AFL 2019 Round 2: West Coast v Greater Western Sydney, 5:10pm AWST OS

[Gralin]

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Where and when: Optus Stadium, Saturday March 30, 5.10pm AWST

Perth Forecast

Sunny. Winds easterly 20 to 30 km/h tending northeasterly in the morning then becoming light in the early afternoon.

Last time they met: Optus Stadium, round 16, 2018. West Coast 13.8 (86) beat Greater Western Sydney 10.15 (75)
Both sides were dealing with decimated forward lines and were scrapping for the top four, but it was the Eagles who arrested a three-game losing streak in a see-sawing encounter with midfielder Andrew Gaff racking up 41 touches and booting two goals.

What it means for West Coast: After a hiccup in Brisbane, expect talk of a hangover if the Eagles can't produce a better effort at home on a marquee occasion when the club will raise the premiership flag and celebrate Shannon Hurn, Chris Masten and, pending fitness, Josh Kennedy's milestone games.

What it means for GWS: The Giants thumped Essendon and if Leon Cameron can engineer an upset in Perth there will be growing belief this group, despite a 'fire sale' during the NAB AFL Trade Period, is a genuine premiership threat.

How West Coast wins: The Eagles were smashed in the contest (-29) by Brisbane and need to at least square the midfield battle to give their inexperienced forward line more chances to kick a winning score.

How GWS wins: Jeremy Cameron, who has lost sidekick Toby Greene to a calf injury, holds the key for the Giants. The star left-footer will need to have a significant scoreboard impact for Greater Western Sydney to cause an upset.

The stat: The Giants might have a reputation among some as a free-wheeling outfit, but they outhunted Essendon in round one. Despite having 63 more possessions they laid more tackles (63-58) and belted the Bombers in contested ball (+40).

The match-up: Stephen Coniglio v Mark Hutchings
Coniglio tore Essendon apart in round one, racking up 31 disposals and booting three goals. The West Australian looms as the No.1 danger man in the Giants' midfield and Hutchings is likely to make a beeline to Coniglio from the opening bounce.

It's a big week for: Shannon Hurn
A week after leading West Coast for the 100th time, the premiership skipper will become just the eighth Eagle to reach the 250-game milestone on Saturday night. It will be a huge event given Kennedy reaches 200 club games, Masten plays his 200th and the flag will be raised, and more importantly than anything the Eagles need a win.

Shannon Hurn will be desperate for a win as the club celebrates several milestones. Picture: AFL Photos

Big call: Josh Kennedy to kick four goals or more on his return from a sore foot in a nail-biting Eagles win.

Prediction: West Coast by eight points

Source: AFL Website

 

[Macpotata]

What a beauty. Blessed to have a heavyweight match up prime time so early in the season.


The AFL got something right.

 

[CrowInFiji]

West Coast didn't lose too much respect last week imo. Mulligan rd 1 away from home to a rising team.

Lose again here and they will.

I think they will be fine to the tune of 4 goals.

 

[nahnah]

Eagles by 24

 

[Bazza97]

Wish this game wasn't televised during the Melbourne game, it looks like a beauty. Will be interesting to see the Eagles' response. Tipping the Giants to continue their really good start to the year and get the win over in the west.

 

[Chinacats]

I like the look of GWS and think they’re really good. Didn’t lose by much out west last year , so they’ll believe they can win. Lack of courage only reason I’m tipping eagles at home.

 

[Giant Pete]

Greene, Kelly and Ward out and a few underdone. I think it will be a contest but West Coast at home... I think their experience will see them get the chocolates.

 

[ep2018]

The Giants are undermanned, they could snatch it but expecting us to win, 14 point margin.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Eagles at home is too hard to tip against

 

[Power Raid]

I have no idea on this one

two great sides...........one coming off a bad loss and the other traveling. My heart says GWS but my guy feels the eagles.

Eagles by 21 points after an arm wrestle for three quarters

 

[Benji85]

Would really love to see Willie Rioli and Cripps out there, Willie brings so much to that forward line. Really motivated and never gives up as well, hopefully they are back for Collingwood match up

Adam Simpson also commented on how hard the Surface of Optus stadium seemed at the moment, which is pretty unusual for him to comment on it. Hammer test indicated not as hard as hard as the Gabba so I don't know, praying no more foot injuries for anyone.

 

[masai]

Adam Simpson also commented on how hard the Surface of Optus stadium seemed at the moment, which is pretty unusual for him to comment on it. Hammer test indicated not as hard as hard as the Gabba so I don't know, praying no more foot injuries for anyone.

I can’t see why Simmo made this comment about the playing surface, neither of the two teams last weekend made a murmur about the surface.

One of those comments that didn’t need to be made ?.

 

[wce4premiership]

If the Eagles don't win it at the coal face it'll be lights out, JK or not.

The ruckmen last week got a heap of hitouts but they were really poor, basically tapped to the opposition or to disadvantage side. The communication and effort of the mids was also poor and with so many new players there were a lot of unnecessary team mate collisions.

This is no gimme, but I'm hoping the Eagles by 12 because they're at home.

 

[WilloTree]

West Coast at home. Some big outs for GWS. Eagles should win comfortably.

West Coast by 30+

 

[bzparkes]

I can’t see why Simmo made this comment about the playing surface, neither of the two teams last weekend made a murmur about the surface.

One of those comments that didn’t need to be made ?.

Willie got his injury in the one training session they had at Optus just before the season started.

 

[Asapartyhat]

Nice back flip from the roof of Optus

 

[StevenwellerHFC]

Eagles by 7 goals.

 

[Billy ray]

The unfurling of the flag is such a flop for tv viewers. Every year its a 5 second clip in the intro.

 

[Peel67skin]

Willie got his injury in the one training session they had at Optus just before the season started.

Season already started too late to complain now ..

 

[ep2018]

Come on Eagles.

 

[ItsGameTime]

Seems like GWS are the ones to beat this year.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Is there anything Zac cant do

 

[Milang_Panthers]

haha what an opening goal

 

[StevenwellerHFC]

Good goal.

 

[ep2018]

GWS playing well.