West Coast has kept its unbeaten record intact and,
in the process, snatched top spot on the ladder with a thumping
59-point victory over Brisbane at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night.
Captain Chris Judd was simply unstoppable in another scintillating
performance that's sure to do his Brownlow chances no harm,
the 22-year-old finishing with 38 quality possessions and
four goals in a best on ground performance.
Big man Dean Cox dominated the ruck, while Chad Fletcher
(21 possessions), Rowan Jones (24), Tyson Stenglein (20),
and Andrew Embley were prolific throughout the night.
West Coast - already missing champion Ben Cousins with
a hamstring injury - was further weakened by the pre-match
withdrawal of star-midfielder Daniel Kerr with the flu,
but it mattered little as the Eagles proved their blue-chip
midfield was not the only weapon in their arsenal.
Judd got the Eagles off to a flier with the opening two goals
of the match, before the Lions hit back through
Ashley McGrath and Luke Power.
West Coast threatened to break open the game early in
the second when they raced out to a 21-point lead at the
five minute mark, before three quick goals to the Lions got
them back within three points.
The third quarter belonged to West Coast as its hard-running
midfield, led brilliantly by Judd, began to assert its
dominance on the game.
Any chance of a Brisbane comeback was snuffed out early
in the last, with goals to Daniel Chick and Adam Selwood
extending the lead to 56 points.
Leigh Matthews - who was coaching his
400th AFL match - believed his side ran out of steam
after half time and cited Judd as another on-baller -
following on from St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo and
Lenny Hayes a fortnight ago - to cause his team problems.
WEST COAST: 5.4, 9.7, 13.12, 18.14 (122)
BRISBANE: 4.2, 7.4, 8.8, 9.9 (63)
GOALS – West Coast: Judd 4, Chick 3, Cox 2,
Hunter 2, Wooden, Hurn, Staker, Lynch,
Graham, Embley, Selwood
BEST – West Coast: Judd, Hunter,
Cox, Braun, Embley, Stenglein
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