SNAPSHOT OF THE WEST COAST-MELBOURNE AFL PRELIMINARY FINAL

* Result: West Coast 18.13 (121) def Melbourne 7.13 (55) in front of 59,608 at Optus Stadium.

* The lowdown: The Eagles intensity and the roar of almost 60,000 people at Perth’s new stadium proved too much for a Melbourne team largely in their first finals series aside from Jordan Lewis. The heat from West Coast was too much from the outset with Melbourne goalless in the first half with Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling, Mark LeCras and Jamie Cripps combining for 13 goals for the Eagles.

* Key moment: The tone was set early with West Coast’s intensity enormous and Melbourne unable to cope. The Eagles first two goals were directly from mistakes by the Demons with Josh Kennedy goaling after intercepting a wayward Jordan Lewis handpass. Jamie Cripps then ran into an open goal after the Eagles set it up following an Angus Brayshaw fumble.

* Key stats: Nothing sums the game up more than Melbourne becoming the first goalless team in the first half of a final since the 1927 grand final. The Eagles finished with 66 more kicks than the Demons, eight more clearances, 15 more contested possessions, 24 more tackles and 45 more marks.

* Injuries: Jeremy McGovern (ribs) and Luke Shuey (ankle) did have scares throughout the afternoon but both returned and finished the game and shouldn’t be in any doubt for the grand final next Saturday.

* What’s next? West Coast gear up for a crack at their fourth AFL premiership and first since 2006 at the MCG next Saturday where they face a Collingwood team that were similarly impressive against Richmond. Melbourne were tremendous reaching the preliminary final but their inability to rise to the intensity will lead to some summer soul searching.