football - round 23

There are 24 rounds this year to allow for the new 17th team in the competition with two byes (game free rounds) for each team, playing a total of 22 games per year.  In previous years, with 22 rounds, one round was split over two weekends allowing half the teams to have a game free weekend during that round.

West Coast           5.2    5.5    9.10    13.11 (89)
Brisbane Lions    4.4    7.6    9.12    11.15 (81)

GOALS
West Coast: Masten 3, Nicoski 2, Kennedy, Ebert, LeCras, Hams, Shuey, Priddis, Lynch, Gaff
Brisbane Lions: Rockliff 2, Rich, Redden, Drummond, Power, Polkinghorne, Adcock, Karnezis, Cornelius, Sheldon

BEST
West Coast: Lynch, Gaff, Priddis, Masten, Shuey
Brisbane Lions: Black, Raines, Rich, Hanley, Rockliff

INJURIES
West Coast: Cox (eye)
Brisbane Lions: Staker (knee)

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Dean Cox replaced by Ashley Smith in the third quarter
Brisbane Lions: Brent Staker (knee) replaced by Patrick Karnezis in the first quarter

Reports: Josh Kennedy (West Coast) for striking Mitch Golby in the fourth quarter 
Umpires: McBurney, Ryan, Mollison 
Official crowd: 13,500 at the Gabba

It was a wet game and the slippery conditions suited Brisbane Lions more than West Coast. While a loss (again), it was a valiant effort against a top four side. Sadly, Luke Power surprised supporters by announcing after the game that it was his last. Power is one of the club greats.  Match report and on Power's retirement by Michael Whiting.

Photos by Chris Hyde for Getty.

Sam Sheldon

Simon Black

Brent Staker (against his former team)

Luke Power