As part of West Coast's pre-match tradition, "Auzzie the Eagle'' did a flight lap of Optus Stadium before Saturday's match in front of 47,526 fans.
But after originally returning to her designated landing point in the middle of the oval, the eagle quickly escaped and set about flying to various parts of the 60,000-seat stadium.
The eagle landed among the crowd several times, spending a minute or two in each spot before flying off again.Â
Auzzie went for an extra long flight pre-game but we have found her! 😅 — West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) pic.twitter.com/6dpqYFUPwrJune 1, 2024
The ground announcer - 1992 premiership Eagle Karl Langdon - warned fans not to approach the eagle, given her "sharp talons".
The eagle was still flying around when players from both sides came out on to the ground, with the accompanying fireworks sparking concerns among some fans that the animal could be spooked.
After more than 10 minutes of freedom, the eagle was finally caught right next to West Coast's coaches' box, with a bemused Simpson watching on.
Auzzie the Eagle took a detour on her pre-match flight 😅— AFL (@AFL) #AFLEaglesSaints pic.twitter.com/xAVsPWjrGhJune 1, 2024
Simpson could see the lighter side of the escape.
"He went rogue, Auzzie," Simpson said with a laugh.
"It was right before the game, so I was trying to get the runner out to tell the lady to just put that thing back in the centre circle - that's where Auzzie wanted to land.
"But she knew what she was doing eventually and she was in the box next to us.
"Maybe there was a steak that Auzzie could smell in that corporate box next to us."
