Eagles get 'great lesson' in costly quarter, Blue praised for key role

The West Coast Eagles were left regretting a disastrous third quarter as the Carlton Blues surged to victory in Saturday's elimination final at Ikon Park. Despite matching Carlton’s energy early, the Eagles were overwhelmed after halftime when the Blues dominated with six unanswered goals in wet, difficult conditions, leading to a 41-point loss.

Coach Pearce reflects on the defeat

"I just thought they lifted their physicality and intensity," said Daisy Pearce. "For a 15-minute period or so, we just got knocked off the ball a bit too easily. That's finals footy and it'll be a great lesson for us moving forward."

Pearce acknowledged that the Blues’ superior physical game and pressure separated the two teams when it mattered most. She emphasized that her players will take valuable experience from this early finals appearance and use it to build resilience and skill for the next season.

Looking ahead to next season

"We just go back to the drawing board, try and narrow in on a couple of things that are going to give us big bang for buck next year. A good starting point will be more strength and conditioning in our fundamentals. Just more work ahead of us," Pearce said.

Pearce concluded that painful defeats like this one are part of the journey toward eventual success.

"When you eventually get there and have success, it's these moments that make it more satisfying. You've got to endure losses like today and have experiences like today."

Author’s summary

The Eagles fell to the Blues after a decisive third quarter, with Coach Pearce viewing the match as a tough but valuable lesson for the team’s development and growth ahead of next season.

Australian Football League — 2025-11-08