Sydney have finished their 2025 season on a high, with a 67-point demolition of wooden spooners West Coast on Saturday night.
The Swans kicked 15 of the last 17 goals of the match in a performance that defied their 10th place finish on the ladder.
Watch every Round 24 game plus the best coverage of the 2025 AFL finals series, including every game until the Grand Final LIVE with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
RUN HOME LIVE: Finals scenarios, what every game means for top 8 and live ladder
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
MATCH CENTRE: West Coast vs Sydney live updates, stats and scores
But it took a quarter time Dean Cox spray to spark the Swans after their sloppy start before they ran out 18.10 (118) to 7.9 (51) losers.
In a new low for West Coast, the Eagles have now made history as the first AFL side to record a 22-loss season.
With only pride to play for, West Coast had given their fans something to celebrate with the opening three goals – but they all but folded in a second half horror show.
The result ensures West Coast become just the fifth team in the past 50 years to record a one-win season – and they become the first team to do it since the Giants back in 2013.
The loss was further compounded by likely Match Review scrutiny for stand-in skipper Liam Baker and the injury to young gun Reuben Ginbey that saw him subbed out in the second term.
THE 3-2-1…
3. COX’S SPRAY SPARKS SORRY SWANS
In a match played purely for pride, it was West Coast who got the three-goal jump – and Swans coach Dean Cox didn’t like it one bit.
Fox Footy’s Will Schofield was on the ground when Cox made a beeline for his players at quarter time to unleash a spray.
“We’ve just witnessed an absolute rocket from Dean Cox – straight out of the race, straight to his players. Got them all in, after a really disappointing quarter here at Optus Stadium … He was pointing out individuals, he was pointing out lines. He’s not happy with the centre bounce, he wasn’t happy with his leaders.
“He was really vocal and some deep breaths being taken by a few in the front row.
“Certainly some fire down on the boundary.”
Whatever was said, certainly had the desired effect as the Swans mounted a charge and then took the game away from the Eagles with a six-goal to none third term.
“He does a good spray – nice big presence, pretty loud and aggressive so, well deserved though. We needed it,” Swans star Tom Papley said.
Sydney’s efforts left AFL great Dermott Brereton adamant the Swans would respond in 2026.
“This team is not the 10th best in the comp,” Dermott Brereton said.
“You get more than 11 games out of Errol Gulden…”
2. BAKER’S BUMP IN SPOTLIGHT
Eagle Liam Baker could be facing a delayed start to 2026 after an incident with Swan Chad Warner late in the second term.
With both players coming for the footy, Baker was seen to brace himself and appeared to make contact with Warner’s head over the ball.
While Warner was able to remain out on the field, Fox Footy’s Matthew Pavlich said Baker’s actions were one the AFL was trying to stamp out.
“It’s not the action the AFL wants in the game,” he said.
“I think Baker’s going to have an issue with that one.
“Is it a bad one because of the consequence? It’s not because Warner is still out there. But if he actually takes his head off… that’s a really bad action.
“We don’t want to see that action in the game.
“That’s one that has been eradicated for a long time.
“That’s one for the MRO to look at on the weekend.”
It’s worth noting Baker has already been fined by the Match Review five times this season – totalling $9000 in fines.
But he is yet to be suspended this season.
His actions come only weeks after captain Liam Duggan copped a two-week ban for his bump on Crow Riley Thilthorpe.
On that occasion, Thilthorpe was able to play out the match.
1. EAGLES ‘SELL HOPE’ IN STELLAR HALF… BUT FADE BADLY
The Eagles were guaranteed the club’s third wooden spoon heading into Saturday’s contest, but they started the match with a bang to give their fans some hope.
“We saw this a couple of years ago – North wanted to win a game final game of the season to give themselves some confidence that allow all those players that hadn’t played in a win yet to have a win – but it cost them Harley Reid,” Dwayne Russell said.
“Eagles finish 18th anyway.
“But they’ve got a number of players who are yet to play in a win and it’s hard to really put a price on how much a win will mean to these guys heading into the off season that haven’t played in one.”
But unfortunately for West Coast, their first half pressure fell away dramatically in a third term where they coughed up six goals to none.
Only young Jobe Shanahan proved a shining light in an attack end that’s reportedly all-but-set to lose co-captain Oscar Allen this off-season.
“He’s been impressing us not only tonight this first half, but across the last three or four weeks,” Dockers great Matthew Pavlich said.
“I really like the way he goes about his business. He gets up the ground, gets out the back at times as well.
“But importantly he gets to big man positions and competes like a big man should. I’m really enjoying his game.”
Shanahan troubled Swans opponent Tom McCartin, only a week after the defender held Coleman Medallist Jeremy Cameron goalless.
Follow West Coast v Sydney in our live blog below!
Discussion about this post