WEST Coast has snapped a four-game losing streak, severely denting Essendon's finals aspirations in the process by recording a 27-point victory at Subiaco Oval on Sunday afternoon.

The Eagles took themselves out of contention for a priority pick in this year's draft with the 14.11 (95) to 10.8 (68) win, banishing the Bombers to ninth place with an 8-10 record. Essendon now sits a full win out of finals contention after Port Adelaide's 18-point triumph over Hawthorn earlier in the day.

Matthew Knights' men have now lost four of their last five games, and face an uphill battle to regain the top eight spot they had enjoyed since round 12.

The Eagles won for just the second time in their last 11 games, and can now play out the season free of the weekly tanking accusations that have littered their last month.  
 
The home side kicked away early to a 20-point lead, extended that to 29 at half time, and answered every challenge the Bombers could mount in a tight final term.

Mark LeCras (26 possessions and three goals) was a star for West Coast in the forward line and midfield, while Ben McKinley kicked 4.0 after a three-week spell out of the side.

Andrew Embley (31), Adam Selwood (29) and Matt Priddis (34) stood tall in the crucial midfield contests, while second-year midfielders Chris Masten (25) and Brad Ebert (28) played key roles.   

The Bombers let their opponents sneak out to an eventually unassailable lead for the second straight week, and now face the Brisbane Lions, St Kilda and Hawthorn in a tough run home in the final month of the season.

Dustin Fletcher (27) and his young defensive sidekick Michael Hurley (20) worked tirelessly, while Brent Stanton and Jobe Watson gave an honest effort in the midfield.

However, the midweek losses of captain Matthew Lloyd (heel), Mark McVeigh (leg), Alwyn Davey (knee) and Jason Winderlich (back) were telling.

West Coast forward Callum Wilson, elevated off the rookie list earlier this week, made a dream start to his AFL career by booting two goals with his first two kicks in the opening term.

Eagles' players flocked from everywhere to celebrate Wilson's first, and minutes later the 21-year-old out-bodied young Bomber Hurley for another.

When David Wirrpanda snapped the Eagles' third, the home side was 20 points clear and had all the midfield run. LeCras was having a big impact pushing up the ground, while Adam Selwood was influential. 

Heath Hocking found some space to kick the Dons first, and they soon willed the ball forward for Jay Neagle to narrow the gap. 

But for all their efforts, the Eagles remained in control. Shannon Hurn found himself unmanned and streaming forward on the cusp of quarter-time, handballing over the top to McKinley for the Eagles to take a 13-point lead into the first change.

LeCras, who was forcing Essendon defender Fletcher to be accountable, snared the opening goal of the second term, and when Josh Kennedy kept his cool and his feet deep in the forward line, the Eagles were suddenly 25 points clear.

Andrew Lovett, who copped a nasty cork from imposing Eagle Quinten Lynch, returned to the ground and showed some elusive brilliance to set up a Brent Prismall goal, but the key Bomber was generally being well held.

Tom Swift took advantage of the midfield space the Bombers were conceding to burst out of the square and kick a long goal before Kyle Reimers got one back for the visitors.

Wirrpanda bobbed up for another goal late in the term and the Eagles took a game-high 29-point lead into the main break.

The Bombers made a much brighter start to the third, but they didn't capitalise on their chances. Paddy Ryder, Watson and Adam McPhee all missed before Neagle took a strong mark and gave the Dons some reward for their dominance.

It wasn't enough, however, and the Eagles took advantage of limited opportunities to kick goals through LeCras and McKinley and take a 25-point lead into the last break.

The home side was again met by a solid challenge early in the fourth, the Dons booting early goals through Reimers and Dempsey, but the Eagles held their nerve and pulled away late to record a gutsy win. 


West Coast     4.2    8.6    11.7    14.11 (95)
Essendon         2.1    4.1    7.6      10.8 (68)

GOALS
West Coast: McKinkley 4, LeCras 3, Swift, Wilson, Wirrpanda 2, Kennedy
Essendon: Neagle 3, Reimers 2, Dempsey, Hocking, Prismall, Welsh, Ryder

BEST
West Coast: LeCras, A Selwood, Ebert, Embley, McKinley, Masten, Hurn
Essendon: Fletcher, Neagle, Watson, Dyson, Reimers, Hurley

INJURIES
West Coast: Spangher (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Mackenzie
Essendon: Lovett (corked thigh)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Schmitt, Hendrie, Jeffery

Official crowd: 35,765 at Subiaco Oval

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.