Celebrate our 25th season and count down the moments that have shaped our football club
Hundreds of moments make up the proud football club we all know and love today.
From a match-winning goal, to a gravity-defying mark, to a solid team-oriented effort, our past on-field achievements have brought joy to supporters across the country and have helped to shape and define the direction our future will take.
Season 2011 marks our 25th year, and to help us celebrate, you were invited to have your say on the historic moments you believe have been the most significant to the West Coast Eagles.
All your votes have been tallied up and we are ready to countdown from moment #25. Stay tuned to westcoasteagles.com.au as we’ll be revealing one moment each week until we unveil the single most defining moment in our history at the end of the home and away campaign.
Mark LeCras’ 12-goal haul against the Bombers last year was voted in at #4 by West Coast fans.
The West Coast Eagles and Essendon Football Clubs have enjoyed a fierce rivalry, which began back in 1991 when then Bombers coach Kevin Sheedy tied the windsock to the flagpole at a Windy Hill match to keep the visiting team guessing about the conditions at the ground. The rivalry continued to grow over the seasons that followed and now involves the infamous tradition of jacket-waving after the final siren for the supporters of the winning team.
It was fitting then, that history was made at Etihad Stadium against Essendon, when small forward Mark LeCras kicked a record 12 goals to seal his team’s fourth win of the season.
It is also fitting that we reveal this moment as West Coast prepares to take on the Bombers at Patersons Stadium on Saturday, in the hunt for a place in the top four.
The understated LeCras said kicking his 12th goal at Etihad was a “pretty good feeling”.
“Kicking the last one was pretty satisfying,” LeCras said. “It was a rare feeling. You’re almost laughing at it, thinking this can’t be happening. So it was pretty weird.
“The night was that exciting and you could sense the whole time that we were going to win. It was good that we were kicking goals; the whole year it hadn’t been like that, so it was a really good feeling.”
Teammate and All-Australian ruckman Dean Cox said LeCras’ performance was just waiting to happen.
“When we were in the midfield, speaking to Pridda, we decided to just get it anywhere near him,” Cox recalls. “He was just having one of those nights when he’s always providing an option, everything stuck, he was great on the ground.
“I think it was a night due to happen, to really burst him onto the scene, and show the quality player he is. I’m just glad he was able to do that and then get the recognition of being a top-line small forward and winning an All Australian jumper so I think he deserves that.”
Click here to watch past players Peter Sumich and Scott Cummings talk up their goal-kicking tallies.
