West Coast look to have unearthed a future star in Reuben Ginbey, however their frailties have been absolutely uncovered in a 59-point pre-season loss to Adelaide at Mineral Resources Park.
The Crows booted the primary 4 targets of Friday’s match and led by 54 factors within the third quarter earlier than cruising to the 17.9 (111) to 7.10 (52) win.
Rory Laird starred with 32 disposals and two targets, whereas Darcy Fogarty (4 targets), Ben Keays (4 targets) and Taylor Walker (three targets) have been additionally key contributors.
Fogarty was dropped early final season earlier than profitable again his spot in spherical 9 and ending the yr with 33 targets to his title.
The 23-year-old starred in opposition to West Coast on Friday, and seems primed for an enormous 2023 marketing campaign.
“If you go back six or nine months ago, people were wondering what was going on,” Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks mentioned.
“But he’s done an incredible job off his own bat. He put his head down and went to work, and now he believes in himself. It’s a credit to him for where he’s at.”
One of the few positives to come back out of the match for West Coast was the type of first-round draft choose Ginbey, who was within the thick of the motion with 17 disposals and 7 clearances.
The 18-year-old missed final week’s pre-season win over Port Adelaide with a toe damage, however he seems a lock for spherical one following his star show in opposition to the Crows.
“It was really pleasing tonight, and we need to go away and assess tonight’s game and see how he fits into our round one team,” Eagles assistant coach Luke Webster mentioned of Ginbey’s round-one possibilities.
“But he certainly put his best foot forward tonight.”
Former Demon Jayden Hunt gave the Eagles some necessary sprint off half again within the first half, whereas Jeremy McGovern (25 disposals, 12 marks) was a rock in defence.
But the defensive frailties of West Coast’s horror 2022 marketing campaign reared their ugly head once more, with the Crows typically slicing straight by means of West Coast’s struggling midfield to arrange straightforward scoring alternatives.
West Coast’s premier ruckman Nic Naitanui did not play on account of achilles tendon soreness, and his back-up Bailey Williams was a late scratching with hamstring soreness.
It meant younger Eagle Callum Jamieson was handed the daunting job of quelling Reilly O’Brien, and the Crows huge man dominated on the best way to 35 hitouts and 17 possessions.
Andrew Gaff (13 disposals) and Tim Kelly (16) have been among the many star Eagles gamers to battle, whereas extremely rated teenager Campbell Chesser tallied simply 9 possessions in a quiet show.
“It was a little bit on ball movement probably,” Webster mentioned of Gaff’s robust evening.
“I thought he ran pretty hard most of the night, and unfortunately our ball movement just didn’t complement his game.”
Adelaide received the within 50m depend 20-5 within the opening quarter, and Fogarty cashed in with three targets.
West Coast ended up dropping the within 50m depend 65-37 in a foul signal heading into spherical one.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
