West Coast have picked up where they left off last season, producing a solid 21-point victory in their NAB Cup opener at Patersons Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Despite losing key small forward Mark LeCras for the season after he ruptured his ACL last week, the Eagles showed they could somewhat cover his loss as small forwards Gerrick Weedon and Ashton Hams both bagged a double in the 0.9.3 (57) to 0.5.6 (36) result over two quarters.
Although the Bombers were missing several experienced campaigners, like skipper Jobe Watson and 2011 best and fairest David Zaharakis, the Eagles were also without Dean Cox, Shannon Hurn, Josh Kennedy and LeCras but still managed to dominate the encounter.
West Coast's forward pressure was particularly effective as they hunted in packs against Essendon's outgunned defence.
Indeed, the Eagles showed they meant business as early as the first minute when Weedon produced a quality chase and tackle on Anthony Long to win the free and convert the opening goal from a tight angle.
It was the first of five goals for West Coast in the opening quarter as they blitzed a shell-shocked Essendon, using their pace and skills through the middle to great advantage, with Mark Nicoski also looking lively playing further up the ground.
The Bombers only managed the one goal in the opening period, a quality running effort from Travis Colyer, but lifted their rating in the second period as both sides scored four goals apiece.
Stewart Crameri scored two goals for the quarter, although he did steal the second off Nick O'Brien, whose dribbling effort was just about to cross the line, while Essendon coach James Hird will also have been pleased with a solid return to footy from Courtenay Dempsey.
However, the AFL will be looking at a controversial behind scored by impressive Bombers rookie goalsneak Corey Dell'olio in the eighth minute of the second quarter.
Under pressure, Dell'olio jumped into the air to slot the ball home in the goal square, although the goal umpire adjudged it to have come off his knee.
However, with the AFL testing video goal umpiring once again in this competition, the powers that be will be concerned the video official missed the fact that the ball actually came off Dell'olio's shin and should have registered as a major.
As it was West Coast took the ball coast to coast for Nicoski to slot a major from the boundary, and while the scores probably wouldn't have influenced the result, it won't give the AFL too much confidence in their video umpiring department.
WEST COAST: 0.5.2, 0.9.3 (57)
ESSENDON: 0.1.3, 0.5.6 (36)
SUPERGOALS: West Coast Nil
Essendon: Nil
GOALS: West Coast: Weedon 2, Hams 2, McInnes, Mascoilis, Nikoski, Masten, Hill
Essendon: Crameri 2, Colyer, Melksham, Dell'olio
BEST: West Coast: Nicoski, Hams, Wheedon, Masten
Essendon: Melksham, Crameri, Colyer
INJURIES: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
UMPIRES: Farmer, Dalgleish, McPhee
CROWD: at Patersons Stadium