The WAFL Eagles produced a stunning turnaround to defeat East Fremantle by 39 points at Mineral Resources Park on Friday night, reigniting their finals push with an impressive 18.11 (119) to 12.8 (80) victory.
In a crucial clash between two sides sitting alongside each other on the ladder and fighting to remain in the finals race, East Fremantle made the brighter start on a perfect night for football.
Tom Joyce opened the scoring early for the Sharks before West Coast captain Callum Jamieson responded shortly after. East Fremantle quickly gained control through Zach Rankin and Phoenix Knight, while further goals from Harrison Marsh and Oskar Smartt helped establish an 18-point quarter-time lead.
The Sharks continued to apply relentless pressure around the contest in the second term. Malakai Champion gave the Eagles an early spark, but goals to Noah Dean, Kaiden Summerell, Griffin Vladich and Smartt stretched East Fremantle's advantage to 36-points midway through the quarter.
With the game threatening to slip away, West Coast found another gear. Tyler Brockman kicked an important goal against the run of play before Harvey Johnston and Harry Schoenberg both struck, breathing life into the contest.
Matt Owies capped a dominant finish to the half as the Eagles piled on four consecutive goals to slash the deficit to just 12-points at the main break. The momentum carried into the third term as West Coast completely turned the match on its head.
After a tight opening to the quarter, Champion broke the deadlock before Schoenberg's second goal gave the Eagles the lead for the first time since the opening stages.
Champion, Johnston and Tylah Williams all hit the scoreboard as the Eagles' small forwards came alive, while a brilliant effort from Johnston created a goal for Lucca Grego.
What had been a 36-point deficit midway through the second quarter became a 27-point West Coast lead, representing a remarkable 63-point swing. Summerell managed East Fremantle's only goal of the second half to that point, but the term firmly belonged to the Eagles as they took a 21-point advantage into the final change.
Jamieson ensured there would be no late scare, opening the final quarter with his third goal before Johnston's third major extended the margin beyond five goals.
East Fremantle attempted to respond through a superb individual effort from Cam Eardley, but West Coast remained in control. Brockman added his second goal of the evening before Jamieson kicked his fourth, capping a dominant second-half display as the Eagles finished strongly.
Joyce was outstanding for the Sharks with 29 disposals, while Jack Cleaver battled hard to finish with 24 touches and eight tackles.
For West Coast, Johnston was influential around the ground and on the scoreboard, collecting 21 disposals and three goals.
Elijah Hewett (25 disposals), Sandy Brock Hall (28 disposals) and Schoenberg (27 disposals) were instrumental through the midfield, while Matt Flynn again gave his side first use with a commanding 52 hit-outs.
Champion finished with three goals in a lively performance, while Jamieson's four majors helped spearhead the comeback victory.
The win sees the Eagles leapfrog East Fremantle into seventh position on the WAFL ladder and remain within reach of the top five.
The Eagles play Perth in NAIDOC round 14 at Mineral Resources Park from 1.10pm on Sunday.
WEST COAST: 2.2, 7.4, 13.9, 18.11 (119)
EAST FREMANTLE: 5.2, 9.4, 10.6, 12.8 (80)
GOALS
West Coast: Jamieson (4), Champion (3), Johnston (3), Schoenberg (2), Brockman (2), Owies (2), Williams, Grego.
East Fremantle: Smartt (2), Summerell (2), Joyce, Knight, Rankin, Marsh, Dean, Vladich, Eardley, Robinson.
BEST
West Coast: Macrae, Maric, Hall, Hewett, Jamieson, Schoenberg, Flynn, Champion.
East Fremantle: Joyce, Marsh, Cleaver, Smartt, Eardley, Jansen.
