Welcome to the Western Watercooler, where we digest the talking points from the weekend’s games – and the highlights, frustrations and silver linings WA footy fans can cling to as the season progresses.
The Eagles have their fans booking in for counselling today after a performance which has left everyone with more questions than answers.
The 101-point drubbing is their ninth triple figure loss since 2022, the other 17 teams combined have just seven.
They are at historically low levels.
The Dockers are banking win after win, their current streak hitting six after navigating a plucky Carlton side.
Importantly, they’re winning in different ways with different players standing up each week to get the job done.
Fremantle Dockers
What went right?
Luke Jackson may have finished second to teammate Shai Bolton in the Arthur Leggett Medal voting, but he’s fast pressing his claims as the competition’s most damaging ruckman.
Twice he showed his rare and unique ability to first compete in the ruck and then follow up as a midfielder kicking two brilliant goals any elite midfielder would be proud of.
The 24 year-old stacked the stats sheet, finishing with 21 touches, 31 hit-outs, eight score involvements, six tackles and two goals.
Jackson is a massive point of difference for Justin Longmuir to deploy and is a nightmare to match-up on.
What went wrong?
Fremantle put the result to bed with a devastating four-goal blitz to start the final term. The margin blew out the 42 points as another Carlton fade out threatened to make the scoreboard get ugly.
But what occurred was what Justin Longmuir described a “sloppy finish”.
The Blues began winning centre clearances, controlling the tempo and territory game and slammed on five of the game’s last six majors.
While the result never felt in danger, the Dockers took the foot off the gas and invited the Blues back into the contest. It’s not something they will want becoming a habit.
Silver lining?
They’re ability to win differently.
On Saturday night, they scored five goals directly from centre clearances, their best return in more than seven years.
Ball movement and their turnover game has proven very beneficial for Fremantle this year, this performance added another strong to the bow.
West Coast Eagles
What went right?
The first five minutes after half-time – outside of that, it was dismal viewing. Goals to Jobe Shanahan and Elliot Yeo had the margin cut to 27 points and the Eagles a small chance of producing a comeback, especially considering St.Kilda hadn’t won a third term all season.
What went wrong?
Entering the fixture, both sides had two wins, but West Coast turned up their toes. After what was a howler, and incorrect call from the ARC to bring play back for Rowan Marshall to snap a goal in the second quarter, the Eagles wilted.
The Saints kicked 14 of the last 15 goals of the game, leaving players’ attitude and application questioned, so too the moves in the coaching box.
The decision to have Liam Baker play forward was baffling. The co-captain played 76 per cent time in attack.
With veteran Jamie Cripps axed and West Coast appearing unorganised behind the ball, Baker’s experience and leadership would have been better utilised in defence or even through the midfield.
Then there’s goalkicking. In first quarters over the past four weeks, West Coast have been goalless in three, with an overall return of 3 goals 18 behinds. Yesterday, the Eagles were 0.3 – they have nothing to show for any early good work which becomes incredibly deflating.
Silver lining
Next week’s opponents. West Coast return home for a game against the winless and bottom of the ladder Richmond, which all of a sudden, has plenty of interest.
While it shapes as the ‘silver lining’, anything less than a win could prove catastrophic.
Andrew McQualter’s win loss record reads 3-27 from his first 30 games. The coach and club can ill-afford to lower their colours.
Paddy Sweeney is a Nine News Perth sports presenter and journalist.
