WEST COAST has delivered a fitting farewell to premiership heroes Chad
Fletcher and Adam Hunter – and ruined Ben Cousins' Eagles homecoming –
with an emphatic 80-point win over Richmond on Friday night.

Cousins' first game against his old side in Perth was just one of the
many sub-plots that permeated a dramatic Friday night at Subiaco Ovalwith Richmond pair Mark Coughlan and Nathan Brown also playing their last games for the club.

Fletcher retired after his 179th match for West Coast, while Hunter said goodbye in a post-match presentation.

If that wasn't enough drama for the home fans, out-of-contract veteran
David Wirrpanda pulled out of the side late to attend the birth of his
first child.

The personal tales on both sides added to a match that was well and
truly over halfway through the third term. West Coast kicked 12 of the
game's last 14 goals to turn an 11-point second quarter lead into a
resounding 17.23 (125) to 6.9 (45) victory.

The home side smashed Richmond in all the key indicators, tackling
harder, dominating the contested ball and playing the game
predominantly in their half of the ground.

And with Nic Naitanui doing more with his share of the hit-outs than
his ruck opponents Troy Simmonds and Angus Graham, the Eagles were able
to control the clearances and launch one of their most impressive wins
this season.

They finished their 2009 campaign with four wins from their last five games and an ideal springboard into next season.

First-year midfielder Tom Swift topped an impressive month with 26
possessions and a goal, while defender Darren Glass was rock solid.

Matt Spangher was a creative force off half back with 24 touches while
Mark LeCras shone up forward with five goals to take his season total
to 58.

It was a nightmare end to Richmond caretaker coach Jade Rawlings'
11-game stint in charge, but Cousins (28 possessions), Daniel Jackson
(21) and Brett Deledio (28) did all they could for the Tiger cause.

Jordan McMahon got the Tigers on the board early with a polished
running goal from just inside 50, but it was all the Eagles thereafter.


Fletcher's first two kicks were wide of the mark, but the left-footer
was precise with his third, setting up Ben McKinley for the Eagles'
opener.

LeCras looked lively early opposed to Dean Polo, and he beat his direct
opponent and ruckman Simmonds to kick his first. As the two Tigers went
to ground, LeCras kept his feet and snapped a super goal from a tight
angle.

A long-range effort from defender Shannon Hurn rounded out a bright
start for the Eagles and they went into the first change 23-points
clear.

The Tigers were an improved bunch early in the second, with some desperate efforts in the midfield sparking a three-goal run.

Cousins, Jackson and Adam Thomson were having an impact in the centre
and resultant goals to Deledio, Graham Polak and Shane Tuck reeled the
margin into a manageable 11 points.

However, West Coast finished stronger with LeCras, Brent Staker and
Josh Kennedy all kicking goals. Andrew Embley burst away from a pack on
the forward flank and snapped truly to put the Eagles 39 points up.

Shane Edwards brought that back to 33 points at the main break, but the
Tigers were crying out for more midfield contributors with Cousins and
Jackson carrying the load to half time.

Staker kicked two quick goals to open the third term, and the Eagles
would go on to kick six of the next seven goals on a big night for the
club.

The ball finished in the hands of Quinten Lynch, who celebrated a win in his 150th game.

West Coast 4.8 9.14 15.18 17.23 (125)
Richmond 1.3 5.5 5.6 6.9 (45)

GOALS
West Coast: LeCras 5, Staker 3, McKinley 2, Ebert, Embley, Hurn, Kennedy, Lynch, Spangher, Swift
Richmond: Deledio, Edwards, McMahon, Morton, Polak, Tuck

BEST
West Coast: Swift, LeCras, Spangher, Glass, Adam Selwood, Naitanui, Hurn
Richmond: Cousins, Jackson, Deledio, Edwards

INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Richmond: Matthew White replaced in selected side by Jayden Post

Reports: Nil

Umpires: James, Grun, Ryan
Official crowd: 39,017 at Subiaco Oval

Thought it would be the other way round, oh dear.

Go the eagles