The West Coast Eagles’ 2025 campaign has come to a disappointing finish following a 67-point loss to Sydney at Optus Stadium on Saturday night. 

After a fast-start, including the first three goals that brought the crowd to life, the Eagles were overwhelmed by the star-studded Swans and could not avoid the club’s worst-ever season with a solitary victory. 

The Swans steadied after half-time and – following the Eagles’ loss of gun defender Reuben Ginbey in the second term – Sydney went on to kick 13 goals to one in the second half to win 18.10 (118) to 7.9 (51).  

It was their fifth straight win against West Coast, kicking their highest score of the season. Opening quarter aside, it was clear last year’s Grand Finalists have more to offer next year than the 12 wins they produced in 2025, finishing 10th.  

Midfielder Errol Gulden was brilliant for the winners, sparking them with his crisp kicking through the midfield and finishing with 36 disposals, 10 marks and two goals.

Sidekick Isaac Heeney was a bull in the midfield, winning a game-high 10 clearances from his 26 touches, while forward Tom Papley was clinical in the front half with three goals and six score assists.

The young Eagles hunted their opponents early but could not sustain the fight, with 19-year-old key forward Jobe Shanahan a shining light again with three goals in his ninth game. 

West Coast’s pressure had been terrific for two weeks coming into Saturday night’s clash, and the team didn’t let it drop in a red-hot start, laying several crunching tackles and opening an 18-point lead.

Their ball-use was also much-improved, however, using the corridor and switching play well as Jamie Cripps and Bailey Williams converted long set shots and Shanahan got free out the back to kick his first goal.

Liam Ryan’s turnover at half-back with eight seconds to play allowed Hayden McLean to get the Swans on the board, cutting the margin to 13 points at the first break.

The Swans’ big names lifted in an entertaining second term to get them back into the game, with Gulden and Heeney both influential, while Jack Buller launched from 50m for his first goal.

The Eagles had concerns as defender Reuben Ginbey left the ground, but they rallied again as second-gamer Jacob Newton kicked his first AFL goal and Shanahan used his strength in the air to add another.

They led at half-time for the seventh time this season, holding a seven-point lead, but that was quickly eaten up by Sydney in a third-quarter burst, kicking six unanswered goals to gain control of the game.

The Swans’ kicking skills were on show as the Eagles’ pressure dropped, picking their way through the middle of the ground and then converting efficiently as Will Hayward and Papley ran riot inside 50.

The final quarter of the season for both teams was a procession, as Sydney cashed in with another run of six unanswered goals, with Shanahan’s set shot for West Coast the only thing to celebrate for the home team.

While 2025 will go down as a challenging year, the emergence of young talents like Jobe Shanahan, Jacob Newton and Reuben Ginbey provides West Coast fans with optimism for a brighter future.

WEST COAST    3.2   6.6   6.7   7.9 (51)

SYDNEY            1.1   5.5   11.7   18.10 (118)  

GOALS

West Coast: Shanahan 3, Cripps, Flynn, Newton, Williams

Sydney: Buller 3, Papley 3, Blakey 2, Gulden 2, Hayward 2, McLean 2, Rowbottom 2, Heeney, Warner

BEST

West Coast: Shanahan, Kelly, Baker, Flynn, Graham, Hough

Sydney: Gulden, Heeney, Papley, Buller, Blakey, Grundy, Mills

INJURIES

West Coast: Ginbey (right leg)

Sydney: Nil

SUBSTITUTES

West Coast: Tyrell Dewar (replaced Reuben Ginbey in the second quarter)

Sydney: Riley Bice (replaced Angus Sheldrick in the third quarter)

Crowd: 36,029 at Optus Stadium