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Shuey injured as Eagles crush Power

3 minute read

Star West Coast midfielder Luke Shuey faces another frustrating stint on the sidelines after being cut down by a hamstring injury in his side's win over Port.

LUKE SHUEY
LUKE SHUEY Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

West Coast captain Luke Shuey has suffered another hamstring injury during his side's 37-point AFL win over Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium.

Shuey, who missed the first two rounds with a hamstring strain, trudged off in the final quarter of the 16.12 (108) to 11.5 (71) win on Saturday night following his latest setback.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson said he wasn't sure if it was the same hamstring Shuey injured during the pre-season.

Either way, it continued a worrying run of soft tissue injuries for Shuey, who strained both hamstrings in a game against Essendon last year and was also hampered by a calf issue over summer.

Shuey played a crucial role in the win over Port, with his 10-possession opening term setting the tone in front of 42,090 fans.

"He's done a minor hamstring again. That was the sour part of the night. I really feel for him," Simpson said.

"I think it's something he's done before, which feels like it's going to be a standard 21-dayer."

Andrew Gaff (36 disposals), Tim Kelly (27), Jack Redden (31), and Shuey (28) feasted on the ruck dominance of Nic Naitanui (26 hitouts), while Josh Kennedy kicked four goals and Jack Darling three.

Port's star-studded midfield barely fired a shot, and the game was over by halftime when West Coast had opened up a 52-point lead.

Robbie Gray and Todd Marshall kicked three goals each for the Power, but it was when the game was already out of reach.

The Power crushed North Melbourne and Essendon in the first two rounds, but their flop against West Coast will be a major reality check.

Shuey put on a clinic in the opening term as West Coast took complete control.

Even luck was on West Coast's side, with a Naitanui centre tap that was volleyed forward by Shuey landing in the arms of Liam Ryan for their third goal in four minutes.

West Coast led 34-7 at quarter time, and they revved it up another notch in the second term as Port Adelaide's midfield was bullied into submission.

Ryan pulled off a mark-of-the-year contender when he jumped early on the shoulders of Darcy Byrne-Jones and hung there for a couple of seconds to pull down the spectacular grab.

Jamie Cripps booted a goal-of-the-year contender when he split the middle on the run from the pocket.

Port forward Mitch Georgiades kicked his second goal of the match during the second term, but it was a rare moment of joy for the visitors.

Power stars Ollie Wines (six disposals), Robbie Gray (five ), and Travis Boak (eight) hardly touched the ball in the first half.

Port Adelaide were able to stem the bleeding in the second half, but the damage had already been done.

"We were beaten badly around the contest, in all areas of the ground," Hinkley said.

"Then we got some contest back in the game (in the second half). But we didn't bring the hunt that we wanted right from the start."

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