Jesse Hogan erupts as West Coast Eagles’ grim reality exposed

A stunning nine-goal haul to reigning Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan has handed West Coast an emphatic 81-point loss on Sunday afternoon.

A stunning nine-goal haul to reigning Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan has handed West Coast an emphatic 81-point loss on Sunday afternoon.

With the exception of a relatively even third term, GWS played the game on their own terms to take the Eagles’ start to 2025 from very bad to even worse — the final score reading 20.12 (132) to the visitors’ 7.9 (51).

FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.

The Eagles now sit at 0-4 for the second season running, in what officially marks the grim reality that West Coast and its new coach Andrew McQualter are faced with in the immediate future. The Perth-based side is notably missing several senior players, but even the most pessimistic of fans would have hoped for a better showing in western Sydney this weekend.

Credit must also be given to the home side however, who looked their brilliant best for three of four quarters.

“It’s a masterclass (from GWS),” Fox Footy caller Dwayne Russell said after their 20th goal for the afternoon.

Hogan’s nine majors were an equal-career best in his 11 years at the top level, and made the most of West Coast’s inexperienced defence. And funnily, his first eight kicks all resulted in goals, with a handball deep in the last quarter ruining his quirky streak.

Hogan was on fire against the Eagles. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

McQualter blooded three debutants on Sunday, with Sandy Brock given a baptism of fire in his match-up with Hogan. And despite the Giant’s end goal tally, three-time premiership Lion Alastair Lynch gave the 22-year-old some praise in his first AFL game.

“I feel for Sandy Brock in his first game, you would hate to be playing a full-back on that quality player with that sort of delivery inside 50,” Lynch said in the final quarter.

“Sandy Brock has shown a lot,” Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell added.

Tom Gross and Hamish Davis were the other two youngsters playing their first game, coming in for the likes of veterans Jeremy McGovern and Liam Ryan.

GWS coach Adam Kingsley rung one unforced change on Friday afternoon, but was been forced into a late change just an hour before the bounce with Stephen Coniglio. His absence was hardly felt, as Callum Brown filled his void in the enslaught.

THE 3-2-1...

3. COLEMAN MEDALIST RUNS RIOT FOR GIANTS... BUT COACH STILL ‘PRETTY UPSET’

Outside of a 31-minute patch after half time, Adam Kingsley’s GWS side looked their dominant best against a West Coast outfit crying out for experience and maturity.

Three debutants for the travelling Eagles was a sure-sign heading into this clash that there could be a rather large mismatch, and no one made the most of it more than Jesse Hogan.

For the second time in his 167-game AFL career, Hogan bagged himself nine goals as he predominately played on debutant Sandy Brock. The former Sun, who never played a game on the Gold Coast, was extremely hard done by throughout the afternoon, with the absence of Jeremy McGovern (adductor) glaring in West Coast’s defence.

And while McGovern’s injury hit deep, the Giants should still be applauded for the movement across the entire ground and in the air, not just inside forward 50.

“When they’re at their very best, it’s that ball movement and the run off half back (that’s so damaging),” Lynch told viewers at quarter time on GWS.

Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy added later on in the game: “They’ve dominated the air, they’ve taken to half time 11 contested marks. There’s about nine per team, per game on average.”

The Orange Tsunami is flowing! 🌊

📺 Watch #AFLGiantsEagles on ch.504 or on @kayosportshttps://t.co/iWj4zHHcMT
✍️ BLOG https://t.co/5HS9UVhlMj
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/N6yoFN7HDUpic.twitter.com/UTB5i0yMoX

— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) April 6, 2025

Hogan’s nine goals and five contested marks made the Sunday clash a nightmare for rival coach Andrew McQualter, who was unable to stem the flow of goals coming from the Giants tall.

But despite GWS’ 27 marks inside forward 50 — a club record — Kingsley was still fuming at the final break, off the back of a quarter that the Giants only outscored their opponents by one point.

“To come out and start how we did (was great) ... for the majority of the game, we were on top,” Hogan told Alastair Lynch on Fox Footy after the final siren.

“Obviously they’re a young, developing team (so) we sort of expected it to a degree ... but we walk away with the four points.

“If we want to be one of the best teams in the competition, we need to be able to stem the flow quicker.

“He’s a hard man to please ‘Kingers’, he came in (at three-quarter time) pretty upset.”

Hogan, who is renowned for his selfless nature in front of the big sticks, was then quizzed tongue-in-cheek by Lynch on why he handed off a goal to teammate Aaron Cadman earlier in the game, which in hindsight may have cost him a shot at double digits.

But ultimately, a set shot for goal number 10 from the arc was what cost him the rarely-achieved tally, with Hogan unable to register a score as the kick faded left of the goals.

“I’ve been on nine (goals) before and didn’t get a look, so to have a look with not much wind ... it was probably a fine to not get the distance for 10,” Hogan joked post-game to Alastair Lynch on Fox Footy.

Toby Greene (three goals), Darcy Jones and Tom Green (two each) were the other Giants to kick multiple goals for the match, while West Coast’s Jamie Cripps was the visitors’ sole player to kick multiple majors — each before half time.

2. GIANT LIVEWIRE LEAVES EAGLES WITH ‘NO HOPE’ AMID CAREER-BEST SHOWING

Jones got the Giants off to a hot start. (Photo by Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The Giants got off to a very fast start at ENGIE Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with none jumping out of the blocks quicker than Darcy Jones.

In his third year at western Sydney and just his 18th AFL game, the 21-year-old lit up the screens of fans across the country to kick the first two goals of the game. And by the first break, Jones had accumulated five score involvements from his seven disposals, as well as laying five tackles to contribute in all facets of the game.

Speaking on Fox Footy at quarter time, Alastair Lynch marvelled at Jones’ capacity to influence across such a great spread of the ground.

“(He) spent time across half back, but just gets involved on multiple occasions. West Coast, their young defence had no hope of stopping this ball movement (and) transition,” Lynch said.

“He is impressing both his home supporters here the Giants, and I’m sure a bit of envy from West Coast supporters watching from home.”

Jordan Lewis added at quarter and half time respectively: “As good as it was for Jones, it was as bad for Duggan. That’s the challenge for this West Coast side; he can see glimpses of hope … but the older, more experienced guys need to commit better than (this).

Not a bad opening half from Darcy Jones 🪖 pic.twitter.com/vvtZajpCyx

— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) April 6, 2025

“This guy’s been unbelievable in the first half … just to see the work rate up and down the wing, he can switch from one side to the other to provide options. He has been absolutely everywhere.”

Outside of Jesse Hogan’s obvious scoreboard impact, Jones looked Adam Kingsley’s best player to finish with a career-high 24 disposals, 13 score involvements, seven tackles and 494 metres gained alongside his two first term majors.

1. REID REMOVED FROM NEW ROLE ‘IN EMERGENCY’... BUT LOOKS GOOD IN IT

After a stint in defence in last weeks’ final quarter against Fremantle, second-year gun Harley Reid was again thrown into the defensive half to add another string to his bow.

However, as GWS’ goal tally piled up rapidly in the second term, coach Andrew McQualter had no choice but to turn to Reid for a stint back in the starting West Coast midfield; desperate for the highly-touted 19-year-old to stem the flow of an Orange Tsunami.

“In emergency, break glass,” Fox Footy caller Dwayne Russell said as Reid was into the midfield before half time.

“He’s only playing game 24, it’s only his second season and you feel like he’s been around much longer than that given how much we’ve heard about him.

“He wouldn’t have played a lot as a defender, it’s a pretty hard task… ‘send him back there and save us, will you?’”

Lewis cheekily added: “(It) guarantees he sees plenty of the ball!”

After a half time reset, McQualter reverted back to his initial plan of playing Reid through defence. The Tongala product looked composed and measured with ball in hand coming out of defence, and didn’t look rushed at any point.

Reid excelled in particular during the second half, with 18 of his 25 disposals coming after half time to also finish with 559 metres gained. It is the fourth time in his 24-game career that he has ended with 25 disposals or more in an AFL match.

Originally published as Jesse Hogan erupts as West Coast Eagles’ grim reality exposed