1. West Coast cracks a win Melbourne
After losing its past three games in Melbourne, the Eagles established a reputation that they could not win outside of Western Australia. Facing the defending premier and without skipper Shannon Hurn, Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis and leading forward Josh Kennedy, the Eagles were given little chance against the Western Bulldogs. However, they silenced their critics – temporarily at least – with a stirring win, leading from start to finish to shake the monkey off their back. It was a victory full of guts as they had just two fit men on the bench and held off a rampaging Bulldogs, who closed to within a point with five minutes remaining. A huge finish from Nathan Vardy that included a goal and two marks saw the Eagles home. 

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2. Eagles flying high
With Jeremy McGovern playing forward, marking power was never going to be a problem inside 50 but their aerial ascendancy proved the difference. By half-time McGovern and reborn veteran Drew Petrie had taken five contested marks inside 50 and kicked two goals. Their ability to create contests allowed Jack Darling to move into space and Malcolm Karpany crumb the ball inside 50. It also stopped the Bulldogs' run out of defence as the Eagles ended the game with 15 marks inside 50 to the Dogs' nine. Although the Eagles' set shot kicking wasn't brilliant the tall forwards had a significant influence and when McGovern took a mark deep in defence with less than two minutes to go the job was done.    

3. Johannisen blanketed again
Jason Johannisen's inability to break a tag has now become a trend after West Coast quelled the Norm Smith medallist's influence again. Mark Hutchings had the job this week and he followed the template Swan George Hewett set out in round 12 that Melbourne's Jake Melksham and North Melbourne's Taylor Garner subsequently copied. He harassed, bumped into and worried Johannisen until the Bulldogs speedster was sent forward during the third quarter. After averaging 25 in the first 10 rounds, he has averaged just 13 in the past four and finished with just 12 against the Eagles. He had a few mates with Jake Stringer having just nine disposals (six coming in the last quarter) and Matt Suckling just 15 curtailing the Bulldogs' run. 

4. Slow starters
The Bulldogs have trailed at half-time nine times this season, but still managed to come back and win five times. They threatened to do so again when they kicked the first four goals of the final quarter to draw within one point. However, the Eagles' dominance at stoppages eventually won the day with Eagles ruckman Nathan Vardy kicking a stoppage goal to keep the Bulldogs at bay. The Dogs are not performing over four quarters and might need to reassess their style to get their mojo back. 

5. Umpires making headlines
If anyone gave any validity to those arguing the Western Bulldogs get a favourable run from the umpires then they need only look at the first five minutes of the second quarter to stop. During that period the Dogs were unlucky to not get four free kicks, while West Coast received three. It had Bulldogs fans outraged but it was just the rub of the green with the prior opportunity ruling hard for the fans to fathom. However, when a free kick was paid against Marcus Bontempelli for a dangerous tackle that looked as threatening as a wet lettuce with just one point separating the two teams, the Bulldogs' fans found full voice.  For the record, the free kick count was 25-19 in favour of the Eagles, but many Bulldogs fans will go home a little upset.