What’s On | Round 18
West Coast Eagles v Richmond
Sunday, July 16 | 2.40pm (AWST) | Optus Stadium / Whadjuk
Gates open 12.30pm

This Sunday, July 16, be there as we take on Richmond at Optus Stadium from 2.40pm (AWST).

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

Fan Zone location for 2023

Head to the western concourse on level 1 (inside Gate D) before the match for some great kids’ activities and the chance to win a signed guernsey.

From 12:30pm until bouncedown, enjoy a silent disco, circus workshop, face painting and temporary tattoos from the West Coast Eagles fairies. See stilt walkers and a magician roaming the concourse, and many photo opportunities with a photobooth and player cut-outs.

From 1.50pm until 2.10pm, find our mascots Rick and Rosie, and from 1.40pm until 2.10pm, meet and greet with a member of the team pre-match to get a poster signed.

Kids Go Free

From round 16 to 19, all kids aged 14 years old and under will receive free access to Toyota AFL Premiership Season matches across Australia. Tickets must be redeemed online to activate this offer.   For more information and to redeem your Kids Go Free offer, click here.

Vaping and Smoking Reminder

Vaping and smoking are not permitted anywhere in Optus Stadium or on concourses. Offending patrons risk immediate eviction. 

Public Transport

Remember to plan your journey ahead of Sunday 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 Sunday’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 12.30pm on Sunday 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 Sunday’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 2.15pm to catch Auzzie’s pre-match flight around Optus Stadium at 2.20pm!

We’re on the lookout for one lucky member to release Auzzie the Eagle for our round 20 match against North Melbourne; click here to enter.

Richmond left Optus Stadium tonight with four precious premiership points, but they were made to earn them – as they should – when they capitalised better on their opportunities.

The Tigers squandered some chances in the first quarter and that left the door ajar for a gritty West Coast Eagles outfit before the visitors closed it out emphatically, winning 14.14 (98) to 8.12 (60).

A period of dominance at the end of the second term and into the start of the third quarter when Richmond kicked seven unanswered goals proved decisive. That included the first four goals of the third term when the Eagles looked lethargic and the Tigers kicked out to a game-high 47-point advantage.

The home side needed to respond and it came from Oscar Allen, who had struggled to get into the game, when he continued his run of kicking at least one goal in every game this season.

Allen finished with three goals as the Eagles surged and drew back within 25 points in the final term before Richmond kicked away to their 38-point margin in red time.

The Eagles effort was led by Tim Kelly and Andrew Gaff through the midfield, Allen and Jack Darling deep in attack and a solid defensive effort where the standards were set by Brady Hough and Tom Cole.

Darling became the third Eagles player behind Josh Kennedy and Peter Sumich to kick 500 career goals when he converted a set shot snap around his body in the third term.

Gaff, who was the tactical sub at the start of the game, found himself injected into the game early when rookie Reuben Ginbey left the game in the opening 10 minutes with a hamstring strain.

The veteran wingman responded with a 24-possession effort that was rounded out with four marks and five tackles.

There were other injury concerns for Allen and key defensive pillars Tom Barrass and Jeremy McGovern. Allen fell heavily on his shoulder in the second term and headed to the rooms for treatment and finished off strongly.

McGovern copped a glancing blow in a contest on the wing and needed a concussion test before being given the green light to finish out the game and Barrass took a nasty tumble in a marking contest and went off for a few minutes.

All three showed great resolve to resume.

The resilience of the team could not be questioned, they were simply not as clean with the ball at the ground level and Richmond’s slick ball movement on turn over was a pivotal factor.

Again Shai Bolton, Dustin Martin and Tim Taranto were crucial in the Tigers victory.

Full match coverage and stats

WEST COAST     1.1    2.5     6.8       8.12 (60)
RICHMOND       2.6    5.9    10.13    14.14 (98)

GOALS
West Coast Eagles: Allen 3, B.Williams, Darling, Maric, Long, Duggan
Richmond: Pickett 2, Bolton 2, Martin 2, Taranto, Soldo, Ross, Riewoldt, Prestia, Miller, Baker, McIntosh

BEST
West Coast Eagles: Kelly, Hough, Cole, Gaff, Allen, Sheed.
Richmond: D Rioli, Bolton, Martin, Taranto, Soldo, Hopper. 

INJURIES
West Coast Eagles: Ginbey (hamstring) replaced by A Gaff.
Richmond: Nil

Attendance: 40,501 at Optus Stadium