West Coast Eagles end Adelaide hoodoo by overrunning injury-hit Port Adelaide to win two-point thriller

West Coast have overcome an historically early start, a horror first-quarter and an injury to a premiership hero to hold on for an inspired upset victory over Port Adelaide in a two-point thriller.

The Eagles snapped a four-year Adelaide Oval hoodoo and claimed rare back-to-back wins, a week after their drought-breaking victory over North Melbourne.

It is their first win at the venue in 10 games and their first consecutive wins in 597 days.

The 13.14 (92) to 13.12 (90) triumph came at a heavy cost though, with veteran Elliot Yeo sidelined at half-time with a groin injury in only his third game back from an ankle injury which cost him all of 2025.

Down by 29-points early in the second term after a slow start, West Coast kicked 11 goals to eight after quarter-time to double their win tally from last year only three rounds into this season.

Harley Reid again led from the front in what is looking to be his best season yet, kicking two vital goals in the third term to go with 21 disposals and six clearances.

Fellow No.1 draftee Willem Duursma put his hand up to become the team’s second consecutive rising star nominee with 20 touches, four clearances and a goal in only his third match.

Veteran Tim Kelly entrenched himself in the side with 23 touches, seven clearances and 10 score involvements, while spearhead Jake Waterman overcame a leg complaint in the lead up to the match to kick four goals.

Stand-in skipper Zak Butters (30 disposals and six clearances) played an almost lone hand for the under-manned Power outfit, while WA’s Mitch Georgiades got the better of Reuben Ginbey with three goals.

For the third time in as many games, the Eagles were sluggish and sloppy in the first term with poor skill errors marring their performance.

And Port Adelaide were in no mood to let the visitors’ mistakes go unpunished, kicking four goals within the first eight minutes before West Coast had a meaningful inside 50.

The Power’s forward handball game was exposing the Eagles’ defensive system, with the young side looking like their heads were still on the pillows at the hotel rather than in the game.

West Coast were desperate for a spark and Yeo provided it early in the second term, winning several 50-50 contests and sending the ball forward with reckless intent.

The veteran’s efforts inspired his teammates and the Eagles began to find the gears they had the week prior.

After only two disposals in the first term, Duursma began to show his match-breaking abilities with nine touches and a goal on the wing.

Down back Josh Lindsay (19 disposals) found an ideal balance of defence and offence as well as a maturity well beyond his years, while Tom McCarthy (20 disposals) provided drive off half-back.

Their forward line also kicked into gear as a result. Waterman became a threat and could’ve had five majors at half-time had he been accurate.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, when they emerged after half-time Yeo went straight to the back of the bench leaving them without their most influential player for the game.

It forced a reshuffle by coach Andrew McQualter, who sent Liam Baker forward with the co-captain pushing up to add another player at the stoppages.

West Coast defied Yeo’s absence and an early Georgiades goal to continue their comeback.

Reid made a statement with consecutive goals and several key clearances, while Waterman continued to stress the Power’s defence.

Smelling blood, the young Eagles went on a rampage, overwhelming the under-siege Power from the contest and spreading with intent to kick four unanswered goals heading into the last term.

They left the door ajar though with a series of misses in front of goal, letting go of a prime opportunity to really put them away on the scoreboard.

Port Adelaide threatened to steal the game back.

Darcy Byrne-Jones kicked an early goal while they pressured the Eagles’ backline with a series of entries.

But this new version of West Coast showed nerves of steel in the face of adversity.

Hamish Davis kicked a nerve settler from just outside of the goal square, before Waterman extended the lead to three goals it with a long-range set shot that silenced the parochial Port Adelaide crowd.

Port Adelaide tested the Eagles one last time, kicking three unanswered goals to be within a kick come the final two minutes.

Second-year Eagle Jobe Shanahan took a match-saving mark in the dying moments which ensured West Coast would get an incredible victory away from home and set themselves up for a vastly improved 2026.

SCOREBOARD

WEST COAST 2.1, 7.4, 11.10, 13.14 (92)

PORT ADELAIDE 5.5, 8.6, 9.11, 13.12 (90)

Goals – WEST COAST: J Waterman 4 B Allan 2 H Reid 2 H Davis J Cripps W Duursma J Graham E Yeo. PORT ADELAIDE: M Georgiades 3 J Whitlock 3 C Durdin 2 D Byrne-Jones J Horne-Francis L Jones J Lukosius J Watkins.

Best – WEST COAST: H Reid T Kelly W Duursma J Waterman J Lindsay T McCarthy. PORT ADELAIDE: Z Butters M Georgiades K Farrell W Drew J Burgoyne J Horne-Francis.

Injuries – WEST COAST: E Yeo (groin). PORT ADELAIDE: E Ratugolea (knee).

Umpires: L Fisher P Rebeschini E Tee P Bailes. Crowd: 33,754 at Adelaide Oval.