WA break drought with thrilling win over Victoria

WESTERN Australia pulled off a stunning come from behind victory in Northam on Saturday to beat Victoria in the State game of 2013 by 17 points.

Victoria dominated an inaccurate WA in the first half and led by a game-high 31 points midway through the third quarter, but the Black Swans managed to wrest back some momentum just before three quarter-time.

The margin was just 14 points by the last break and WA went on to kick the only five goals in the final quarter to run 17.16 (118) to 15.11 (101) victors.

It is WA’s first win over a Victorian side in interstate competition since a State of Origin victory back in 1991 at the WACA Ground.

With East Perth spearhead Josh Smith out of the game with a calf strain, WA was always going to have to find some different avenues to goal and perhaps the most unlikely of those turned out to be the eventual Simpson Medal winner.

Wayde Twomey has spent precious little time in his WAFL career with Swan Districts as a forward even though he did do it at times in his VFL days, but the move to play him across half-forward and occasionally deeper proved a masterstroke.

He finished with five goals from 16 possessions and six marks in a tremendous performance.

Paul Bevan and Tim Geappen both added three goals apiece for the Black Swans as well with Brennan Stack and Aaron Black booting two apiece. Black also picked up 21 possessions in an impressive State debut.

The WA defence looked shaky at times in the first half but steadied after half-time and was led tremendously by East Fremantle’s Steven Dodd. In a near best on ground performance, he repelled Victorian attack after attack in the second half and also Ben Warren quiet in the second half.