Luckless West Coast Eagles finally catch a break

West Coast has added some firepower to its forward line ahead of its crucial clash with reigning premiers Richmond on Sunday.

Josh Kennedy returns to give West Coast a much-needed boost for their clash with Richmond. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

West Coast will welcome back come some much-needed firepower for its crucial clash with reigning premiers Richmond.

Dual Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy and young gun Oscar Allen return to the Eagles’ line-up and will provide a major boost for its forward line against the Tigers on Sunday.

Defender Liam Duggan is another important inclusion for the Eagles, while Richmond has named midfielder Kane Lambert and Dion Prestia remains in the side despite a hamstring concern.

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Gun key forward Josh Kennedy returns for West Coast’s crucial match with Richmond. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Eagles have struggled for consistency in 2021 and will be desperate to secure a win at home to shore up their spot in the top eight.

Coach Adam Simpson knows they’ll have to be at their best to against Richmond.

“They had 18 of their premiership players playing on the weekend,” Simpson told The West Australian this week.

“They’ve got their soldiers back. They’re missing some key players as well but their brand stands up. They seem to thrive on the big stage.

“We’ll have our work cut out for us. We’re really looking forward to it.”

The news isn’t so good for cross-town rivals Fremantle, who loses captain Nat Fyfe along with a host others for its home game against Gold Coast.

The two-time Brownlow medallist has been ruled out with a shoulder injury, while the Dockers will also be without Griffin Logue, Brennan Cox, Nathan Wilson and Connor Blakely.

Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe has been ruled out with a shoulder injury. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

In other team news, rising superstar Matt Rowell finally returns from a knee injury for the Gold Coast Suns in a massive boost for the struggling expansion side, who have been without the midfield bull for most of the season.

Round 13 gets underway tonight with Port Adelaide taking on Geelong at the Adelaide Oval.

ROUND 13 TEAMS (All times AEST)

PORT ADELAIDE v GEELONG

Thursday June 10, 7:40pm at Adelaide Oval

POWER

B: Burton, McKenzie, Aliir

HB: Jones, Jonas, Byrne-Jones

C: Houston, Wines, Amon

HF: Georgiades, Marshall, Motlop

F: Rozee, Dixon, Gray

FOLL: Ladhams, Boak, Powell-Pepper

I/C: Bonner, Farrell, Drew, Bergman

EMG: Woodcock, Frederick, Garner, Lienert

IN: None

OUT: Fantasia (injured)

CATS

B: Bews, Henderson, Henry

HB: Tuohy, Stewart, Kolodjashnij

C: Smith, Dangerfield, Menegola

HF: Parfitt, Cameron, Atkins

F: Dalhaus, Hawkins, Rohan

FOLL: Ratugolea, Duncan, Selwood

I/C: O’Connor, Higgins, Blicavs, Close

EMG: Z.Guthrie, Narkle, Holmes, Stanley

IN: Dangerfield, Duncan, O’Connor, Blicavs

OUT: Stanley, Z. Guthrie, Clark, Narkle, Holmes (all omitted)

SYDNEY SWANS v HAWTHORN

Friday June 11, 7:50pm at the SCG

SWANS

B: Fox, McCartin, Hewett

HB: Lloyd, Rampe, Dawson

C: McInerney, Mills, Cunningham

HF: Papley. Heeney, Hayward

F: Wicks, Franklin, Amartey

FOLL: Hickey, Rowbottom, Kennedy

I/C: Florent, Bell, Parker, McDonald

EMG: Brand, Taylor, Sinclair, Stephens

IN: Nil

OUT: Warner (injured)

HAWKS

B: Hardwick, Frost, Impey

HB: Day, Jiath, O’Brien

C: Morrison, O’Meara, Phillips

HF: Worpel, Breust, Wingard

F: Moore, Reeves, Koschitzke

FOLL: McEvoy, Mitchell, Burgoyne

I/C: Scrimshaw, Howe, Shiels, Newcombe

EMG: Greaves, Cousins, Morris, Ceglar

IN: Day, O’Meara, Newcombe

OUT: Greaves, Cousins, Morris (all omitted), Lewis (injured)

FREMANTLE v GOLD COAST SUNS

Saturday June 12, 4:15pm at Optus Stadium

DOCKERS

B: Conca, Pearce, Duman

HB: Aish, Ryan, Tucker

C: Acres, Mundy, Brayshaw

HF: Colyer, Lobb, Crowden

F: Schultz, Treacy, Henry

FOLL: Darcy, Cerra, Walters

I/C: Bewley, Serong, Western, Walker

EMG: Blakely, Watson, Meek, Giro

IN: Conca, Pearce, Bewley, Western, Walker

OUT: Blakely (omitted), Wilson (suspended), Logue, Cox, Fyfe (all injured), Watson (sub)

SUNS

B: Powell, Collins, Lemmens

HB: Lukosius, Ballard, Bowes

C: Ellis, Rowell, Greenwood

HF: Swallow, Burgess, Holman

F: Rankine, King, Sexton

FOLL: Smith, Weller, Miller

I/C: Anderson, Flanders, Markov, Rosas

EMG: Corbett, Farrar, Graham, Sharp

IN: Bowes, Rowell

OUT: Farrar, Atkins (both omitted), Corbett (sub)

ST KILDA v ADELAIDE CROWS

Saturday June 12, 7:25pm at Cazaly’s Stadium, Cairns

SAINTS

B: Long, Wilkie, Howard

HB: Webster, Sinclair, Coffield

C: Hill, Steele, Billings

HF: Butler, Battle, Higgins

F: Wood, King, Lonie

FOLL: Ryder, Crouch, Dunstan

I/C: Highmore, Clark, Byrnes, Hunter

EMG: Bytel, Joyce, Clavarino, Connolly

IN: Long, Lonie, Hunter

OUT: Clavarino (omitted), Geary (injured), Ross, Membrey (both managed)

CROWS

B: Doedee, Butts, Jones

HB: Smith, Kelly, Worrell

C: Mackay, Keays, Seedsman

HF: McHenry, Walker, Berry

F: McAdam, Thilthorpe, Rowe

FOLL: O’Brien, Laird, Sloane

I/C: Fogarty, Hamill, Schoenberg, McPherson

EMG: Sholl, Hately, O’Connnor, Himmelberg

IN: Worrell, Berry

OUT: O’Connor, Sholl (both omitted), Murray (sub)

NORTH MELBOURNE v GWS GIANTS

Sunday June 13, 3:20pm at Blundstone Arena, Hobart

KANGAROOS

B: Atley, McKay, Turner

HB: Ziebell, Tarrant, Hall

C: Dumont, Cunnington, Young

HF: Stephenson, Walker, Zurhaar

F: Thomas, Larkey, Garner

FOLL: Goldstein, Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin

I/C (from): Mahony, Taylor, Scott, Bosenavulagi, Powell, Phillips, Xerri, Campbell

IN: Tarrant, Stephenson, Bosenavulagi, Phillips, Xerri

OUT: Menadue (omitted), Lazzaro (sub)

GIANTS

B: Buckley, Haynes, Reid

HB: Idun, Cumming, Ash

C: Kelly, Ward, Whitfield

HF: Hill, Finlayson, Green

F: Greene, Himmelberg, Lloyd

FOLL: Mumford, Taranto, Hopper

I/C (from): Kennedy, Stein, Flynn, O’Halloran, Brown, Sproule, de Boer, Bruhn

IN: Greene, Kennedy, Stein, de Boer, Bruhn

OUT: Buntine, Riccardi (both omitted)

WEST COAST EAGLES v RICHMOND

Sunday June 13, 7:20pm at Optus Stadium

EAGLES

B: Hurn, Barrass, Cole

HB: Rotham, Edwards, Duggan

C: Redden, Sheed, Nelson

HF: Cripps, Darling, Petruccelle

F: Allen, Kennedy, Ryan

FOLL: Naitanui, Yeo, Gaff

I/C (from): Waterman, Langdon, Brander, Edwards, Vardy, O’Neill, Foley, Jones

IN: Duggan, Allen, Kennedy, Brander, Vardy

OUT: Sheppard, Williams (both injured)

TIGERS

B: Broad, Balta, Grimes

HB: Baker, Short, Vlastuin

C: McIntosh, Cotchin, Pickett

HF: Castagna, Edwards, Graham

F: Coleman-Jones, Martin, Riewoldt

FOLL: Chol, Prestia, Lambert

I/C (from): Houli, Bolton, Aarts, Caddy, Rioli, Martyn, Ralphsmith, Miller

IN: Lambert, Martyn, Ralphsmith, Miller

OUT: Collier-Dawkins (omitted)

MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD

Monday June 14, 3:20pm at the SCG

DEMONS

B: Hibberd, May, Lever

HB: Hunt, Petty, Salem

C: Brayshaw, Petracca, Jordon

HF: Harmes, McDonald, Neal-Bullen

F: Spargo, Weideman, Fritsch

FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Pickett

I/C (from): Jackson, Langdon, Melksham, Rivers, Sparrow, Baker, Chandler, Brown

IN: Langdon, Chandler, Brown

OUT: Nil

MAGPIES

B: Noble, Roughead, Maynard

HB: Quaynor, Moore, Mayne

C: Hoskin-Elliott, Sidebottom, Poulter

HF: McCreery, Cameron, Bianco

F: De Goey, Mihocek, Elliott

FOLL: Lynch, Pendlebury, Crisp

I/C (from): Brown, Cox, Daicos, Madgen, Murphy, Rantall, Thomas, Wilson

IN: Mayne, McCreery, Cox, Wilson

OUT: Sier (injured)

Originally published as Luckless West Coast Eagles finally catch a break