Josh Kennedy has a day out as the Eagles thrash the Giants.
The West Coast Eagles have snapped a four-game losing streak in the most convincing of ways, beating the Greater Western Sydney Giants by 111 points at Patersons Stadium.
Despite showing signs of being up for a fight and with a chance of causing an upset, the under-manned Giants team was blow off the park by Josh Kennedy, who kicked a career-best 11.0, to spearhead his side’s 30.8 (188) to 12.5 (77) victory.
While the massive margin will do the Eagles no harm in terms of their percentage, they are still a work in progress this season, with their four wins only coming against teams placed 12th 13th, 16th and 17th.
After a scrappy opening to the game, Josh Kennedy gave the Eagles a steadier as he kicked the first goal for the game for the home side.
GWS suffered a blow early in the game when key defender Nick Haynes was subbed out of the game with an ankle injury.
The Giants showed some positive signs in attack, with effective use of the ball at times, but too often the Eagles were able to do as they pleased in their forward fifty.
Mark LaCras ensured the contentious bump would be discussed during the week for his hit, which was likely to get him at least two weeks on the sidelines.
An easy goal to Jack Darling have the home side an 11-point lead, as he opened the angle too easily, with the GWS defenders not paying him enough attention.
After a slow start to the season, Kennedy bagged his third for the quarter, already higher than his game average, as the Eagles showed dangerous signs of running away from the game, enjoying a 24-point lead at the first break.
The deficit was a worry for the away side after they secured three solid entries into their forward fifty, but failed to captalise and as a result saw themselves staring down the barrel of a big loss and playing the Eagles back into form.
Toby Greene gave the Giants the started they were looking for by kicking the first goal of the second term, however, they needed to back it up quickly.
But if did not take long for the story from the first quarter to take over, as the ball streamed forward for the Eagles with their number of inside 50s passing 30.
As a result goals to LaCras, Sharod Wellingham, Jamie Cripps and Kennedy’s fifth for the game had the lead at 38 with five minutes left in the term.
Luke Shuey bagged his side’s first goal for the third term as they marched towards an important four points and boost to their percentage.
Jack Darling capped a sensational team goal for the home side, as Kennedy continued his day out for the Crows bagging his sixth, all of which have travelled through the posts in different ways.
With five minutes left in the third term and the margin was out to 50 points.
Kennedy grabbed his eighth for the day as he continued his sensational day out, doing away with the previously trademarked stutter-step as the game was now officially out of hand for the Giants as the margin crept towards 100.
In the end the game became more of a watch on the scoreboard, whether the Eagles could win by the psychological mark of more than a hundred and if Kennedy could get double figures for the game.
And both milestones were passed when the key forward booted one from beyond fifty, with Kennedy being swamped by his teammates as he secured 10 for the game.
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