SNAPSHOT OF THE WEST COAST-ESSENDON AFL ELIMINATION FINAL
* Result: West Coast 17.14 (116) def Essendon 9.7 (61) in front of 59,216 at Optus Stadium.
* The lowdown: The 55-point winning margin is probably what many expected if the Eagles were fair dinkum in defending their premiership. They played some exciting football that will test Collingwood or Geelong if they can replicate it. Jeremy McGovern and Shannon Hurn were outstanding down back, Nic Naitanui was influential in the ruck and Josh Kennedy was sharp in attack. It’s yet another finals disappointment for Essendon despite having promising moments throughout the contest.
* Key moment: It was a night where only 86 tackles were recorded between the two teams but some of those certainly stuck. A couple were courtesy of Naitanui but it was one by West Coast forward Jamie Cripps on Mason Redman that really made a statement. He fronted Redman head on and clung on for dear life until the pair ended up over the boundary, but Cripps received the free-kick. He went back to slot a goal from a tight angle at the 12-minute mark of the second quarter and Essendon never seriously threatened from there.
* Key stats: West Coast quite simply just had far more of the ball, finishing with 39 more possessions. The Eagles also took 33 more marks, had 20 more hitouts and 26 more inside-50 entries on the way to recording 31 scoring shots to 15.
* Injuries: West Coast got through unscathed on the injury front but they will face a nervous wait on Nic Naitanui’s report for sending Essendon’s Zach Merrett into a boundary fence. The AFL tribunal decision is expected to make a decision on Friday.
* What’s next? West Coast are back to the MCG next Friday to face the loser of Friday night’s Geelong-Collingwood clash. Much of the focus will now turn to Essendon and whether John Worsfold remains coach in 2020. Joe Daniher’s future is also uncertain.
