What’s On | Round 12 
West Coast Eagles v Essendon | WA Day Round 
Sunday, May 31 | 5.20pm (AWST) | Optus Stadium / Whadjuk 
Gates open 3.45pm 

WA Day Round returns to Optus Stadium this long weekend when take on Essendon on Sunday!

The team will be donning black and gold once again as a nod to WA state heritage, in our special WA Day Round guernsey.

This match day will be packed with WA Day celebrations, from our on-field moments to Fan Zone experiences, including WA Day player cards, roaming mascots, a beanie giveaway thanks to Celebrate WA, and much more! 

We want to take back the wave, started by Kevin Sheedy back in 1993 – before the siren and after every Eagles goal, stand up and wave your scarf! 

We will also take a moment to honour the life and legacy of Neale Daniher, following his passing this week.

Match Day Timeline

3.45pm | Gates and Fan Zone open 

5.06pm | Team entry 

5.15pm | Tribute to Neale Daniher 

5.20pm | First siren 

Quarter-time | WA Day Mascot Race – with the support of Celebrate WA, the ultimate mascot race is back in 2026! Pick your favourite WA mascot and watch them battle it out to take the trophy. 

Half-time | 2026 West Australian of the Year – Celebrate the West Australian of the Year with our match day MC, Karl Langdon | Member Moments & Jim Beam karaoke cam 

Three-quarter time | Crown Kick to Win & AGL West Coast Wave – help build the energy for the final quarter! 

Post-match | Player giveaways to lucky fans around the boundary

Fan Zone 

Due to strong winds forecast on match day, the Fan Zone will be relocated across multiple areas on Level 1 within Gates A and D from 3.45pm. 

Western Concourse (Inside Gate D) 

• Beanie giveaway, thanks to Celebrate WA 
• Turn your photo into a WA Day-themed player card 
• Get a photo with Auzzie the Eagle from 4.15pm to 4.55pm (subject to change) 
• Iconic WA Day mascots roaming the Fan Zone 

Aisle 101 (Inside Gate A) 

• Airbrush tattoos and face painting 
• Arts and crafts station – make your own sign or bracelet 
• Compare how you measure up against our player height charts 

Eastern Atrium (inside Gate A) 

• Games galore thanks to Triple M – spilling wheel, handball target, cornhole and colour wall

Beat The Siren – exclusive food & beverage deals 

Thanks to our partnership with Optus Stadium, enjoy more exclusive food and drink deals from gates open until the match begins.

Flu Vaccination Clinic – Eastern Atrium

A free Flu Vaccination Clinic will be available this match day, provided by the Department of Health. The clinic will be located in the Eastern Atrium inside Gates A and B – arrive early to avoid delays.

Curtin raiser 

Arrive early and watch our West Coast Eagles Regional Academies curtain raiser. Entry for the curtain raiser is via Gate C from 2.45pm. Please note, all patrons must hold a valid ticket to the West Coast Eagles v Essendon match to enter Optus Stadium for the curtain raiser.

Mighty Moments 

This week is the last change for junior players to win $1,000 cash and an unforgettable private training session for their club with a current West Coast Eagles player! 

WA Football and 7NEWS have teamed up to celebrate grassroots footy through Mighty Moments, and over the past month we’ve seen some brilliant highlights from weekend footy shared. 

There's still a chance to capture an incredible mark, a goal, or a moment your young gun can’t stop talking about! Parents and guardians can upload their junior player’s best highlights until 9.00am on Monday morning at 7NEWS.com.au/mightymoments.

SuperStore Hours

Whopper Goal

Where and when: Optus Stadium, Sunday, May 31, 5.20pm

TV: Live nationally on Seven Network (7mate in WA), 7plus, Fox Footy and Kayo (see broadcast guide here)

Last time we met: Essendon 11.11 (77) defeated West Coast 11.9 (75) at Optus Stadium, Round 6, 2025.

West Coast took it up to Essendon the last time the sides met at Optus Stadium, leading for much of the night and building a game-high 28-point advantage early. The Eagles were driven by a strong performance from Jake Waterman (four goals) with Liam Baker and Jack Williams also impressive. But a five-goal-to-two third term from the Bombers shifted momentum, and despite a late surge, including Jack Williams’ third goal inside the final minute, Essendon secured a crucial centre clearance in the dying moments to hold on for a narrow two-point victory.

What it means for the Eagles: Back at Optus Stadium for WA Day round, the Eagles will take the field in a specially designed black and gold guernsey, representing the broader WA community. With pride in the State front of mind, a victory in front of West Coast fans would build on encouraging recent performances against the Giants and Magpies, in particular.

The stat:  The past two meetings between West Coast and Essendon at Optus Stadium have been decided by a combined eight points.

The match-up: Reuben Ginbey v Nate Caddy

Ginbey’s brilliant season has seen him tackle the opposition’s most dangerous forward week-in, week-out and it will be no different this Sunday when he stands Essendon tyro Caddy. The athletic Bombers forward has been in good form, kicking 12 goals and taking 27 marks in his past five games. Ginbey has the traits and nous to quell Caddy’s impact and that battle will be decisive in the outcome.

It’s a big week for: Willem Duursma

A fascinating family subplot adds extra intrigue to Sunday’s clash, with Duursma set to come up against elder brother Xavier – after facing off against his other brother Zane in the round two win over North Melbourne. The Eagles’ No.1 pick in the 2025 AFL Draft, Duursma brings versatility, aerial strength and clean ball use, traits that made him the club’s top draft choice, while Xavier Duursma provides Essendon with the running power and experience of an established AFL winger. If the brothers do find themselves side by side, there’ll be plenty of banter to go with a fiercely contested battle.

Big call: The Eagles convert recent close finishes into a commanding result, producing their most complete performance of the season in a 30-point win.

WEST Coast has capped a month of massive improvement with a commanding 30-point win against an undermanned Essendon, overpowering the Bombers at Optus Stadium in the first match of rival coach Dean Solomon's caretaker stint.

Just four games since losing as favourites to a decimated Richmond at home, the Eagles this time took care of business when they were expected to, winning 12.13 (85) to 8.7 (55) in windy and slippery conditions.  

They controlled Sunday's contest for long periods and booted eight unanswered goals either side of half-time to build a 53-point lead, with Essendon kicking the last three goals of the game to trim the final margin. 

The impressive performance franked a run of form for the Eagles that started late against Melbourne a month ago, continuing with a win against Greater Western Sydney, a narrow loss against Collingwood at the MCG, and Sunday's WA Day-eve win, which was the biggest of the club's five under second-year coach Andrew McQualter. 

With matches to come against Port Adelaide and North Melbourne at Optus Stadium before their bye, the 4-8 Eagles have quickly put themselves in position to have a successful rebuilding season as their stars deliver.

Midfield gun Harley Reid was a star on Sunday night, playing with trademark physicality and finishing with 24 disposals and nine score involvements, lifting when the Bombers challenged early. 

Key defender Reuben Ginbey was outstanding in his match-up on Nate Caddy and enhanced his All-Australian prospects, while midfielder Tim Kelly was key to the Eagles' ball movement with a team-high 28 disposals. 

Half-forward Milan Murdock and tall target Jake Waterman each kicked three goals, with prized No.1 pick Willem Duursma putting his tricks on show with 25 disposals, six inside 50s and a goal. 

For the Bombers, who were already forced into five changes as their injury list swelled to 16 players, there was more damage as key forward Archie May suffered a dislocated shoulder. 

Midfielder Elijah Tsatas came into the 23 and had an impact at the coalface with 26 and six inside 50s, while physical draftee Sullivan Robey was terrific with 19 disposals and a game-high nine clearances, with the Bombers winning the stoppage battle convincingly (44-23) but failing to convert the advantage. 

Solomon's first and most obvious tweak as caretaker coach was to shift key defender Ben McKay forward from the opening centre bounce, with the 202cm big man playing as a sidekick to Caddy and a back-up ruck. 

He didn't see a lot of the ball early, with West Coast bringing a ferocious pressure game to the opening quarter and racking up the first 10 inside 50s, with Murdock striking for the first goal of the game while playing a defensive role on Archie Roberts.

Waterman snapped his first goal after marking in the pocket, with the Eagles benefiting from a strong breeze but also playing with composure and using their numbers well to control the game.  

The visitors were on the back foot already when they were dealt an injury blow after May suffered a dislocated shoulder during a crunching aerial contest, with the Bombers only avoiding a scoreless first quarter thanks to a late behind from Archer Day-Wicks.

The windy conditions ramped up in the second quarter and favoured the Dons, with Nik Cox and Day-Wicks kicking early goals as rubbish from the stands blew onto Optus Stadium and sheets of rain drenched the surface.

Day-Wicks' committed approach was evident in a courageous mark running with the flight, but the Bombers didn't take enough of their chances and left the door ajar for a late West Coast rally, with Harvey Johnston and Jobe Shanahan kicking back-to-back goals. 

Then Reid provided the highlight of the first half, crumbing the ball inside 50, baulking, and then fighting off a tackle from Zach Reid to snap a terrific goal and restore a 20-point lead for his team at half-time.  

That might have looked attainable for the Bombers if they could get the game back on their terms in the third quarter, but a free kick against Jaxon Prior before the ball was thrown up saw Murdock kick his second goal, sparking a run of five.  

Bailey Williams, Willem Duursma, and Waterman all booted goals before half-back Tom McCarthy kicked his first in the AFL in his 22nd game, extending the margin to 50 points in the blink of an eye. 

The Bombers fought on and got some late reward for their efforts, with Caddy booting back-to-back goals in the fourth quarter and Zach Merrett (28 disposals) capping his day with a late goal.

WEST COAST 2.5     5.6     10.10     12.13 (85)
ESSENDON  0.1     2.4       4.5         8.7 (55)

GOALS
West Coast: Waterman 3, Murdock 3, B.Williams, Shanahan, Reid, McCarthy, Johnston, Duursma
Essendon: Day-Wicks 2, Caddy 2, Merrett, McKay, Edwards, Cox

BEST
West Coast: Ginbey, Reid, Kelly, Waterman, Murdock, Duursma, McCarthy
Essendon: Robey, Tsatas, Day-Wicks, Merrett, Bryan  

INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Essendon: May (shoulder)

Crowd: 37,623 at Optus Stadium