West Coast Eagles fight to the end but can’t overcome Adelaide Crows clearance dominance

Jake Santa MariaThe West Australian
Camera IconThe Eagles fought hard but couldn’t cause an upset. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images

West Coast Eagles fell short of achieving their best-ever season but showed plenty of heart in their 26-point loss to the Adelaide Crows.

In oppressive conditions with the heat policy in effect the Eagles couldn’t compete with Adelaide’s clearance work in the 11.5 (71) to 6.9 (45) loss.

Adelaide, guaranteed at least a second-placed finish, rested a handful of their stars but still had all the early running.

The Eagles began inauspicious fashion giving away a free kick from the very first centre bounce and spent the first minutes defending repeat entries from the Crows with Deni Varnhargen capitalising on the stretched defence to open the scoring.

The Crows were disciplined to not be sucked up the ground and maintained their structure to deny the early Eagles attacks.

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But they were affording the Eagles plenty of uncontested ball and when Dana Hooker forced a turnover on the wing they ran with numbers with Shanae Davison eventually able to put in a cool finish.

The Crows hit back through Ebony Marnioff with Montana McKinnon dominating in the ruck.

Despite the sweltering conditions, the Eagles looked to continue to attack at speed with their running game and were dangerous when they lowered their eyes but failed to capitalise on forward entries with some poor ball use.

That didn’t stop Abbygail Bushby from a moment of class latch onto the loose ball and snapping around the body under pressure to hand West Coast an unlikely lead before a late behind levelled the scores heading into the first break.

Camera IconAbbygail Bushby stretches for goal. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images

The Eagles were sucker-punched at the restart with Yvonne Bonner found out the back after the Crows won another hit-out to score within the opening minute.

A messy passage of play followed with both sides struggling with the strong breeze turning the ball over with abandon.

Kellie Gibson playing her 50th AFLW game grabbed a highlight with a magnificent goal after snapping on the run after bursting from a clearance inside 50.

The Crows immediately answered through Rachelle Martin after playing on quickly from a free kick out of the middle before repeating the trick moments later as Danielle Ponter got in the end of one.

The Eagles were getting smashed in clearances, losing 17-7 at one stage, with Caitlin Gould getting her first before Madison Newman added to the Eagles pain banging one on the boot in hope before the ball leg-breaked from outside the point post to bounce through the goals.

Teah Charlton made it five in a row for the Crows before Gibson used some fancy footwork to keep the Eagles challenge alive with a late goal from the goal square to leave them trailing by 23 points at the half.

Isabella Lewis cut the lead back to below three goals as the Eagles looked refreshed after the break forcing repeat entries but once again failed to capitalise with some indecisive ball use to blame.

Camera IconKellie Gibson was impressive in her milestone game. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Gould made them pay with her second goal as the running game was starting to take its toll on the Eagles legs.

Gibson should have had her third but sprayed across the goal from 10m out on a tight angle leaving them trailing by 23 at the last change.

With just one quarter of footy left the Eagles through caution into the wind to try and mount an unlikely fightback.

A strong breeze blew their attack off course but Aisling McCarthy squeezed on through with the Eagles dominating inside 50’s.

But Adleaide always had their measure with Keeley Kustermann and Newman adding late points to push the Crows provisionally to the top of the ladder.

SCOREBOARD

ADELAIDE 2.2, 8.2, 9.4, 11.5 (71)

WEST COAST EAGLES 2.2, 4.3, 5.5, 6.9 (45)

GOALS - ADELAIDE: C Gould 2 M Newman 2 Y Bonner T Charlton D Ponter K Kustermann E Marinoff R Martin D Varhagen WEST COAST EAGLES: K Gibson 2 A Bushby S Davison I Lewis A McCarthy

BEST - ADELAIDE: E Marinoff M Newman M McKinnon R Martin T Charlton

WEST COAST: E Roberts S Davison D Hooker A Bushby K Gibson

INJURIES - West Coast: Schmidt (corked quad)

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