West Coast proves too good for Geelong in JLT Series clash

The JLT Series is about more than just match fitness this year. It is also about getting used to nine new rules. And it didn’t take long for confusion to hit between the Eagles and Cats.

This year’s JLT Series is about more than just match fitness. Players and officials are also getting used to nine off-season rule changes.

And with so much change in the air, it didn’t take long for confusion to hit during West Coast’s 32 point win over Geelong on Friday night.

Late in the opening term, the Eagles were awarded a free kick out of the middle of the ground and players immediately sprinted off. 

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However, that is against the rules. 

Even after a free kick has been paid, all players must remain in the 6-6-6 format until the kick has been taken. While the umpires called the players back and got everyone in order, the match was delayed for close to a minute. 

“We don’t want 40 seconds of this. Maybe they will get better and quicker at it but we don’t want this in our game,” AFL great Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy. 

When the kick was eventually taken, Eagle Oscar Allen clunked a one on one mark, cashing in on the 6-6-6 enforcement. 

“That is exactly what every AFL official was hoping to see when they put this rule in place,” Lyon said. 

“They went back to six on six which meant it was one on one inside 50, there wasn’t anyone in front of Oscar Allen without an opponent at least. 

“He gets a run and jump at it and takes a big hanger.”

Dom Sheed was a standout for the Eagles on Friday. Picture: Getty Images

SHEED DOMINATES FOR EAGLES

Grand final hero Dom Sheed produced the goods again for West Coast who overcame a third-quarter scare to topple the Cats.

Geelong led by seven points late in the third quarter after booting three- straight goals.

But West Coast kicked the next five - including two to forward Jack Darling - to secure the 15.9 (99) to 8.17 (65) win in front of 6028 fans.

Sheed, who kicked the winning goal against Collingwood in last year’s grand final, finished with 39 disposals, seven clearances and a goal to be best afield.

Darling finished with five goals and 10 marks, while young spearhead Oscar Allen kicked three.

Andrew Gaff tallied 27 disposals in his first match for the Eagles since breaking the jaw of young Docker Andrew Brayshaw in round 20 last year.

The Eagles were also able to get valuable game time into Jeremy McGovern (ribs) and Elliot Yeo (toe) after their interrupted pre-seasons.

TOUGH START FOR HARRY TAYLOR

It was a brutal start to the 2019 season for Harry Taylor, who didn’t even get through the first quarter of the first JLT match. 

Taylor copped a nasty knee to the head from West Coast ruckman Nathan Vardy. 

He immediately fell to the ground before slowly making his way off the field. 

Taylor took no further part in the match, with the Cats not willing to risk the veteran doing any more damage. 

Andrew Gaff won plenty of ball in his return. Picture: Getty Images

NEW YEAR, SAME GAFF

Andrew Gaff was making up for lost time in his first taste of footy since his brutal punch to Andrew Brayshaw’s face. 

The midfielder can’t play in an official AFL match until Round 3 while he serves the rest of his whopping eight match suspension. 

However, Gaff is allowed to do as much damage in the JLT Series as he likes. And he did just that.

The midfield machine was the leading disposal winner on the ground at half-time, topping the likes of Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield.  

Recap all the action from tonight’s clash in our blog below.

Originally published as West Coast proves too good for Geelong in JLT Series clash