still behind.
Things looked ominous for the visitors when Priddis (twice) and Steven Armstrong kicked three of the first four goals of the third quarter to give the Eagles a three-goal break and control of the match.
Jordan McMahon dashed half the length of the field to kick the first goal of the final quarter but LeCras kicked the answering goal and the Eagles had met the best challenges the Bulldogs could muster.
And for 20 minutes of the second quarter, it looked like the Eagles' inaccuracy could cost them dearly.
Eade shuffled Johnson into the midfield to counter the influence of Judd, while Matthew Boyd closed down Daniel Kerr. Johnson finished the first half with two fewer touches than Judd and one more goal.
The Bulldogs kicked the last two goals of the first quarter and the first two goals of the second quarter to pinch an eight-point lead but that would be their biggest break.
The Eagles kicked three of the last four goals of the first half to take a three-point lead to half-time.
It didn't look like much on the scoreboard but psychologically, it counted for plenty. The Bulldogs had enjoyed what was their best period of dominance for the match and were still behind.
Things looked ominous for the visitors when Priddis (twice) and Steven Armstrong kicked three of the first four goals of the third quarter to give the Eagles a three-goal break and control of the match.
Jordan McMahon dashed half the length of the field to kick the first goal of the final quarter but LeCras kicked the answering goal and the Eagles had met the best challenges the Bulldogs could muster.