A Six-Pack Of IPA (Interesting Points, Allegedly): West Coast Eagles’ new club low for poor starts to WA games

Home groan West Coast have hit an all-time club low in the way they’ve started their past four games in their home state. In the first quarters of their clashes against Geelong, North Melbourne, Carlton and GWS, the Eagles have been outscored by a combined tally of 128-30, with that differential the worst-ever across a four-game span of the 472 opening terms they’ve played in WA in club history. West Coast haven’t held a first-half lead at any point in any of those four games. According to Champion Data’s player ratings, the biggest difference in individual performance for those matches between the first term and the rest of the match comes from Jack Williams (a minus-0.7 average rating in the first quarter compared to a 1.9 average rating each quarter thereafter), Liam Baker (1.0 compared to 3.5), and Tyler Brockman (0.6 compared to 2.2). WEST COAST’S PAST FOUR FIRST QUARTERS IN WA TOTAL: Eagles 4.6 (30), opponents 19.14 (128) Clear room for improvement Fremantle’s clearance issues were plain for all to see against Sydney. The Dockers failed to score a single point in the first three quarters from clearance chains – an uninterrupted run of play resulting directly from a clearance – for the first time ever since the stat was first recorded in 2002. Furthermore, their differential of minus-48 points from clearance chains was their second-worst in a game, behind only the minus-67 in a 91-point western derby mauling in 2019. Caleb Serong’s quiet game due to James Jordon tag spelt the end of the Docker’s streak of 29 games with five or more clearances – the second-longest in AFL history. Reliable Ryan Luke Ryan will on Saturday notch a milestone of resilience, becoming just the third Docker to compile a streak of 100 consecutive games. Ryan – who has not missed a game since round nine of 2021 – joins Matthew Pavlich (160 games from 2001-08) and David Mundy (124 from 2005-10) in achieving a triple-digit unbroken run of matches. During Ryan’s streak, 26 players have made their Dockers debut – representing more than 10 per cent of all players in the club’s history. FREMANTLE’S LONGEST CONSECUTIVE GAMES STREAKS Grand goodbyes This weekend’s crunch clash between Fremantle and Hawthorn will be the 16th time the clubs have met since the 2013 grand final – and the first one that won’t feature a single Docker who played that day, due to Michael Walters’ retirement and Nat Fyfe’s recent injury. The Hawks will field Jack Gunston and possibly Luke Breust from their premiership side that day, while former Docker Lachie Neale and ex-Hawk Bradley Hill are still active at different clubs. Lyon’s ledger In early 2017, when Ross Lyon coached his 122nd game for Fremantle, it meant he had spent more time at the helm of Fremantle than in charge of St Kilda. Fast forward to this weekend, and with his 185th game as St Kilda’s boss, he’ll now once again have more Saints games than Dockers games (184) to his name. There’s only three other men in AFL/VFL history to have coached 184-plus games at multiple clubs: Allan Jeans (333 at St Kilda, 221 at Hawthorn), Leigh Matthews (224 at Collingwood, 237 at Brisbane), and Mick Malthouse (243 at West Coast, 286 at Collingwood). What’s in a name? After making his debut on Friday night, Malakai Champion looks a unique talent – and he’s certainly got a unique first name. He’s the first Malakai to play an AFL/VFL game, and it marks the 17th occurrence of an Eagles player boasting a first name that’s never been featured elsewhere in league history. The other names, ordered by most Eagles games played: Quinten Lynch, Elliot Yeo, Sharrod Wellingham, Jamaine Jones, Kasey Green, Stevan Jackson, Jaymie Graham, Bradd Dalziell, Ilija Grgic, Tyrell Dewar, Koby Stevens, Blayne Wilson, Isiah Winder, Brant College, Gerrick Weedon and Loch Rawlinson. That list can grow if Lucca Grego or Coen Livingstone earn a debut later this season.