RECAP: West Coast Eagles beaten by Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium

The Eagles are good value for their lead after kicking four goals to one in the second quarter.

Their ball movement is as good as it’s been under McQualter and they have rediscovered the pressure game that deserted them after the bye.

They are doing great work to stop the Dogs’ overlap out of half back which has allowed for repeat entries.

And here’s a stunning stat for you, this is the first time since this week last year that the Eagles have had a half-time lead on the road!

The Dogs have peppered the goal in the last five minutes but come away with nothing but behinds.

The West Coast finally get it out and it’s a scrappy inside 50 that’s won by the Bulldogs.

However, a terrible kick backwards and across goals allows Waterman to slide in for the mark 15 metres from goal.

He nails the set shot and his yips are dead!

WB 30, WCE 37

The Eagles find some of the best ball movement of their season after Shanahan gets the ball to ground at the defensive end of the centre square.

Duggan and Duursma combine on the wing while Shanahan sprints all the way inside 50 and gets the mark.

He snaps the ball through the middle to get just reward for his stellar efforts.

He gets a second chance from the next clearance from the opposite flank after Williams tapped the ball to Reid but stabs at it and misses.

WB 28, WCE 31

West Coast were able to win the ball after half back through a Harley Reid intercept and moved the length of the field to find Jack Willaims in the forward line.

However, the young forward could not finish the job with the set shot.

Meanwhile, Yeo has improved his game today and is warming nicely as Williams makes up for his miss with a crumbing goal after they lock the kick out back inside.

WB 26, WCE 24

West Coast have produced a strong term apart from a three-minute burst with Bazzo and Reid on the bench.

Beveridge’s side has the lead but they were on the back foot for large periods of the quarter.

However, their defence held well with West Coast struggling to find space inside 50.

It’s a fairly low-disposal contest but Kelly and Duursma have led the Eagles’ touches while Reid has had seven disposals, five clearances and two behinds.

West Coast are still behind but they’ve owned the last seven minutes.

And it’s all off the back of their insane pressure rating of 257. 190 is considered elite.

However, they just can’t get the goal and the first time the Dogs get back to the other end they get shots.

Duursma is doing well running with Bont while Reid is the best player on the ground in this term.

WB 26, WCE 16

West Coast have Bazzo and Reid sitting on the bench and the Dogs now have four goals.

We are not even 10 minutes into the game and the two most-important players for West Coast have been given a costly breather.

No one else stepped up for them either.

WB 24, WCE 8

West Coast had their second goal through Waterman wiped out by a score review showing Busslinger get a finger tip to it.

Since then the Dogs have applied their own pressure and caught the Eagles trying to do two much.

It allowed Naughton to get free and he has two majors on the board in no time.

WB 18, WCE 8

West Coast’s bad starts have been in the spotlight all year but they’ve come out well today.

They are hunting tackles before looking for cheap touches and it has them on the board first.

They wasted their early entries bombing it forward but Kelly finds space and drills a short kick into Shanahan who is free on the lead.

He dobs the set shot with ease.

Bazzo has made a great start in defence as well after being in doubt to play as late as yesterday.

WB 0, WCE 7

Bailey Williams wins the tap and takes it himself for the first clearance of the game.

He pumps the kick forward and the Dogs’ Bailey Williams lays a tackle to force a stoppage.

The umpires have already called Harly’s name three time inside 30 seconds with Rhyley West tagging him.

WB 0, WCE 0