RECAP: West Coast Eagles cop 87-point drubbing at the hands of Gold Coast Suns to open season 2025

Headshot of Jake Santa Maria
Jake Santa Maria
The West Australian
Daniel Rioli of the Suns celebrates a goal.
Daniel Rioli of the Suns celebrates a goal. Credit: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Footy’s back in WA for the first time in 2025!

Follow all the action as West Coast look to get the Andrew McQualter era off to a strong start against Gold Coast, with bouncedown set for 3.10pm WA time at Optus Stadium.

King has six

Suns win the contest and it’s all Gold Coast jumpers.

King gets another uncontested mark and makes no mistake this time to kick a career high sixth goal.

WC 6.6 (42) 19.15 (129)

Ben Long has another

The Suns force another turnover on the wing.

The work it to Long who’s in the pocket but his snap is perfect to pile on more pain.

Oscar Allen limps off the ground. Jack Hutchinson has been off the ground for 12 minutes and doesn’t look like coming back on.

WC 6.6 (42) 18.15 (123)

Embarrassing stuff

Suns stream forward after winning the ball off half back.

McGovern looks to stop but the hand ball to Baker is awful and it turns over to three Suns attackers and Rogers has a third.

Rogers adds another

Another centre clearance for the Suns that’s number 14 for the game to the Eagles’ 3.

Rogers with the uncontested mark and goal from directly in front.

WC 6.6 (42) GC 16.12 (108)

King has five

Sam Collins belts the ball out of defence and it bounces over the Eagles forward press as they stream out.

Harley Reid can’t lay the tackle and King takes an uncotested mark inside 50 and brings up the 100

WC 6.6 (42) GC 15.12 (102)

Liam Duggan the latest to come off

He hobbles off the ground and rips off his left boot.

We’ll wait and see if he comes back.

Matt Owies has a goal as an Eagle

Good work on the wing by Jamie Cripps to keep the ball alive.

He finds Brockman who finds Reid and the centring ball in finds Owies uncontested.

He converts and the team gets around him after a first goal in Eagles colours.

WC 6.5 (41) GC 14.12 (96)

End of Q3 West Coast 5.5 (35) Gold Coast 14.11 (95)

A marginally better quarter as West Coast managed three goals to five.

But they are just getting smashed everywhere.

54 inside 50s to 23. 40 clearances to 25 and Gold Coast are an incredible plus 39 for contested possesions.

Jack Graham has been good for the Eagles but Reid and Kelly have been quiet leaving him with little support.

Lots of players cramping towards the end of that term. It will be interesting if the teams put the cue in the rack early.

Ben Long with a special goal

Hemmed up on the boundary he throws it on the boot and somehow floats it through.

McGovern maybe touched it but it’s given the all clear.

Matt Owies is down behind play after being crunched in a collision but at least it able to hobble off under his own steam

WC 5.5 (35) GS 14.10 (94)

Matt Flynn goals

He’s been towelled up in the ruck but is at full forward with Waterman off.

Hewett does good work at the stoppage to send it to the goal square where Flynn takes a good low mark.

WC 5.5 (35) GC 13.9 (87)

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