West Coast Eagle Liam Duggan's top 10 career moments ahead of game 200
There are many great AFL players who never reach the pinnacle of our sport, but in one of the great modern grand finals, Liam Duggan scaled the summit. In just his third season, the rebounding defender flourished on the big stage. He collected 16 disposals and three tackles as West Coast ran down Collingwood in an instant cassic.
In 2024, Duggan was entrusted with leading the rebuilding club's young list as a captain. Alongside forward Oscar Allen, the rebounder has provided an example on and off the field. And given Allen's string of significant injuries, Duggan has carried the captaincy load with aplomb.
No AFL player ever forgets their debut and it will be the same for Duggan, He only had five touches but his side crushed the Blues in round two, 2015 by 69 points having been two goals down at the first break. He also got to debut at the historic Subiaco Oval.
Duggan says he always dreamed of being a one-club player, and in 2024 that dream became a reality. The Victorian put pen to paper on a four-year contract that will see him remain an Eagle for life. He will be 31 at the end of his current contract.
Duggan didn't play in the 2015 finals series when the Eagles made it to the grand final so when he entered Adelaide Oval for the 2017 Elimination Final, there was zero chance he could have been prepared for the outcome. A draw at full time, the game went to two periods of extra time only to need Luke Shuey to kick the sealer after the final siren. Duggan had 10 disposals.
Duggan's first century of matches brought plenty of success and it was no different on the day in round 17, 2020. Duggan collected 15 disposals and six tackles as the Eagles gave him a 15-point win over St Kilda to celebrate.
Early in 2021, West Coast were hopeful a healthy list could send them storming back into finals contention. While it didn't work out in the early stages, Duggan was a driving force behind the effort to stop the club's skid. In round five against Collingwood, he produced a career-high 36 disposals to lead the Eagles to victory by 27 points.
Defence is a tough place for winning Brownlow Medals, but occasionally they have a day umpires just can't ignore. Duggan has four career votes and two of them came against Essendon in round eight, 2024. Despite a six-point defeat, his 26 disposals, two clearances and 10 rebounds were brilliant.
In round 17, 2017, Duggan was a whisker away from claiming a Glendinning-Allan Medal. He was given two Brownlow votes as consolation for 31 disposals and two clearances in a strong win.
Goals come at a premium for defenders but Duggan only had to wait seven games for his first. It came against North Melbourne, in Hobart of all places. Matthew Priddis wins the clearance and finds Duggan running around the front of the pack with a handball. The left-footer takes his time to steady and dobs it through to give his a side the lead.
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Herald Sun
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Daily Telegraph
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Adams, who is at the back end of his third year on the Demons' list, had to bide his time in the VFL with Casey for 51 games before getting an opportunity at the top level. The 21-year-old was forced to runt he gauntlet straight away, at times playing on Aaron Naughton who ran amuck for his fourth bag in six weeks. But in between opponents, Adams showed promise aerially and one-on-one to hint at the next generation for Melbourne beyond Jake Lever and Steven May. 'Hasn't he started well! He hasn't had a lot of ball himself … but he looks comfortable. He's a big unit and looks mobile,' Gerard Healy said of Adams at the start of the third term. Tom Hawkins added: 'I like the way that he's backed himself in. Early on, we saw a nice one-on-one contest that he halved … he's been really impressive.' Originally published as Maligned star's white-hot form continues as Dogs survive game of the season
West Australian
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