AFL live scores: West Coast Eagles confront Port Adelaide in earliest-ever body clock start time
AFL: West Coast are hunting their second win of the new AFL season against Port Adelaide - but the Eagles will have to overcome a historically early start time in Adelaide, with their body clocks reading 9.30am.
History will not be on their side as they look to back up a stirring win over North Melbourne with their first victory in South Australia since 2021, with teams from the west having a long history of struggling to adjust to earlier away games.
Meanwhile, the Power will also be looking to continue their momentum from a big win over Essendon last week and have handed former Fremantle on-baller Will Brodie a club debut.
Follow all the action in our live blog!
Gifts
Schoenberg could have had his first Eagles goal but instead was unselfish and centred the ball to Waterman directly in front of goal.
The former Crow was also the one who got it forward with a deft kick to Robertson before he followed the ball in and gathered the crumbs.
Has been some good Eagles to wear the No.48 as well with Jakovich and Cox having sported it.
PA 42, WCE 19
Power skipping away
Port could have started the term with three goals but it takes Georgiades from the boundary to grab their first.
The Eagles are in danger of getting blown away as they continue to struggle to get their hands on the footy.
PA 42, WCE 13
QT: Port Adelaide 35, West Coast 13
The team stats tell much of the tale for West Coast.
They’ve had seven more turnovers which has resulted in an extreme inside 50 difference with the Power leading the stat 17 to six.
The Eagles are only slightly down in the contested ball but uncontested is a real concern.
Yeo grabbed a great on-the-run goal back late but Port are well on top and had they not missed a few late could have very nearly put the game away.
Pressure high
Port Adelaide are producing a pressure factor of 215 while West Coast are currently at 192.
The tackling game from both teams has been supreme. The real difference is in the lack of clean touch and disposal from the Eagles.
Port are handling the pressure better and have the height advantage going forward.
The Eagles just need to hang in while Port are hot and try and turn the momentum through small moments.
PA 33, WCE 7
Put a Bo on in it
Berry lets the Eagles off on a terrible turnover and the road team make the most of it.
They go from defence to attack before Archer Reid took a strong mark and fed Bo Allan on the wing who kicks their first goal on the run.
PA 26, WCE 7
Slow start
The Eagles are threatening to be blown out of the water in the first quarter as they were against Gold Coast.
Port’s midfield is getting too much space which makes going forward easy and the home side aren’t missing their chances.
PA 19, WCE 0
Underway!
The Eagles are kicking to the Southern end as Reid renews his rivalry with Horne-Francis.
Flynn wins the tap down to Robertson but the ball spills free in the tackle and the Power go forward and have their first goal inside 30 seconds.
PA 6, WCE 0
Early planning
A strange piece of scheduling has subjected the Eagles to a 9.30 Perth time start, but they have been planning for their clash with Port Adelaide from a fair way back.
Here we go
Both teams are now out on the ground and are going through their warm-ups, with the start of the game 10 minutes away.
With the clock still reading 9.20 in Perth, how the Eagles deal with the early start will be fascinating.
Port’s cheeky swipe
Port Adelaide have entered Adelaide Oval - and have run through a banner poking fun at the historically-early start for the Eagles.
Their message read:
It’s lunchtime here, brekky out west.
Sleep in Eagles fans, the Power won’t rest.
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