Eagles hold off fast-finishing Suns

Close ... Andrew Embley celebrates a goal against the Suns. Source: Daniel Wilkins / News Limited

WEST Coast power forward Josh Kennedy and ruck star Dean Cox snuffed out an audacious Gold Coast Suns to lead a rare Eagles win at home at Patersons Stadium this season.

The Eagles survived a horrible scare when the brave bunch of youngsters stormed to within just two points twice in the last term before little known West Coast tagger Mark Hutchings and then Bradd Dalziell continued his finest spell of AFL form with a vital goal and a 14-point break.

Another unsung West Coast battler Ashton Hams probably sealed the morale-boosting win with a highly unlikely contested mark in a big pack and kicked truly to set the margin back out to eight points and Cox sealed the win with an imposing last term.

West Coast held out to win by 17 points 20.10 (130) to 17. 11 (113) and Suns champion Gary Ablett only spasmodic in his bursts of genius in a sensational one-on-one battle with tough Eagles tagger Scott Selwood.

Ablett was at his most threatening in the last term and finished with 27 disposals after 13 touches to the long break.

Boom Eagles recruit Sharrod Wellingham finally slammed out the Suns resistance with important composure in the hot last term frenzy as well as a running goal going into time-on and a 14-point margin.

Cox, 32 and in 269th Eagles outing, eventually worked into best-afield with a masterful final term and Wellingham's experience in the crisis of the Suns brave finish was crucial.

On-ball guns Harley Bennell, Dion Prestia and Jaeger O'Meara were stars and Ablett all never seemed to give up hope of upsetting the Eagles on their home turf.

Kennedy now has 59 goals and leads Jarryd Roughead and Jeremy Cameron all on 54 in the Coleman race.

He led the under achieving Eagles to their third home win from 10 starts there this season.

Kennedy had his fourth just 10 minutes into the second term and methodically stretching his lead at the top of the Coleman Medal race as the league's top goal-kicker for the season.

West Coast looked set to break the game open with three unanswered goals and out to a threatening 20-point lead  in a six minute burst to start the second term and Ablett being closely watched by Selwood.

The Eagles survived a scare from the young Suns who suffered from horrible inaccuracy with three consecutive minor scores as the visitors threatened to take the lead and levelled score deep into second term time-on.

But somewhat against the trend of the tight clash West Coast nailed crucial goals at the 28-minute mark from Jamie Cripps on a quick free-wheeling burst and then after the half-time to Josh Hill for his second of the term from a gutsy contested mark.

The flying start from Kennedy forced some running repairs in the Suns defence with big Rory Thompson shifted off the big Eagles forward and Steven May taking over.

Ablett also worked his way back into some influence as Prestia dominated around the ball and bursting from midfield with a stunning 20 possessions to the long interval.

The Eagles already injury depleted midfield suffered another setback before the opening bounce with star ball-winner Matt Priddis ruled out with a thigh injury the clearances expert suffered at training on Thursday.

Veteran play-maker Daniel Kerr with on-going knee troubles, big possession winner Chris Masten who suffered an ankle problem against the Western Bulldogs last Sunday and Luke Shuey with a hamstring strain were all missing from the Eagles engine room.

Suns coach Guy McKenna pulled an early surprise by starting classy ball-winner David Swallow at half-forward and Ablett also lurking close to goal forcing a mismatch with Eagles gun big defender Darren Glass or Selwood away from the midfield in his turn running with the little master.

It was somewhat surprising that Ablett spent prolonged periods away from the midfield congestion and especially as West Coast established the biggest lead of the clash at 22-points just ahead of the final break and the Sun genius had managed 17 disposals and just four touches in the third term.

Uncertainty in Ablett's looming danger contributed significantly in the Suns first two goals as another excitement machine Bennell and big Charlie Dixon got free with successive majors to steal the lead eight minutes into the opening term.

Re-live the Eagles important win over Gold Coast in our AFL Match Centre, featuring all the stats and SuperCoach scores.

Glass was far more comfortable and evenly matched with his assignments on big Suns forwards than chasing the nippy Ablett around.

McKenna also sent veteran big man Nathan Bock forward in the renowned defender's first game back with the developing Suns since Round 6 narrow loss to Fremantle on the Gold Coast in early May last year.

Bock, 30, resumed from a badly broken leg and has played forward in the Suns reserves team for more than a month ahead of imposing return against the struggling Eagles.

West Coast planted utility Will Schofield into a defensive forward's role minding potentially damaging run and penetrating long kicking from dashing Suns youngsters Trent McKenzie and Seb Tape alternately.

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