West Coast Eagles hold off Western Bulldogs for nine-point win after poor second half
Updated
A wayward West Coast side has managed to sneak past the Western Bulldogs 9.15 (69) to 8.13 (61) despite kicking just one goal in the second half.
The Eagles struggled mightily in front of goal in the second half, with Coleman Medal leader Josh Kennedy shanking three straight fourth-quarter shots that would have put the game beyond the Bulldogs.
At the other end, Easton Wood and Lukas Webb slotted majors to put the Dogs within reach, but West Coast had just enough in the tank.
The Eagles had maintained their advantage for most of the game — leading by 16 points at quarter-time and 17 points at both the half and three-quarter-time breaks — but it was almost undone by a woeful second half in front of goal.
The team's only six-pointer after the long break came off Kennedy's boot in the opening minutes of the third quarter.
That took his tally to 3.2, but he ended up an iffy 3.6 after that trio of set-shot misses that almost cost the Eagles.
Regardless, West Coast is up to second on the ladder, although GWS, Geelong and Richmond are all within one game and could overtake them this weekend.
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Topics: australian-football-league, sport, perth-6000, wa, australia
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