Flying back into the Eagles archives with Nathan Moir

[Siren noise]

Nathan: Hello and welcome. My name is Nathan and I'd like to welcome you to

the debut episode of Flying Back Into the Archives. What is Flying Back

Into the Archives? Well it is a deep look at seasons gone by, key moments

throughout those years. I'm going to start with, for my debut episode,

season 2018 for the West Coast Eagles. Why 2018 you ask? That is a very

good question. 2018 was a year with memorable wins, close losses,

injuries and suspensions.

So let's run through the banner and let's get started.

2018 for the Eagles started with a new club motto: Family, friends and

flags. Meaning, that it's not just the players that are on this journey; it's

their family, it's their friends, it's everybody. We want everyone to come

along for this journey.

We're going to start with Round One 2018, the very first, very first AFL

game at Optus Stadium. Such a monumental occasion. The Eagles were

hosting the Sydney Swans but unfortunately we couldn't live up to that

occasion and Sydney ended up taking the win.

But it's good to have football at Optus Stadium though.

We then fly later into the year, we fly to Round 17 where the West Coast

Eagles are versing Collingwood at the MCG. Always hard to play at the

MCG and Collingwood are always a good team.

It was a hard fought game but the Eagles managed to get the win. But

unfortunately during the game after returning from injury not too long

ago, star ruckman Nic Naitanui suffered his second ACL injury. Meaning

he would miss the rest of the year which led to questions: how were the

Eagles gonna cover such a star player?

We then fly to Round 20: the annual Western Derby against our rivals

Freemantle and again derbies are always tough and this one was no

exception. It was a hard-fought game but the Eagles got the win.

Unfortunately it was overshadowed by the suspension of star eagle

Andrew Gaff. Now no Nic Naitanui and no Andrew Gaff. But after the

Derby and Andrew Gaff suspension the club was criticised for its

behavior, its morals. It was a very hard week for the Eagles in the media.

We go to Round 21 in Adelaide against Port Adelaide. After a week of

scrutiny in the media, how were the Eagles going to respond? Well, they

responded the only way they know how. To do a hard fought game and it

come down to the final seconds where star Jeremy McGovern took a

mark, took himself and he kicked the goal after the siren to win the

game.

After a hard week in the media, a goal after the siren was pretty damn

sweet.

We then move into the qualifying final against Collingwood again and it

was the Optus Stadium, a sold out Optus Stadium. Even more a hard

fought game than what we previously had against Collingwood, but the

Eagles managed to fight their way and they won to advance into the

preliminary final.

But the game was overshadowed once again with another injury to

defender Brad Shepard this time, meaning no Nic Naitanui, no Andrew

Gaff and no Brad Sheppard. How were the Eagles going to respond? The

only way they know how?

By defeating Melbourne in the preliminary final to advance into the 2018

Grand Final.

We go to the Grand Final and wouldn't you believe it? It's against

Collingwood. So the Grand Final started with Collingwood kicking the first

five goals of the game and you're thinking after the year the Eagles have

had, what can they do?

Can they come back from this? In typical Eagles fashion they scratch, they

claw, they fall back and by the time three quarter time came around,

scores were level. We've got a game on our hands folks.

Into the last quarter Collingwood kicked the first two goals of the quarter,

and you're thinking that's it. Surely this is where the Eagles can't take

anymore, but in typical fashion they scratched, they clawed, and it came

down to the final two minutes of the game where Dom Sheed, 35 metres

out on the boundary line, he's got a mark, he sets himself up. He kicks the

goal from the boundary line in one of the great Grand Final goals you will

see. To quote Dennis Cometti, that goal was centimeter perfect.

And then with the dying minutes remaining, the Eagles hold on, they hold

on to win the 2018 Grand Final, in one of the great grand finals you will

see, they managed to do it without Naitanui, without Gaff, without

Sheppard, and after conceding the first five goals. One of the great Grand

Finals you will see, and one of the great AFL seasons you will see.

I hope for non-AFL fans you go back and you look at this season and go

yeah that was pretty good.

Well thank you for listening. Again, I'm Nathan and please check out

more Flying Back to the Archives.

[West Coast Eagles anthem plays]

We’re the Eagles, the West Coast Eagles, and we’re here to show you

why. We're the big birds, kings of the big game, we're the Eagles, we're

flying high.