Freo blitz ‘gutsy’ Eagles as ‘injury carnage’ rocks Western Derby

Fremantle may have claimed a massive Western Derby win but it was West Coast who finished the talking point after a day of absolute injury carnage.

Alex Pearce of the Dockers and Liam Duggan of the Eagles. Picture: Morgan Hancock

Fremantle may have claimed a massive 41-point Western Derby win but it was West Coast who finished the talking point after a day of absolute injury carnage.

The Eagles were left with no fit players on the bench after the likes of Luke Shuey, Jeremy McGovern, Jamie Cripps and Alex Witherden were all ruled out with injury.

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Shuey, who has a lengthy soft tissue injury history, was so frustrated he punched the wall in the dugout as he’s expected to miss at least a month of football.

While a clearly hampered Liam Ryan tried to return in the final quarter to give his side one rotation, it mattered little as Freo pulled away for the win.

The 16.12 (108) to 9.13 (67) result is remarkable given Jack Darling brought the Eagles to within two points early in the final quarter.

But with an injury list rarely seen in the AFL, the Eagles simply ran out of puff as Fremantle cashed in.

The result leaves Geelong as the only team in the AFL without a win in 2023 in an extraordinary stat.

The Eagles started strongly in Western Derby 56, with Oscar Allen and Jack Darling kicking five goals between them.

But the match turned sour as the Eagles suffered what can only be described as “injury carnage”.

Injured Eagles skipper Luke Shuey lashed out when subbed out of the Western Derby.

First Luke Shuey limped off – after a best on ground first quarter. The skipper was so frustrated, he lashed out and punched the dug out wall as he was subbed out with a hamstring injury.

But it only got worse from there with Campbell Chesser (knee) and Jeremy McGovern (hamstring) following Shuey to the bench.

While Chesser was able to return – with his knee heavily strapped – the blows just kept coming.

Alex Witherden was ruled out with concussion at half time after he bravely copped a knee to the ribs in a marking contest and crashed heavily to the turf.

Jamie Cripps was left assisted from the field after his ankle got caught under Alex Pearce’s body in a tackle.

Cripps couldn’t put any weight on his leg in worrying signs before the devastation continued.

Liam Ryan flew high for a mark and crashed heavily down. Despite being assisted from the field, he bravely returned clearly hampered by a leg issue.

The Eagles had no rotations for at least five minutes in the third term and were limited to just one for patches of the final term before the decision was made to keep Ryan benched.

“You just don’t see this many in one day,” commentator Adam Papalia said.

“Did someone break a mirror or walk under a ladder?”

Jamie Cripps helped off the field. Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

It was an impressive performance from the Eagles, who endured a dismal 2022 season where their committment and attitude was questioned.

But against the Dockers on Sunday, the Eagles showed the kind of fight their fans have come to expect under coach Adam Simpson.

With no fit players left on the bench as the likes of senior players Shuey, McGovern and Cripps were ruled out, the Eagles stood tall in the third quarter.

“It’s just been courage and persistence,” commentator Dwayne Russell said.

“To lose the quality of players and turn it around and be so competitive in that third quarter is just a phenomenal performance.”

Coach Adam Simpson was described as “like a proud father” on the bench as he continued to try and rally his troops, despite having no fit players to call on in the third quarter.

“They were the dominant side by a long way in that quarter,” Fox Footy’s Will Schofield said.

The Eagles – despite having no rotations for at least the last five minutes of the third term – actually won the quarter 3.5 to Fremantle’s 1.3.

Originally published as Freo blitz ‘gutsy’ Eagles as ‘injury carnage’ rocks Western Derby