Germs the hero as Swans beat Eagles

SWAN Districts moved another step towards playing finals for the first time under coach Adam Pickering with the most unlikely of heroes standing tall on Saturday against the West Coast Eagles.

Swans remained undefeated against the Eagles thanks to the winning goal from second-game ruckman Matthew Germs at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday.

Both teams entered the game at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval on Saturday in winning form prior to last week's enforced break with Swans coming off a win over Subiaco to sit comfortably in the top five while the Eagles had won their first two matches of 2021.

It then proved a dramatic contest all afternoon with both sides able to have their moments of dominance, and then in the dramatic finish late feeling as though they had delivered a match-winning goal.

The breeze played a part in the contest all afternoon with West Coast kicking with it to start the game. The Eagles managed nine scoring shots to one as a result and went into quarter-time leading by 18 points on the back of three goals to one.

Swans picked up the breeze behind their backs in the second term and took full advantage with 12 scoring shots to four.

That saw the black-and-whites kick seven goals and they had blown the game wide open with seven goals to one to head into the half-time interval in control leading by 20 points.

West Coast got back that help behind them in the third quarter and it made a difference with the Eagles managing eight scoring shots to five, but they couldn’t quite find their accuracy managing just the two goals.

That saw Swan Districts still hold on to a 12-point three quarter-time edge setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

West Coast kicked the first three goals of the last term and went in front at the 23-minute mark when Cooper Nitschke kicked truly.

Swans needed something special to snatch back the lead and it came two minutes later with second-game ruckman Matthew Germs kicking the first goal of his career to secure the 10.11 (71) to 9.15 (69) victory and to further cement them inside the top five.

In celebration of NAIDOC Round, Warrick Wilson stepped up to kick three goals as the only multiple goal scorer for Swan Districts in the two-point win.

Sandover Medallist Sam Fisher was outstanding in the midfield for Swans compiling 28 possessions, seven marks, five inside 50s, four tackles and a goal while Frank Anderson added 24 disposals, five marks and five tackles.

Jackson Beck impressed for Swans too with 24 disposals and nine marks while Tony Notte proved mighty tough to get past at centre half-back taking 16 marks to go with 18 kicks. Chris Jones also had 16 touches and 13 marks, and Brandon Erceg 14 disposals and seven marks.

Jesse Turner finished with 18 possessions as well for the black-and-whites, Lachlan Riley 17 and Jiah Reidy 16 to go with 10 marks.

The breeze at Bassendean would have a big say in how the game panned out and it was West Coast who had it at their backs in the opening quarter. As a result the Eagles had the first five scoring shots but only one resulted in a goal to Mark Hutchings.

Swan Districts did well to score against the tide through Corey Gault but West Coast responded with a second to Hutchings and then another to Cooper Nitschke to see them lead by 18 points at quarter-time.

Swans took over having the advantage of the wind in the second quarter and the home team sure took full advantage. It took only two minutes for them to have two goals through Warrick Wilson and Sam Fisher.

Jiah Reidy and Matt Riggio would soon kick a couple in two minutes to put Swans in front for the first time in the game at the 10-minute mark of the quarter.

West Coast did get a goal back against the tide through Xavier O'Neill to briefly regain the lead, but Swans had all the answers with the breeze behind them to close the half with two more goals to Wilson and another to Jak Watson to lead by 20 points at half-time.

The impact of the wind wasn’t quite as pronounced in the second half but the Eagles still kicked two goals to one from Swans in the third quarter. However, Swan Districts still went into three quarter-time leading by 12 points.

Jake Waterman brought West Coast within seven points when he kicked a goal at the eight-minute mark and then he kicked another at 17-minute mark to make it a two-point ball game.
West Coast kept pressing and eventually got the go-ahead goal thanks to Nitschke at the 24-minute mark.

Swan Districts needed to respond and having not scored a goal in more than a quarter, it was second-game ruckman Matthew Germs who kicked the first goal of his career which turned out to be the match-winner in the two-point triumph.

OPTUS WAFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON – ROUND 14

SWAN DISTRICTS                                              1.0          8.5          9.9          10.11 (71)

WEST COAST EAGLES                                     3.6          4.9          6.15        9.15 (69)

SWAN DISTRICTS: Goals – Wilson 3; Fisher, Reidy, Gault, Riggio, Germs, Turner, Watson.

Best – Fisher, Notte, Beck, Anderson, Wilson, Jones, Erceg, Turner.

WEST COAST EAGLES: Goals – Hutchings, Waterman 3; Nitschke 2; O'Neill.

Best – Hutchings, West, O'Neill, Foley, Waterman, Brayshaw.