By Mike Sheahan
First published in The Age on September 27, 1992
The future arrives on the wings of Eagles
THE evolution of the AFL’s national competition is complete. The inevitability of a West Coast premiership became reality at 5.11 pm at the MCG yesterday, with the promise of more to come for the men from Western Australia.
Eagles players celebrate with the premiership cup and champagne.Credit:Wayne Ludbey
After just six years in the AFL, the Eagles have stamped their authority on the competition, scoring an efficient 28-point win over Geelong —16.17 (113) to 12.13 (85) — in front of more than 95,000 people.
They have climbed from third in 1990 to second in 1991 to first this year. Geelong still yearns for its first premiership since 1963 after two unsuccessful Grand Final appearances in the past four seasons.
The contrast was not lost on Geelong coach Malcolm Blight, who promised a reassessment of “the way we play in the future”.
Blight said too many of his players faltered under pressure, a fatal flaw against a team with the class and persistence of West Coast.
The Eagles have beaten Geelong 11 times in 14 encounters in six years, including three during the past two months.
Barry Stoneham (left) and Billy Brownless looking dejected in the change rooms after the match.Credit:Jason Childs
The Cats have averaged only 13 goals in those three games, a poor return from the team that works on the old Richmond theory that if you kick enough goals, you must win.
They set scoring records every other week during the season, but couldn’t manage winning scores when it mattered against West Coast and Hawthorn.
Blight told reporters after the game: “As a football club over the last four years, we’ve developed a player that runs too far ahead of the ball on occasions.
“When we’re good, we’re very good; when we’ve been pressured, we’ve faltered. I think this is our 11th final (under his coaching) and we’ve won five of those, which puts us in debit.
“There’s got to be a reassessment of the way we play for the future… on occasions, our defensive mode hasn’t been good.”
Eagles skipper John Worsfold, president Charlie Sutton and coach Mick Malthouse hold their prize aloft.Credit:Wayne Ludbey
Blight, a South Australian, had the good grace to acknowledge the implications of an interstate premiership, despite his decision to seek the sanctuary of the dressing rooms before the official presentation ceremony on the ground. His players stayed on the arena.
“We’re definitely in an AFL competition now. It’s great, isn’t it,” he said later.
While the Eagles finished the best part of five goals in front, Blight wondered what might have been had his skipper, Mark Bairstow, goaled from 35 metres five minutes into the last quarter.
He asked two relevant questions of the kick that could have cut the margin to less than two goals. Why didn’t Bairstow kick longer? Why didn’t Bill Brownless manage to shepherd Ashley McIntosh, who touched the ball on the line?
It was pretty crucial, Blight said ruefully.
For West Coast coach Michael Malthouse, a former Richmond premiership player, the win lifted the huge burden of the fear of failure from his shoulders.
Malthouse, who said the overpowering emotion was relief, added: “If I fear more than anything else in life, its failure.”
He was staring “failure” in the face when his men trailed by 23 points midway through the second quarter. They lacked their customary poise and were wasteful near goal.
Yet another blind snap goal from Peter Sumich 10 seconds before the half-time siren was a critical event. It cut the deficit to 12 points and boosted confidence.
The second half belonged to the Eagles and their champion winger Peter Matera.
Matera, who shaded Bairstow during the first half, turned the MCG into his stage after the interval. He kicked five goals for the match and won the Norm Smith Medal as best afield.
Many great wingers have graced the MCG in the modern era: Matera ranks with Schimmelbusch, Hawkins, Greig, Flower as the silk.
West Coast chairman Terry O’Connor said after the game that the national competition was “in full swing” as a consequence of the win.
As usual, the MCG crowd was gracious in its appreciation of the skill and character of the Eagles. Only the Geelong supporters could have had anything short of admiration for Matera, the remarkably athletic and composed young man McIntosh at full-back, the mixed bag Sumich always offers at full-forward, and the class and poise of Guy McKenna, Brett Heady and Dean Kemp.
For the second year in a row, the Eagles trailed by two goals at half-time in a Grand Final.
Malthouse said he knew it was different this time.
“I just knew from the looks on their faces they were… I looked in their eyes last year and there wasn’t much there. (This year) they wanted to work and didn’t want to give it away.”
Matera and Heady, who had been beaten at half-forward by Ken Hinkley, launched the blitz. The Eagles added 5.7 to Geelong’s 1.2 in the third quarter, the momentum had shifted in spectacular fashion.
Inevitably, Malthouse was asked if the West Coast win was the start of another era.
Typically, he winced and muttered something insignificant.
Whatever his private view, the Eagles are a force; probably have been for three years. The daunting prospect for the Victorian clubs is that the best of the West Coast players have a minimum of five years ahead of them.
It is difficult to equate the Eagles of April and May with the team that has performed so efficiently in recent weeks. They managed just two wins and a draw from their first six games, but they always were going to be the one to beat when McKenna, Sumich and Heady regained fitness.
While Blight marshalled his troops cleverly for the opening bounce, he simply didn’t have sufficient good players for long enough.
So, the AFL premiership cup leaves Victoria for the first time, but it is in fine hands.
Perhaps we are not quite ready for a West Coast-Adelaide Grand Final, but the end of the world is no closer because a group of men in blue and gold jumpers from the other side of the continent proved their class in the ultimate test.
Apart from the fact that thousands of people entitled to expect a seat at the game couldn’t get one — some couldn’t even get into the ground —it was a memorable occasion. The arena was in remarkably good condition and the Eagles proved them-selves a remarkably Rood team.
