Recently, they’ve missed key personnel: captain Alex Pearce, Sean Darcy and Josh Treacy. Fremantle will be better next year for whatever lies ahead in 2024, but the added experience from a finals campaign will greatly aid future growth.
Eagles fail to read the script
Jamie Cripps at the weekend. Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Farewelling Andrew Gaff, celebrating game 250 for Jamie Cripps and eyeing three straight wins for the first time in three years.
Victory over the banged-up Blues was supposedly within reach for West Coast, and would have tightened Jarrad Schofield’s grip on the senior coaching role. But it appears the Eagles failed to read the script.
Yes, Carlton were highly vulnerable, with 17 players unavailable through injury. But they were also brave, determined and unrelenting, a side who weren’t ready to watch their finals aspirations slip through their grasp.
Minus Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, Brodie Kemp and Matt Kennedy shone. Kemp, who entered the game with just two goals from 41 games mainly as a defender, finished with four majors, Kennedy booting two to go with 23 touches. The second term was the difference, Carlton dominating.
Disposals (109-64), contested possessions (41-32), clearances (13-8) and inside 50s (16-7), booting 4.5 (29) and keeping the Eagles scoreless in a quarter for the first time this year.
They moved the ball with speed and purpose by hand, Patrick Cripps the architect. The skipper set the tone, before elevating his game to a level no one else got close to. He finished with 35 touches, 21 contested, 12 score involvements, 10 clearances, eight inside 50s and another three Brownlow votes.
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