Maybe the players felt that way, too. That after three quality quarters of football against the Gold Coast Suns, they had done enough to win.
They had enjoyed, to that point, a dominant performance. Set up by Nic Naitanui, who produced his best game of the season, with 35 hit-outs and, more importantly, 22 possessions, the Eagles were in control.
If one were to be critical, it would be that the return effort was not quite there and that 24 scoring shots to 14 at the last change could have been better illustrated on the scoreboard.
Nonetheless, the Eagles’ faithful were comfortable.
Sharrod Wellingham, cast in the unusual role as the minder for Gary Ablett, with Scott Selwood ruled out with a major ankle problem, Josh Kennedy up forward, Matt Priddis through the midfield and Shannon Hurn off half-back had done enough to propel West Coast over the line.
Gold Coast looked beaten as they made their way to the three-quarter-time huddle.
But the young Suns might have been imagining a different finale to that projected by their body language. And as they clawed back one goal after the next after next, their demeanour definitely changed.
There was a belief in their disposition, a daring in their football, and led by Ablett, Dion Prestia, and young Western Australians Jaeger O’Meara and David Swallow, they surged. Irresistibly.
Until they hit the front with minutes remaining.
Enter West Coast’s man of the moment. A young man who had his issues on day one of pre-season when he had taken the off-season to be a period of absolute rest and turned up in no condition to train.
Jeremy McGovern had won back the respect of his teammates and the coaching staff with a revamped attitude, had worked his way into the team and was quickly demonstrating a temperament for the big time.
First he slotted through the goal that put West Coast in front and then he pushed into the back half as the Eagles’ plus-one and took a couple of timely marks.
His work in the last few minutes ensured West Coast clinched the points – though that could have been different had the classy Ablett nailed a snap, rather than hitting the post in the closing minutes.
LAST THREE CLASHES
Round 13, 2014
Saturday, June 14 – Patersons Stadium
West Coast Eagles 4.3 9.7 14.10 15.13 (103)
Gold Coast Suns 3.3 6.4 9.5 15.10 (100)
Goals: West Coast Eagles – Kennedy 7; McGovern 3; Cripps, Hutchings, LeCras, Lycett, Wellingham. Gold Coast Suns – Dixon, Lynch 3; Matera, Rischetelli 2; Hall, Prestia, Bennell, Harbrow, O’Meara.
Attendance: 32,942
Round 19, 2013
Saturday, August 3 –Patersons Stadium
West Coast Eagles 4.0 10.1 15.6 20.10 (130)
Gold Coast Suns 3.3 7.7 11.8 17.11 (113)
Goals: West Coast Eagles – Kennedy 5; Hill 3; Dalziell, Schofield 2; Embley, Hams, Cox, Mackenzie, Cripps, Hutchings, Lycett, Wellingham. Gold Coast Suns – Sexton 3; Hall, Brown, Ablett, Bennell, Bock 2; Dixon, Stanley. Swallow, Harbrow.
Attendance: 32,140
Round 14, 2012
Saturday, June 30 – Patersons Stadium
West Coast Eagles 8.3 11.5 17.11 25.16 (166)
Gold Coast Suns 2.3 4.8 5.9 5.10 (40)
Goals: West Coast Eagles - Lynch 4; Darling, Shuey 3; Hams, Cox, Hill, Newnman, Naitanui 2; Gaff, Kerr, McGinnity, Hurn, S Selwood. Gold Coast Suns – Dixon, Ablett, Bennell, Patrick, Shaw.
Attendance: 34,592
West Coast Eagles record against the Gold Coast Suns
Played: 4 (all day games). All games at home, 0 away. 100% home games, 0% away.
Won: 4 (all at home) - 100% games won.
Lost: 0
Drawn: 0
Home games: 4 (4 won , 0 lost); 100% games won at home, 0% of games lost at home.
Away games: 0
