Recap: Essendon break West Coast hearts to claim thrilling two point win
There’s no hiding it now for West Coast after sliding to their worst-ever start. Can they find something back on their home deck against Essendon to give their fans some hope?
Veterans Tim Kelly and Jeremy McGovern return but co-captain Oscar Allen is being ‘managed’ despite the team being in desperate need of leadership.
Essendon are heavy favourites but that’s something they have not dealt with well in the past, is there an Easter miracle in store for the Eagles?
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Hunt with a settler
West Coast pressure is elite again here.
They’ve locked the ball in the forward 50 and Tim Kelly burst through a contest handballs off to Jayden Hunt who boots through a big goal.
WC 8.5 (53) ESS 5.4 (34)
Peter Wright has four
Essendon made hard work of it as Harley Reid gets a hand on the centering kick but it spills out the back and there’s enough numbers for Wright to snap through his fourht goal.
WCE 7.4 (46) ESS 5.4 (34)
Second half underway
Essendon have an early shot after Jamie Cripps is run down in the forward half.
Draper handballs off to Mason Redman but his shot hits the post.
McQualter speaks
“We’ve just focused on our pressure on the ball,” he says.
“The senior players had a meeting during the week about their responsibility, and it’s been a good response.
“Hopefully we can keep it up in the second half.”
Half Time stats
West Coast were smashed in the contest that quarter and now trail the clearnce battle 17-10. With centre clearances 6-2 the Bombers way.
The Eagles have 66 contested possessions, a massive lift from last week.
But West Coast will need to get back on top around the clearances if they are to run this one out.
HALF TIME West Coast 7.3 (45) Essendon 4.3 (27)
Essendon win the quarter thanks to Peter Wright as they dominated the middle portion of the term.
Too the Eagles credit they managed to even up around the contest to stem the bleeding before they had some shots late with Williams nailing his second.
Still a long way to go but this would probably be the happiest Andrew McQualter has been at the half-time break.
Eagles fans give their side a standing ovation as they head into the rooms.
Jake Waterman behind the ball
With less than two minutes to go, he’s been thrown in defence, it’s something they’ve trained at for red time scenarios.
Jamie Cripps has a set shot but just misses left.
Waterman intercepts a late attack forward.
Jack Williams with a second
West Coast have absorbed an enrmous amount of pressure this quarter.
We’ve seen repeat stoppages and hard tackles but the Eagles work a swtich off half back and it gets to Owies who slows it up.
Williams is left all alone inside 50 and he kicks his second from the arc.
Three in a row for Essendon
The Bombers pressure has lifted and the Eagles are struggling to cope.
Another turnover in the forward half and West Coast are outnumbered.
Eagles are yet to win a clearance this qaurter.
WC 6.1 (37) ESS 4.2 (26)
Wright has three
Edwards can’t win one on ones against Wright at the moment.
Essendon win a free out the centre bounce and it kick hits Wright’s lead on the chest.
From 50 he drills it and the Bombers are back in this.
WC 6.1 (37) ESS 3.2 (20)
