Live AFL scores: West Coast Eagles hunt rare MCG win in clash with fellow strugglers Richmond

Brandon Starcevich goes off looking in serious pain, but appears to be set to return. Might have just copped a tough blow to the mid section.

The Eagles have had a ton of possession, including 7 early touches for the impressive Herbert, but haven’t been able to make the most of it.

Jake Waterman and Cooper Duff-Tytler both miss very gettable set shots after some superb build-up work from the likes of Marcus Herbert and Milan Murdock.

Eagles on top early but can’t find the opener.

It’s Reid, Kelly and Yeo to support Bailey Williams in the centre square to open proceedings.

But the Tigers get the opening clearance and Tom Lynch earns an immediate free kick.

His kick from 45 out on a 45-degree angle is tugged left for a behind for the game’s opening score.

We’re 10 minutes away from the bounce!

Both teams are out on the ground at a fairly sparsely-populated MCG.

It’s a big test for West Coast today. They’re favoured to win, and there’s (rightly) questions around just how much the Tigers are well served to win. It’s going to be a fascinating few hours!

Our man on the ground at the MCG, Josh Kempton, reports it’s cold but there’s not a cloud in the sky today.

It’s a lovely day for a maiden win at the home of footy... there’s a whopping 14 Eagles players out there today who are yet to record a victory there. That list includes Brady Hough, who gets his sixth crack at it this time around...

Andrew McQualter is talking pre-game, and says his side’s experience in their most recent match at the MCG - in front of a mammoth crowd for Scott Pendlebury’s milestone match - will hold them in good stead.

‘No doubt’ No.1 picks Harley Reid and Sam Lalor will spend time on one another as the match wears on, he says.

Says he’s satisfied with his conversations with the league around the way Harley Reid is umpired: ‘We’re just hoping to have a fair run at it’.

West Coast have dropped their past five MCG games against Richmond, and haven’t beaten the Tigers at the home of footy since all the way back in 2015.

That was a Friday night clash that featured precious few players who are out there today, but a man who was among the Brownlow votes was Elliot Yeo. The then 21-year-old had 21 touches and booted a crucial third-term major to help set up the 20-point win.

The Eagles are well overdue today, surely...

West Coast’s side for today’s clash against Richmond features three players who have worn the yellow and black in Jack Graham, Tylar Young and Tom McCarthy.

And Graham clearly still has some fondness for his former teammates, spending the early part of his warm-up sharing a chat with Nick Vlaustin and Ben Miller.

Graham joined the Eagles via free agency in the 2024 off-season, while Young did the same last year after McCarthy was plucked out of their VFL program in the mid-season draft.

Graham crossed west with Liam Baker, but the Eagles co-captain will miss the reunion with his former side due to calf soreness.

Both sides are going in as named.

That means a return for Cooper Duff-Tytler - for his first game since round 16 - and Jack Graham, with Hamish Davis the unused emergency who travelled with the squad.

West Coast’s other two emergencies in Matt Flynn and Tom Gross will line up in the club’s WAFL game that starts at the same time as this one, against South Fremantle at Mineral Resources Park.

Hello and welcome! Can the Eagles snap their losing streak today?

West Coast did not win a single match in the months of June and July, but they’ll be hoping the arrival of August - and a very winnable match-up against the lowly Tigers - can help break that slump.

We’ll keep you across all the action from the MCG, with confirmation of the final line-ups in 10 minutes’ time.