Seven goals to Quinten Lynch and a best on ground performance from Daniel Kerr has inspired West Coast to a hard-fought 31-point victory over Richmond at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night

The Eagles, minus Ben Cousins (hamstring) and Chris Judd (rested), controlled the contest throughout the night but were forced to fend off several challenges from the resilient Tigers before closing out the 18.9 (117) to 12.14 (86) triumph in front of 39,752 fans.

Richmond spearhead Matthew Richardson had two chances in the final term from set shots to close the margin to single figures but, like so many times throughout his career, was wayward when it mattered most.

Lynch was unstoppable up forward and received excellent support from Mark LeCras (four goals) and pinch-hitter Adam Hunter (three goals), but it was the hard work of Kerr through the middle that ignited the home side when a spark was needed.

Kerr flourished in the absence of Judd and Cousins, racking up 20 first-half possessions before finishing the night with 30 disposals and nine clearances in a sparkling performance.

It was hard to find winners for Richmond, but Richardson (22 possessions, 15 marks and three goals) and Nathan Brown (three goals) battled valiantly in a losing cause, with Kane Johnson collecting 21 touches in his 200th AFL match.

Lynch kicked the opener of the match but the expected avalanche of goals from West Coast never came as Richmond held firm.

Adam Pattison's goal at the 27-minute mark brought the Tigers within two points of the Eagles, but a goal from Michael Braun just seconds before the siren gave West Coast a slender eight-point lead at quarter-time.

After a lucklustre start the home side finally kicked into gear in the second quarter. Kerr ran amuck through the middle as Lynch and LeCras booted two goals apiece for the term.

Richmond looked stunned as the lead blew out to 34 points, but goals to Richardson and Brown late in the term clawed the margin back to 20 points at the long break.

West Coast again threatened to run away with the contest after opening a 29-point advantage midway through the term but once again the Tigers stormed back into the contest on the back of their young guns.

Jack Riewoldt breathed life into the contest with his first goal of the night, and when Richard Tambling did a give-and-go with Richardson before kicking truly from 50m, all of the sudden the margin was just