West Coast has registered their first win of 2026 in stunning fashion, coming back from five goals down to defeat North Melbourne by 17 points in a Sunday evening thriller.
The hosts snapped a 14-game losing streak despite the Kangaroos’ seven majors before quarter time, eventually winning 17.9 (111) to 15.4 (94) in a high-scoring contest.
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“Bloody good to get a win!” veteran Jamie Cripps told foxfooty.com.au.
“It’s massive.
“There’s so many boys who haven’t had a win yet for this club, so it’s so important for us.
“Hopefully there’s many more to come this year.”
Sparks fly after Harley Reid strike | 00:49
As exciting as Andrew McQualter’s second win as head coach at the Eagles is, the contest is a damning reality check for Alastair Clarkson’s side, who have the world of expectation on them this season after so many years at the bottom sector of the ladder.
Nick Larkey’s six goals weren’t enough to drag the visitors across the line in hot Perth conditions, as a whopping seven players kicked two or more goals for the Eagles — inclusive of first-year young guns Willem Duursma and Cooper Duff-Tytler.
There was no obvious, standout performance for West Coast at Optus Stadium in their team-orientated win, though 274-game veteran Jamie Cripps was instrumental with three goals at crucial points throughout his side’s resurgence.
McQualter’s side had lost five of their last seven games against North Melbourne heading into the clash, with their Round 2 win hopefully the beginning of a new era.
West Coast goalkickers: Cripps 3, A.Reid, Duff-Tytler, W.Duursma, Shanahan, Yeo, Murdock 2, Flynn, Waterman
North Melbourne goalkickers: Larkey 6, Zurhaar, Curtis 2, Powell, O’Sullivan, Dovaston, McDonald, Konstanty
THE 3-2-1… (with Catherine Healey at Optus Stadium)
3. FROM ‘NOT AT AFL LEVEL’ TO ENDING 308-DAY DROUGHT
West Coast’s 308-day win drought is officially over.
But they did it the hard way – battling back from 30 points down to claim just their 12th win in more than four seasons.
The Eagles were awful from the opening bounce on Sunday as they coughed up North Melbourne’s best ever quarter at Optus Stadium.
Exciting Eagles’ young guns put on show | 00:50
Turnovers cruelled Andrew McQualter’s men, with four-time premiership winner Jordan Lewis labelling the skills “not at AFL level”.
Five of North’s seven goals in that opening term came directly from Eagle turnovers.
But everything changed the moment West Coast went back into the rooms at quarter time – opting to get out of the 28C heat and make the most of the AFL’s heat policy.
While North Melbourne opted to stay out, the Eagles made the most of their break to come out firing in the second term.
“To be honest, we got parts of the game we wanted to right,” McQualter said at quarter time.
“Our pressure was strong… we just give away turnovers. Unforced errors which turn into scores for them.
“I just spoke to our boys to calm down around that. Trust the skills.”
Four goals to two – which could have been greater if not for Harley Reid’s poster and touched goal only worth two behinds – gave the Eagles plenty of hope heading into half time down by just seven points.
And they made their move in the third term – racking up their highest ever quarter under McQualter and their equal-best eight-goal haul since early 2023.
From 30 points down, the Eagles headed for home with their own 30-point buffer in stunning scenes.
Elliot Yeo slotted the near impossible from the boundary after the three-quarter time siren as the Optus Stadium crowd erupted.
Harley Reid was knocked down – as he had been multiple times during the day.
But Fox Footy’s experts still liked what they were seeing from the young Eagle.
“He’s been in everything – he’s had a bit of lip, he’s been physical,” Jordan Lewis praised.
“He lives on the edge – but I think that’s certainly where he plays his best football.
“Physicality is a big part of his game.”
“You’ve got to take the good with the bad with Harley Reid,” Nick Dal Santo added.
“He’ll give away a few – but the ones he earns himself are worth their weight in gold.”
Reid’s error in the final quarter opened the door for the Roos – who cashed on in the 50m penalty.
But still the youngster threw himself into every contest to help lift West Coast to a rare victory.
2. COACH’S BRUTAL TRUTH AS ROOS STALL
Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson was riding a seven-goal high at quarter time as his side burst out of the blocks.
The Roos were at their damaging best as West Coast were made to pay time and time again for their costly turnovers.
But once the Eagles skills lifted, the Roos didn’t.
And Clarkson didn’t like what he was seeing.
“Gee, we withstood an onslaught there for about 15 minutes in the middle of that quarter,” he told Fox Footy at half time.
“They just won the ball around the contest and made us look second rate.
“We’ve got to try and fix that up – if we don’t we’re going to be in trouble.”
Roos ‘couldn’t capitalise’ in upset loss | 08:39
And that contest work didn’t improve in the third term as West Coast landed eight damaging blows.
“It’s been the ground ball game dominated by West Coast in quarters two and three,” Jordan Lewis lamented.
“In and around the stoppage, (North Melbourne) need to become more aggressive.”
Shocking statistics showed that since quarter time (and through to almost three quarter time), West Coast had a whopping 244 metres gained by handball.
North Melbourne in comparison? Just 24m.
Yes, 10 times worse!
“It’s been a massive swing in this game,” Adam Papalia said.
“Just can’t get any overlap run,” Lewis said.
North’s cause wasn’t helped by confirmation Griffin Logue’s day was done in the first term with a thigh complaint.
“Once you know they’re out, they’re out. You just worry about it during the week,” Clarkson said in that half-time chat.
“It’s made it a little bit of a challenge for us – we’ve just got to persevere.”
1.SAFETY FIRST? EAGLE’S WORRYING OUTCOME
When Harry Edwards copped a nasty knock from friendly fire, it was clear the defender was struggling.
The man who hit him, Matt Flynn, immediately gestured to the bench as Edwards stayed down on the Optus Stadium turf.
But instead of stopping play, North Melbourne were allowed to kick inside 50 – while Edwards was lame on the 50m arc.
“He was in immediate distress,” Adam Papalia said on Fox Footy.
“Edwards has gone down just collecting his breath.”
“How is that obvious to everyone else, yet they restart the game?” Jordan Lewis added.
Edwards initially tried to push the doctor away – as he did with his earlier concussion suffered in the pre-season loss to Port Adelaide.
Winning formula is there in ‘great win’ | 10:30
But eventually made his way to the bench where he was ruled out of the match.
“He pushed away the doctor the first time. Now the decision’s out of his hands,” Nick Dal Santo said.
“Hope he’s ok, but you’re spot on – this is the one that no risk taken.
“Stop the game. Remove the injured player or the player under duress which he is.
“When these situations happen – health comes first.”
Papalia said it was a worrying outcome for Edwards who has only just returned from the concussion protocols.
Speaking after the match, coach Andrew McQualter conceded Edwards was set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
“Clearly not ideal,” he said.
“We’re going to have to go away – I’m imagining he’ll spend a little bit of time away from the game now trying to get himself healthy and right again. We’ll do everything we can to support him.”
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