AFL's Eagles smash Crows in Perth - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

AFL's Eagles smash Crows in Perth

Justin Chadwick 04/09/2011 04:01:11 AM Comments (0)

West Coast tuned up for next week's qualifying final showdown against AFL heavyweights Collingwood in grand style, trouncing Adelaide by 95 points at Patersons Stadium on Saturday night.

The Crows were held scoreless in the opening term and conceded eight goals to two in the second quarter as West Coast cruised to the 22.13 (145) to 7.8 (50) triumph.

The Eagles' seventh win on the trot took their season win-loss tally to 17-5, equalling the total they achieved in their premiership season of 2006 but two wins short of their 1991 haul of 19-3.

But more importantly, West Coast will enter Saturday's clash with Collingwood at the MCG full of confidence, while the Magpies could be a tad vulnerable on the back of their 96-point loss to Geelong.

Adelaide finished a forgettable 2011 campaign with a 7-15 record, setting a new low for the proud club.

Stand-in Adelaide coach Mark Bickley will now decide whether to apply for the full-time role for next year, but the demoralising loss is sure to hurt his chances.

West Coast assistant Scott Burns is considered the clear frontrunner should he put his hand up for the Adelaide top job.

The Eagles boasted winners all across the ground, with ruckmen Nic Naitanui and Dean Cox, midfielders Andrew Embley, Luke Shuey and Adam Selwood, forwards Quinten Lynch, Mark LeCras and Mark Nicoski, and defenders Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie and Sam Butler all performing strongly.

Adelaide were well led by ball magnet Scott Thompson (40 possessions), but the visitors were made to look second class for most of the night.

The Crows appeared incapable in a one-sided opening term, regularly turning the ball over in the wet conditions as the Eagles midfielders took control.

Adelaide were held scoreless for the quarter but West Coast failed to convert their dominance into a big lead, kicking a wayward 2.5 to enter the first break with a handy but far-from-daunting 17-point advantage.

Naitanui had a hand in both of the goals, and finally got one of his own early in the second quarter as the floodgates opened.

Mark Nicoski booted two for the term as the Eagles entered the half-time break with a commanding 54-point lead, 10.6 (66) to 2.0 (12).

West Coast defender Ash Smith (tight hamstring) was subbed off before half-time as a precaution, while the night of Adelaide's Tony Armstrong was over before the long break due to a groin injury.

The Crows booted the opening goal of the third quarter but that proved to be a mere aberration, with West Coast kicking 12 of the next 15 goals to take the margin into triple figures before Taylor Walker's goal at the death brought it back to double digits.

Such was the one-sided nature of the contest, the 36,062 fans on hand turned their attention to forming a Mexican wave in the third quarter.

Adelaide's Ricky Henderson probably won't have much memory of it after knocking himself senseless when his head crashed into the hip of West Coast's Andrew Gaff during an attempted tackle.

Eagles coach John Worsfold said his team were in good shape heading into the finals.

"We've got a good number of games (into our players) and got a good squad available and fit and ready to go," Worsfold said.

"We're really pleased with the pressure we put on today, that's for sure."

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