AFL RECAP: West Coast Eagles host winless Richmond Tigers in must win clash
West Coast return to Optus in celebration of 40 years of AFL history and 20 years since their historic 2006 flag, with a win against Richmond non-negotiable. Follow all the action live!
AFL: West Coast return to Optus in celebration of 40 years of AFL history and 20 years since their historic 2006 flag, with a win against Richmond non-negotiable.
The Eagles are under massive pressure after a month of thrashings, including a 101-point mauling against St Kilda last weekend.
Richmond comes into the game without a win but will see this clash as their best chance to sing the song for the first time in 2026 with all the pressure on the Eagles.
Follow all the action live!
Key events
02 May 2026 - 04:54 PM
FULL TIME Richmond 15.8 (98) West Coast 13.10 (88)
02 May 2026 - 04:22 PM
Silly from Reid
02 May 2026 - 04:15 PM
End of Q3 RIC 10.7 (67) WCE 9.9 (63)
02 May 2026 - 03:24 PM
Balta has another on the siren
02 May 2026 - 02:52 PM
A HARLEY SPECIAL!!
02 May 2026 - 02:47 PM
End of Q1 RIC 3.3 (21) WCE 2.2 (14)
02 May 2026 - 01:45 PM
McQualter’s selection gamble
02 May 2026 - 01:28 PM
Welcome
Stand rule strikes again
Steely Green wins a high free and then Yeo deosn’t stand as he goes to move into defence and it’s 50.
Tigers bacnk in front.
More butchery from the Eagles
Overuse the handball to put themselves in trouble and the Tigers go end to end.
But Tom Lynch misses and it’s back to two points with five minutes left.
Eagles in front!
Bailey Williams wins a blocking free in the ruck and then gets a 50m penalty after the Tigers don’t hand the ball back quick enough.
From just outside 50 he boots it through for his first goal of the year!
Waterman has three!
Wins a holding free but took the mark anyway.
He goes for the snap around 30m out and it works back perfeclty to sneak in.
It’s his third for the day and we’re back to four points.
Campbell with a monster goal
The Eagles are caught out at half forward as they all go past the loose ball and Richmond have all the numbers out the back.
Campbell gets on the end and launches from 50 to put the Tigers up by 10.
Silly from Reid
He doesn’t give the ball back quick enough to give away a 50m penalty and send the Tigers forward.
Batla is too strong for Tylar Young to take another contested mark and snaps through his third goal.
Huge final quarter underway
YEO GOES BANG!
Wins a free kick with a big tackle on Hayes-Smith.
Waterman flies and the loose ball goes through a few hands before gettig back to Yeo who sells the dummy with a step gets back on his right foot and drills a big goal.
Eagles in front.
End of Q3 RIC 10.7 (67) WCE 9.9 (63)
West Coast have finally won a quarter but not without some more late drama as Balta has shot from 65m after the siren after winning a high free kick.
It’s the first time they’ve won a quarter since round 3 against Port Adelaide but they still trail by four points.
Kelly was massive that quarter with 11 touches and a goal, while Harley Reid had just one.
Waterman got a couple of looks at it as did Shanahan. Eagles still with a lot of work to do.
WATERMAN!
A late charge and Davis sends a kick to the advantage of an Eagles forward for once.
He takes a strong mark after outpositioning Miller.
Converts and it’s back to four points.
Maddening from West Coast
Nick Vlaustin has eight touches this quarter and it’s all come from poor kicks inside 50 from the Eagles who continue to butcher it.
