Eagles v Swans, snippets

STAR PERFORMERS: It was a Sydney double bill in this category as both Adam Goodes and Nick Malceski produced remarkable performances in this encounter. Goodesy may have had his number taken in the first quarter for aiming his hip directly at Adam Selwood's scone, but like the true professional he is, the dual Brownlow medalist kept on soldiering on, laying the tackles and doing all the one-per centers that the Swans needed as they harrassed West Coast into making the mistakes that ultimately cost the Eagles the game. Goodes' 14 contested possessions from 21 touches, including six contested marks tell their own story. But, while many of the Swans lifted after half-time, there was only one real four-quarter performer and that was the incredible bionic man, Nick Malceski. Eagles' assistant coach Peter Sumich rated the defender as being sore before the match, after all he was only playing his fourth match since returning from a knee reco done earlier this season. But Malceski defied the prognosis, being the Swans' best rebounding defender during the first half before popping up with two fantastic goals after the main break.

WHAT A MARK: Adam Hunter's goal kicking may have been a tad wobbly but just before half-time, the Eagles forward, in his first game back from injury, climbed the Craig Bolton step ladder, hanging in mid air to take a telling mark. His conversion gave the Eagles a 35-point break over the Swans and looked to have settled the hosts after Sydney had pressed them during the second quarter. Unfortunately for Hunter, it was all downhill from then on, missing set shots after the main break and laying the head-high tackle at the death that allowed Jude Bolton to slot the winner. It was a dodgy decision as Bolton had ducked into the tackle but the final score still tells its own story.

WHAT A GOAL: If the Eagles had won his encounter, then David Wirrpanda's cool effort to slot it from the right boundary line at the start of the final term, giving West Coast a 21-point break, would have been right up there. Instead, the honour goes to a team lifter from Sydney late in the last quarter that saw Adam Goodes simply smash his way forward, running half the considerable length of Subiaco before brilliantly tapping under pressure to Malceski, with the defender slotting his second of the night to make it a one-point ball game with three minutes remaining.

UNSUNG HEROES: Eagles coach John Worsfold made seven changes to the line-up that was spanked by Collingwood to the tune of 100 points last weekend. Many of those returning were coming back from long-term injuries as well. But, it was Sam Butler who impressed most, particularly during the first half. The midfielder has suffered injury after injury and hasn't played since the 2006 Grand Final. But he's impressed in the WAFL over the last few weeks and looked particularly confident, gathering five touches and three marks during the first quarter. He finished with 17 disposals for the game in an encouraging display that bodes well for the remainder of the season.