What’s On | Round 09
West Coast Eagles v Gold Coast Suns
Friday, May 12 | 6.40pm (AWST) | Optus Stadium / Whadjuk
Gates open 4.30pm

Join us this Friday, May 12, as we take on Gold Coast at Optus Stadium from 6.40pm (AWST).

Tickets for Friday’s match are on sale through Ticketmaster right now, and remember that more tickets will be released in the lead-up to Friday’s bouncedown.

Optus Stadium is a smoke free venue. Smoking or vaping is prohibited and offending patrons risk immediate eviction. 

Fan Zone locations for 2023

Head to the western concourse on level 1 (inside Gate D) from 4.30pm for some great kids’ activities. Meet our mascots Rick and Rosie and get your face painted by the West Coast Eagles fairies.  

From 5.40pm, join us on level 5 (section 543) or level 1 (inside Gate D) and have a poster signed by a member of the team pre-match, along with face painting applied by the West Coast Eagles fairies.

Public Transport

Please note, that Transperth's suburban event bus network will not be operating before Friday's match. Remember to plan your journey on Friday ahead with Transperth’s Journey Planner, and please click here for further information. Event buses will operate post-match. 

Public Transport is included in the cost of your match day ticket, with free travel on Perth’s buses and trains three hours either side of the match. If asked, please show your ticket to the driver or inspector.

If you’re heading through Gates A or B from Perth Stadium train station, 96FM will provide the afternoon’s soundtrack with various games and giveaways on offer.

Contactless Payment

All food and beverage outlets at Optus Stadium now accept payment by credit or debit card only. If you do not have access to credit or debit card, cash can be exchanged for a complimentary ‘Cash Card’ via Cash Exchange points located around the Stadium. Optus Stadium event day staff will direct you to the nearest Cash Exchange point at the Stadium. For more information, please click here.

Mobile Ticketing

Tickets for Reserved Seat members are now available to download in the official West Coast Eagles App.

Avoid match day delays by downloading the official West Coast Eagles app and logging in to your West Coast Eagles account now, ahead of Friday's match. We strongly recommend not to leave this until the last minute, in case you encounter problems, and to save your tickets to your phone wallet to ensure no delays.

Instructions on how to use mobile ticketing are available here, and instructions on how to forward your ticket to a family member or a friend are available here.

The West Coast Eagles Membership Services team will be available at the box offices B, C, and E from 4.30pm on Friday to answer any questions; however, please arrive early if you think that you may require assistance with your tickets.

If you have any issues with your tickets, please attend the match and the Membership Services team will assist; there is no need to miss the match solely for this reason.

Seat Return Program

Can’t make it to the match? Our Seat Return Program is available for Friday’s match. If your seat successfully sells, you’ll receive a credit towards your 2024 membership renewal.

For more information, including a step-by-step guide to returning your seats, please click here.

Credits will not apply if your seat does not sell, or if you do not attend and do not return your seat.

Auzzie’s Flight

Be sure to be in your seats from 6.15pm to catch Auzzie’s pre-match flight around Optus Stadium!

We’re on the lookout for one lucky member to release Auzzie the Eagle for our round 11 match against Essendon. Click here to enter.

Crown Cheer to Win giveaway

Members – get those scarves ready to wave! Be in your seat at halftime to win the ultimate Crown experience, including one night in a Crown Towers Premier Club Suite, Valet Parking, and a $1000 Crown gift card.

Where and when: Optus Stadium, Friday, May 12, 6.40pm

TV: Live on 7 in WA, Fox Footy and streaming on Kayo

Last time we met: Gold Coast 16.11 (107) def. West Coast 16.8 (104) at Metricon Stadium, round 20, 2022

A game of momentum swings came down to the final centre bounce after Jake Waterman converted a set shot with 38 seconds left on the clock and, although Nic Naitanui won the tap, the Suns swooped and rushed the ball forward for Malcom Rosas to seal the deal. Remarkably, there was still another goal to come, with Jamaine Jones slotting a major on the siren as the Eagles fell agonisingly short in Andrew Gaff’s 250^th game for the club. Jack Darling bagged six-straight goals, while Tim Kelly won 28 touches and seven clearances.

What it means for the Eagles: The Suns have been in good form with wins over North Melbourne and Richmond prior to a last-gasp loss to flag fancy Melbourne last round, so Stuart Dew’s men will be anything but pushovers. However, West Coast has a dominant home record over the expansion club and will be determined to give their crowd something to cheer about following a dire effort last time out at Optus Stadium against Carlton.

The stat: West Coast has won three of the four meetings between the clubs at Optus Stadium, with last season’s 27-point loss in round one the Eagles’ first defeat to the Suns from 10 games in Perth.

The match-up: Tom Barrass v Ben King

The big Sun is one of the form key forwards of the competition with 11 goals in the past three matches and looms large on Friday night. West Coast’s midfield will need to limit the quality and quantity of supply to help out their defenders, who in turn will need to work together to combat King and his sidekicks Jack Lukosius and Mabior Chol – the tall trio who combined for five majors against the Demons. Barrass was in fine touch against Richmond, holding veteran spearhead Jack Riewoldt goalless at the MCG last Saturday.

It’s a big week for: Liam Duggan

The understated but highly-regarded Eagle will lead the team into battle for the first time after coach Adam Simpson floated the idea of rotating the captaincy in Luke Shuey’s absence. Few Eagles are more consistent with their effort and attack on the football than Duggan, who is a key part of West Coast’s leadership group and has led from the front during a tough stretch on the field.

Big call: Hard-nosed mid Connor West has adapted to playing forward in the absence of several goalkicking regulars and we're backing him to kick multiple majors for the first time in his 25^th game.

GOLD Coast buried a hapless West Coast in one of the least competitive quarters of the season to set up a 70-point win on Friday night and inflict more pain on the wounded Eagles. 

The Suns produced their highest scoring quarter since 2017 in the second term, booting eight unanswered goals at the Eagles' Optus Stadium home to turn a competitive match into a procession, eventually winning 16.17 (113) to 6.7 (43).

Led by brilliant midfielder Matt Rowell, the Suns dominated contested ball (43-16), clearances (14-3) and inside 50s (17-5) in a brutal quarter that could not be explained totally by the continuing injury crisis at West Coast.   

They then weathered a brief third-quarter rally from the Eagles before kicking away to record their fourth win of the season and their first against the Eagles since 2017, ending an eight-game winless streak that included one draw.

Rowell was a force in the midfield, fighting off the tight attention of first-year opponent Reuben Ginbey to finish with 29 disposals (13 contested), six clearances and a massive 17 tackles.  

He set the tone early on, winning the first centre clearance and then kicking the opening goal from a forward 50 stoppage when he powered through congestion with brute force. 

Sidekick Noah Anderson also contended with heavy attention from midfielder Xavier O'Neill but was effective with 27 disposals and seven clearances, albeit down on his brilliant recent best. 

Key forward Ben King cashed in with four goals, while the Suns got an exciting look at the potential of prized draftee Bailey Humphrey, who was electric at times with 20 touches and a goal. 

Key defender Charlie Ballard got the better of opponent Jack Darling and peeled off to take an equal record 10 intercept marks in another excellent performance for the 23-year-old, with winners all over the ground. 

Ruckman Jarrod Witts played a key role in the overall clearance domination (41-30) with 48 hitouts, further exposing the Eagles' midfield weakness without their injured stars. 

It was a familiar tale for the home team, losing heavily and assessing the physical cost as Darling (arm) and Jamaine Jones (broken nose) ended the game with injuries. 

Premiership defender Liam Duggan, who was handed the captaincy for the night, stood tall with 32 disposals, while key forward Oscar Allen competed hard for two goals from limited opportunities. 

Scores were level when the brilliant forward kicked his first early in the second quarter and the Eagles had reason to believe, but the Suns' onslaught came quickly and ended any hopes of a rare victory.

Ballard extends injured Darling's slump 
The Suns' game early on was built on their ability to intercept the ball and build from half-back, with defender Charlie Ballard a force in the air. The 23-year-old, who ranked equal fifth in the AFL for intercept marks (3.6) ahead of round nine, took four in the opening quarter, including two in contests with the out-of-form Darling. The Eagles have backed Darling to turn his form around, and he looked like he might work into the game when he pushed up the ground early in the second quarter and set up Oscar Allen's goal with a clever inside 50. But it was ultimately another goalless game for the key forward, who battled through a left arm injury in the second half.  

Not good enough, regardless of injuries
West Coast midfielder Tim Kelly captured the mood well when he headed to the rooms at half-time and gave broadcaster Fox Footy an honest assessment of the opening half. "It really isn't good enough," a passionate Kelly said. "We've got to come out in the second half and give our fans something to cheer about." The Eagles' challenges with personnel are clear, and the team has shown an ability to fight through that adversity at stages this year. They did that again after half-time. But Friday night's second quarter cost them and it was not good enough, regardless of the circumstances.  

WEST COAST         2.3      3.5        5.7          6.7 (43)
GOLD COAST         3.2     11.7     11.10     16.17 (113)

GOALS 
West Coast: Allen 2, West, Petruccelle, Kelly, Clark
Gold Coast: King 4, Tsitas 2, Swallow 2, Lukosius 2, Chol 2, Rowell, Rosas, Humphrey, Day

BEST
West Coast: Duggan, Allen, Witherden, Kelly 
Gold Coast: Rowell, Witts, Humphrey, Swallow, Anderson, King, Ballard  

INJURIES
West Coast: Jones (broken nose), Darling (arm) 
Gold Coast: Nil 

SUBSTITUTES 
West Coast: Luke Edwards (replaced Jamaine Jones at half-time)
Gold Coast: James Tsitas (replaced Sean Lemmens in the fourth quarter)  

Crowd: 36,219 at Optus Stadium