WEST THREAT BACK
Kennedy 7, Allen 3, Waterman 2, Cripps, Gaff, Naitanui, Ryan, Darling, Kelly.
Cameron 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Elliott, Daicos.
Kennedy, Kelly, Naitanui, Allen, Gaff, Shuey, Yeo
Adams, Treloar, Quaynor, Crisp, Cameron. Optus Stadium.
WEST Coast re-emerged as a leading premiership threat on Sunday night, slicing through Collingwood’s vaunted defence to win by 66 points in a ruthless performance at Optus Stadium.
The injury-hit Magpies conceded their highest score of the season, giving up an early 20-point lead before losing 18.3 (111) to 6.9 (45) as the Eagles burst into the top four.
West Coast made its move in a scintillating third quarter, kicking six unanswered goals as its star-studded midfield made short work of the Magpies’ onball brigade, which was missing captain Scott Pendlebury, who suffered calf tightness minutes before the first bounce.
West Coast produced its best football this season on the back of champion forward Josh Kennedy, who booted an AFL season-high seven goals, ruckman Nic Naitanui, and star recruit Tim Kelly (30 disposals and six clearances).
It was a reality check for the Magpies, whose only goal for the second half came with two minutes to play.
Collingwood is a self-proclaimed defence first team, averaging 43 points against this season and holding Geelong (35) and Hawthorn (27) to season-low scores respectively in the past fortnight.
But the Magpies had no answer for the Eagles’ clean and quick ball-movement, which saw Kennedy impose himself with five goals before threequarter time, eventually taking his season tally to 18.
The dual Coleman medallist, opposed to Jordan Roughead, kicked with confidence and marked everything that came his way in a best-onground performance.
In a season lacking dominant key forwards, he reminded the league of the value a star big man can provide in attack.
AFL captains Luke Shuey, Nat Fyfe and Joel Selwood have all been injured during the Perth hub and on Sunday it was Scott Pendlebury’s turn.
The Collingwood skipper headed to the rooms five minutes before the bounce with a trainer and left deputy Taylor Adams to take the coin toss. Moments later, emergency Atu Bosenavulagi was warming up in the rooms.
The late drama was a result of quad tightness, with the Magpies taking a cautious approach with their skipper.
Nic Naitanui is at his best when he is hunting, coach Adam Simpson believes, and that mindset was obvious in his battle against Brodie Grundy.
The stats didn’t tell the full story, with the accuracy of Naitanui’s tap work and his follow-up attack at ground level giving him the edge over the Magpies’ star big man.
Combining with the impressive Oscar Allen, the Eagles’ pair held Grundy to 10 disposals and two marks, blunting the Collingwood midfield at the source.
From there, they ran riot, with Kelly playing his best game for the Eagles and setting up several goals with his silver service inside 50.