RECAP: West Coast Eagles cop 87-point drubbing at the hands of Gold Coast Suns to open season 2025
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 another
Harry Edwards cannot deal with King at the moment.
The Suns force the turnover in the middle and he’s winning that one-on-one every time with a great lead.
He has two. and Suns have five straight goals.
WC 2.2 (14) GC 7.5 (47)
Hewett misses from point-blank
West Coast actually get their game going outnumbering on the turnover.
Dewar’s kick inside 50 is awful but Eagles go again through Ginbey and then Baker and Hewett is looking at an open goal but misses to the right.
He could have walked it in.
Read has another
West Coast are back to defending repeat entires.
Gold Coast goes to a contest and the Eagles drop the mark and Ben King cleans it up to Read who kicks the snap to get the Suns’s sixth.
WC 2.1 (13) GCE 6.5 (41)
Rioli goals
The former Tiger Daniel Rioli gets his first goal in Gold Coast colours.
He takes the intercept mark off a rushed kick and converts from about 45m
WC 2.1 (13) GC 5.5 (35)
McQualter speaks
“Minus 23 in the contest is not acceptable we cannot compete with that,” he says.
“We’ve made some adjustments but we need to get to work.”
Hutchinson has gone to the middle and Dewar to the wing.
End of Q1 WC 2.1 (13) GC 4.5 (29)
Only some inaccurate kicking and poor entries are keeping West Coast in this contest at the moment.
The numbers are diabolical, Gold Coast have plus nine clearances are plus 19 contested possessions and have racked up a record 23 inside 50s.
The Eagles defence is admirable but it’s too much work and they don’t have quite the skill to execute their go fast game plan yet with their attacks breaking down.
Matt Rowell already having a big say on this game with 12 disposals and three clearances.
He loves playing against the Eagles.
All defence from the Eagles
Gold Coast are plus 30 in disposals, and are smashing the clearences 12-3.
It’s 22 inside 50s to four.
Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson is on commentary and says it’s unsustainable.
Touk Miller converts with the Eagles defence caught napping.
WCE 2.1 (13) GC 4.5 (29)
Ben King to strong
Gold Coast are starting to capitalise on their stoppage dominance.
Another inside 50 and Ben King just throws off Harry Edwards to take an uncontesd mark.
He converts as the Suns open up a gap.
WCE 2.1 (13) GC 3.3 (21)
Gold Coast hit back
The damn wall eventually breaks and Jake Rogers takes a good low mark.
He converts to puy Gold Coast back in front.
WCE 2.0 (12) GC 2.2 (14)
Huge from Hough
The Eagles have it in the forward 50 but Gold Coast get it out and the Eagles are caught in transition.
Ben King is open in the forward line but Brady Hough comes from nowhere to smother the kick and deny a certain goal.
Gold Coast are smashing the Eagles around the stoppage at the moment and the defence is working overtime
