The changes
B: Hurn, Barrass, Duggan
HB: Jetta, McGovern, Sheppard
C: Cripps, Yeo, Masten
HF: Sheed, Darling, Rioli
F: Lycett, Kennedy, LeCras
FOLL: Naitanui, Redden, Gaff
I/C (from): Brander, Cole, Nelson, Ainsworth, Waterman, Hutchings, Ah Chee, Allen
IN: Brander, Nelson, Ainsworth, Allen
OUT: Nil
What to expect
The West Coast Eagles have enjoyed an outstanding start to the season, losing just one game of their first nine to sit one game clear on top of the AFL ladder.
The second-highest scoring side in the competition, they are playing a direct style of football that is leading to this scoring efficiency, opting to move the ball by foot much more so than by hand.
In fact, they rank first in the league for kicks and last in the league for handballs!
Their aerial power has also been a feature of their 2018 campaign, rating number one in the competition for marks, with 101.1 per game.
Forward Jack Darling (3.3 per game) and defender Jeremy McGovern (2.9) sit first and second respectively across the game for contested marks this year, again highlighting their dominance in the air all over the ground.
With Eagles coach Adam Simpson another to come from under Alastair Clarkson’s tutelage, there are certainly signs of a Hawthorn influence in West Coast’s game style.
The Hawks will be looking to curtail the Eagles’ ability to control the game by foot.
If the Eagles are afforded the time and space that they have enjoyed for the opening nine weeks of the year, they pose a serious threat to delivering the Hawks’ their third consecutive loss.
Read: Hawks add six names to Round 10 squad
Players to watch
Jack Darling is enjoying a career-best season and has been a big reason for the Eagles’ rise in 2018.
Darling is posting the best numbers of his eight years, highlighted by his career-highs of 15.9 disposals, 8.2 marks, 3.3 contested marks and 3.1 goals per game.
Sitting second on the Coleman Medal board, the 25-year old has simply been one of the outstanding stories of the season.
Coming off a 21-disposal, 15-mark, six-goal performance against Richmond last week, Darling is in red-hot form and will certainly be one to watch this Sunday afternoon.
As mentioned above, Darling’s partner in crime so far this season has been Jeremy McGovern.
McGovern has been patrolling the defensive end for the Eagles this year, halting countless opposition attacks with his ability to read the play and, essentially, get in the way.
A member of the last two All Australian sides, the 26-year old is one of the leading defenders of the competition, being one of the best players in the league to be able to turn defence into offence for his side.
