World news – Eagles show hearts, just barely miss tigers

A brave but exhausted West Coast excruciatingly missed a win over Richmond, down eight points at the Swinburne Center today.

The young Eagles went without captain Emma Swanson (suspension) and club champion Dana Hooker ( Foot) into play. They lost players consistently throughout the game but fought to the end with a 5.12 (42) to 5.4 (34) loss.

West Coast lost 23 points to score five early in the third quarter to two hits to terrify the Tigers as they pursued their first victory outside of WA.

Richmond jumped to the west coast in the rain, and Tayla Stahl scored two goals in the first few minutes to get them at the Early Irish recruit, Aisling McCarthy, who did not appear after the quarter, exacerbated her early pain with a heavy corked thigh.

At halftime, the Eagles were down 22 points and had no goal shot because their forward line, which dominated Geelong six days ago, was nowhere to be seen.

The Eagles’ midfield had in the second season on the back of the young players Mikayla Bowen (21 departures and two goals) and Bella Lewis (18 ex ge) improved, and by the third season they had finally turned the momentum, with the Eagles suddenly going out of the running to be chased to the Hunters.

West Coast scored three goals for the quarter as Bowen, Grace Kelly and Imahra Cameron took half the chances and turned them into decisive results.

Richmond stars Monique Conti (24 exits) and Ellie McKenzie (22 exits) made remarkable use of the ball in the wet conditions, while captain Katie Brennan (14 exits) ) went forward where she was dangerous at ground level to score two goals.

Still, West Coast fought hard and used the ball incredibly well with a series of short kicks to break the Tigers’ defensive wall and get pressure .

When speed star Katelyn Pope scored late in the finals, West Coast was only seven points behind him and had all the momentum.

But Richmond started playing for territory and injuries of the Eagles continued to gain weight, with Belinda Smith (ankle) and Maddy Collier (cheek) missing the game.

Goals – Richmond: T Steel 2 K Brennan 2 C Bernardi. West Coast: M Bowen 2 G Kelly I Cameron K Pope.

Best – Richmond: M. Conti E. McKenzie K. Brennan T. Stanl S. D’Arcy S. Hosking. West Coast: M Bowen I Lewis N Kelly A Ward M Collier K Pope.