Game Review

West Coast were in a solid third place on the ladder coming into this match at Princes Park, although they had been hit hard by injuries the previous week. In the circumstances, Carlton was given a good chance of causing an upset.

The Eagles started the match without their three leading goal-kickers of the season so far in Sumich, Heady and Langdon, and were wasteful near goal in the first quarter. But from then on, they took control and pulled away to an emphatic win by five goals.

Hindsight makes this one of the games that announced to the football world that the Eagles could win away from Western Australia, and that they were genuine premiership contenders. The fact that they developed into the outstanding team of the 90's gives the match even more significance.

One consolation for the home side was the return to form of Stephen Kernahan, who kicked four goals from centre half-forward. Sharpshooting rover Fraser Murphy also posted four, and young full-forward Simon Minton-Connell added three from limited opportunities. Best for the Blues, however - for the second week in succession – was Stephen Silvagni at full-back. Had ‘SOS’ not been there, this defeat would probably have ended in a rout.

Carlton’s finals hopes were now deep in jeopardy. The Blues had slid down to eighth, and their next assignment was to play a consistent Footscray at the Western Oval, where a win would revive hope, but defeat would extinguish it.

Team

Brownlow Votes

3: Chris Lewis (West Coast Eagles)
2: Stephen Silvagni
1: Stephen Malaxos (West Coast Eagles)