West Coast defeats GWS on back of Gaff, NicNat brilliance

ANDREW Gaff had a day to remember and Nic Naitanui took a contender for mark of the year as the West Coast Eagles prevailed over Greater Western Sydney, sending the Giants spiralling out of the top eight.

Nic Naitanui was the most dominant ruckman on the ground in the Eagles’ win over the Giants. Picture: Getty Images

NIC Naitanui lodged a mark of the year contender and West Coast said don’t forget us as a premiership contender, as the Eagles outlasted Greater Western Sydney in an epic at Perth Stadium.

The Eagles snapped their three-game losing streak, setting up a top-four blockbuster with Collingwood at the MCG with a gutsy 11-point win over the Giants.

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Nic Naitanui was the most dominant ruckman on the ground in the Eagles’ win over the Giants. Picture: Getty Images

In a contest where both teams had to make do without all of their most dangerous forwards, West Coast conjured a winning score on the back of a superb midfield effort.

In-demand free agent Andrew Gaff kicked two goals, including a crucial last quarter snap, to go with his 41 disposals. Naitanui returned to form with a pair of towering pack marks to be the dominant ruckman on the ground.

The Giants’ own four-match winning run is over and they tumbled from sixth to 10th ahead of a clash with Richmond at Spotless Stadium on Saturday night.

A thrilling last quarter came with controversy at both ends. Eagles defender Tom Cole was pinged in a tough holding the ball call that gifted a goal to Harry Himmelberg, while the Giants were left fuming after Jeremy McGovern was allowed to take the advantage and kick the final goal of the game despite appearing to have stopped.

Willie Rioli’s nerveless set shot in time-on of the final term was another body blow for the Giants.

Andrew Gaff was the best player on the ground with 41 disposals and two goals. Picture: Getty Images

The Eagles kicked five goals to one in the second term to break open an arm wrestle and take a 13-point lead to halftime.

But the scoreboard failed to paint an accurate picture of the state of the game, with the visitors left to rue their return of 1.6 for the quarter as the makeshift West Coast forward set-up made a better fist of things at the other end.

The Giants’ intimidating midfield looked capable of stretching the Eagles’ on-ball unit, but it was the West Coast engine room that held a narrow edge in the first half.

Gaff had 26 of his disposals and all six of his clearances in a huge first-half, while Jack Redden and Luke Shuey were also excellent throughout.

Stephen Coniglio was the best for the Giants in a losing effort. Picture: Getty Images

Naitanui’s screamer over the top of teammate Scott Lycett and Giant Aidan Corr was the highlight as the tempo lifted a notch in the third.

McGovern had just two first-half touches playing in an unfamiliar role as a forward, but he slotted a crucial major from the 50m arc 10 minutes into the third term to make his first imprint on the match.

Jamie Cripps chipped in with two, while Adam Tomlinson was the Giants’ most reliable avenue in attack and he added his third leading into the final change.

Elliot Yeo applied suffocating pressure for the Eagles. Picture: Getty Images

SCOREBOARD

WEST COAST 1.2 6.3 10.3 13.8 (86)

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.2 3.8 7.12 10.15 (75)

GOALS

West Coast: Rioli 2, Hutchings 2, Cripps 2, Gaff 2, McGovern 2, Lycett, Ainsworth, Redden

Greater Western Sydney: Tomlinson 3, Himmelberg 2, Whitfield, Ward, Perryman, Coniglio, de Boer,

BEST — BRADEN QUARTERMAINE

West Coast: Gaff, Yeo, Hurn, Redden, Hutchings, Shuey, Naitanui

Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio, Whitfield, Tomlinson, Taranto, Himmelberg, Ward

VOTES — BRADEN QUARTERMAINE

3 — Gaff

2 — Yeo

1 — Coniglio

INJURIES

West Coast: Nil

Greater Western Sydney: Nil

Reports: Nil

Official crowd: 52,105 at Optus Stadium

Originally published as West Coast defeats GWS on back of Gaff, NicNat brilliance