THE 2022 SEASON

hawke wrote:Heard at training tonight........ D'aloi is training with the Crows.

Nothing to worry about Hawke. He is just part of their academy training team. He will play for us this year. The training should help him if anything.

https://www.afc.com.au/news/1053937/three-young-footballers-join-crows-pre-season-training

With James Tsitas settling back in his home city, even if/when he's delisted, it may be very difficult to lure him back to the Eagles, preferring to play out the rest of his career with his Melbourne mates.

Error above. James Tsitas with Gold Coast, not a Melbourne team so that helps us maintain a connection with him.

It could have been worse - it could have been Sheedy that we lost.
Then we 'd really have something to worry about!
In Sheedy we trust

Here’s round 1

By ZAC MILBANK

Round 1 of the 2022 Hostplus SANFL League season has been released, with several traditional rivals set to lock horns on April 1-2.

2020 Grand Finalists Woodville-West Torrens and North Adelaide will collide at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval from 4.10pm on Saturday April 2, just after cross-town foes Glenelg and Norwood open their campaigns at ACH Group Stadium from 3.10pm.

For the first time, Adelaide and Port Adelaide will kick off the 2022 Hostplus SANFL League season with an AFL curtain-raiser at Adelaide Oval on Friday April 1 from 4.10pm.

“Adelaide will have a terrific opportunity in round one to host Port and kickstart what is set to be a blockbuster opening round of SANFL football,’’ SANFL General Manager Football Matthew Duldig said of the historic clash.

“We’re pleased to have both Hostplus SANFL League Showdowns played at Adelaide Oval in 2022, providing a great opportunity for supporters of both clubs to see their rising stars.”

Saturday April 2 will also include South Adelaide opening its season by hosting Central District at Flinders University Stadium from 2.10pm while West Adelaide – honouring its 130th anniversary by sporting replica guernseys from 1892 – will tackle Sturt at Hisense Stadium from 7.40pm.

“Round one is shaping up to be one of the biggest openers in recent years with match-ups between four of last year’s finalists and West wearing heritage guernseys,’’ Duldig said.

The entire 2022 Hostplus SANFL League fixture will be released on the SANFL website and social channels from 12pm Thursday.

Is Sam Breuer, last yr' s Vic Country rep, who has just signed with Sturt, the son of Eagles 1991 Premiership HF Shane Breuer?
At training on Monday, good to see Matt Goldsworthy able to do repetitive 80% pace run-throughs - not joining in the training group yet.
Can't help but notice Sam Nicholls in the forward line drills; he's certainly a neat mover (a la Port's Sam Gray type)

Matteas Phillipou burnt up the track again last night leading the group home in the running trials. He could be our X factor as the year progresses on the wing. Good to see Grandfather Peter there to watch.

The Barton wrote:Matteas Phillipou burnt up the track again last night leading the group home in the running trials. He could be our X factor as the year progresses on the wing. Good to see Grandfather Peter there to watch.

Thanks Barton I’ve missed Peter being at the games since his sons retired

Can anyone tell us the trial games fixtures for the Eagles ?
I've read that we play Centals at Elizabeth on 5th March and Port Adelaide either week before/after but a definitive program including internal trials and venues would be much appreciated, I'm sure, by all Eagles supporters.
Over to you, Luke.

Just a bit of fun, selecting. I like your team, Wimpy, but just a couple of positional changes.

I see Jack Firns as playing a permanent role in the team this season beyond defensive forward roles. At training on Monday, Sheedy had Dan Menzel leading strongly out from in front of the goalsquare, taking the ball between HF & Wing, passing off to a runner who then kicked long to Ballenden near the square. Jack Firns was playing the conventional CHF role. (Jack hasn't the required agility, pace or kicking skills to be a dangerous close to goals). Unsure about Hardie as a crumbing forward pocket although he's got potential as HF/midfielder but worth first"crack" at it if trial form is good. This FP crumber position (James Rowe/Stengle) is one that we will struggle to fill.
I can see your thinking with Sinor at HB where he and Tsitas seemed to pick up a lot of touches in the finals. But I prefer Rowland at HB and Sinor in the midfield.
You haven't designated who you are using for the 2nd ruck unless it's the 1st 4 players on your interchange (with Ballenden rucking). If so, I wouldn't have Comma in our best 22 as much as I like his toughness (and excellent performance role in the Grand Final). He complemented the skill and "sting" of Stengle and Poole. If Hardie and Goldsworthy replace Stengle and Poole then the 3rd "small" forward needs to be "different" (pacier, elusive, kicking skills). ? whether youngsters D'Aloia, Nicholls can develop quickly enough?
Trial game form, injuries and Covid absenteeism will turn everything on its head (and Comma may end up being our champion!!!!)
But overall, I agree with your personel. Go Eagles!

Looks good Wimpy.
I'd suggest Allmond may play more as an attacking half back rather than on the wing but is flexible enough to play both.
I like Cameron down back.
Interesting move having Rowland in the middle.
Goldy as the small forward possibly?
How would we fit Hayes and Tsitas into this team !!

To save disrupting Melissa's work with a phone call, can anyone tell me where are the Eagles training tomorrow (Wednesday) night? Is it the Ottoway Oval ? Thanking you in anticipation.

I wonder whether James Tsitas had been in the ear of Nathan Freeman re the high standard of the SANFL, good for resurrecting an AFL career. Tsitas "worked" on recruiting Dane MacFarlane to the Eagles and may have tried the same with Freeman but unfortunately it seems Freeman chose the Crows.

hawke wrote:To save disrupting Melissa's work with a phone call, can anyone tell me where are the Eagles training tomorrow (Wednesday) night? Is it the Ottoway Oval ?  Thanking you in anticipation.

I wonder whether James Tsitas had been in the ear of Nathan Freeman re the high standard of the SANFL, good for resurrecting an AFL career. Tsitas "worked" on recruiting Dane MacFarlane to the Eagles and may have tried the same with Freeman but unfortunately it seems Freeman chose the Crows.

I wonder if we made a play for Sam Breuer. Son of an ex player. I believe he is going to Sturt after saying he would play for the the AFC.

Thanks for info, Wimpy.
(A much more convenient location for me).

A little light reading from today's Tiser.

Winged Eagles eye triple
NO Hayes, no Tsitas, no problem.
Woodville-West Torrens has brushed off the loss of star dual premiership duo Jack
Hayes and James Tsitas and declared its pursuit of a rare SANFL three-peat is still
well and truly alive.
While losing arguably the SANFL’s best player and a reigning Magarey Medallist in
February – when clubs struggle to find replacements – is a cruel blow, coach Jade
Sheedy said the Eagles would be “fine” and “still have enough class to rival anyone’’.
“We had a really strong finish to last year, we won nine of our last 10 games and the
grand final by 11 goals,’’ Sheedy said.
“Sure, we’ve lost Hayes and Tsitas, along with Tyson Stengle (Geelong), Angus Poole
and Patrick Giuffreda through (SANFL) retirement and Ben Jungfer (WA) but
Matthew Goldsworthy didn’t play in the grand final (through injury) and neither did
Dane McFarlane, who are easily in our best 18 players.
“Then you bring in Connor Ballenden (from Brisbane), Jarred Allmond (North
Adelaide), who is a star of the competition, and Mitch Duval (West Adelaide), who
has been training really well and will be a massive part of our backline this year.
“Add the great growth we’ve seen from (youngsters) Lachie Hoile and Max Litster
and the continued growth from (premiership defender) Luke Beecken, who we
thought was going to be drafted, and we are really confident in our squad and
believe we are definitely good enough to compete at the pointy end of the season.’’
The Eagles will this year attempt to become the first team since Norwood (2012-14)
to win three consecutive SANFL men’s league premierships.
Sheedy conceded his club’s task had become tougher by losing key forward/ruckman
Hayes, 25, to St Kilda (the deal has yet to be made official but the club has made a commitment to him) and midfielder Tsitas, 26, to Gold Coast so late in the preseason. But he said the club was pleased for the pair, who were crying out for an AFL
opportunity.
Sheedy has for two years insisted State captain Hayes, who won the Jack Oatey
Medal as best afield in last year's grand final, was the best player in the competition
while ball magnet Tsitas jointly won the 2021 Magarey Medal with South Adelaide’s
Bryce Gibbs.
“As a footy club you can look at it two ways,’’ said Sheedy. “You can whinge about
losing players of that quality at this stage of the year but the reality is that we are a
competition that needs to keep producing players to play at the next level, whether
they are 18, 25 or 26.
“As a club we take great pride with our football program where we’ve been able to
not only have some young kids drafted but also a lot of mature age players in the
past two years.’’
Sheedy said the Eagles were in the middle of their hardest block of training in his
three years at the club and were driven to cash in on their deep playing list as they
chase three consecutive premierships for the first time.

I think Max Litster will be a lock for a place in the backline - much like Jungfer - he'll just be that player that you pick because he does it well and without fuss.

I also think Comma will go up another level with opportunity. Top 5 in B & F and become one of our most important players.

The Menzels have enough X-factor between them to cause the opposition trouble in the forward line. To have Stengle last year was a blessing. Stengle's place last year was probably at the expense of Williams. Can Sheedy harness this young man's talent?

Otherwise there is Hardie or Goldsworthy who can be relied on, but probably don't have the match winning capabilities, especially given Goldsworthy is in the twilight of his career with injury issues.

Can Ballenden make the level? Time will tell. If he can, that will go along way to structuring up the forward line. Does a young fella make the grade? The talented but raw Lukac or does Wheare have the class for league level? He certainly smashes the packs exactly like you'd want a league player to do - which just might be his role if he gets an opportunity - after all, there is plenty of class to finish off around him. Firns will go down in legend for playing this role in the 2021 Finals series and particularly his effort in the Grand Final.

The midfield is still strong and with depth. Can Mutch have a full season like he played in the Grand Final? He'll go close to a Magarey if he does. Knight is the ultimate professional and consistent player.

We can't replace Tsitas and Hayes. It's our equivalent of trying to replace Hodge and Mitchell. They were just players who turned it on when a game was to be won. But, we still have quality leadership (Thompson and Sinor) and our recruits are seasoned, especially Allmond - how much fire does he have in the belly?

Our backline looks as reliable as ever, even without Giuffreda. Led again by the skipper - there is no reason to think this defence won't again be the best in the league.

It will be fascinating to see how the team starts the season and given the big turnover, once again, of star players lost to the AFL, the odds are still against us being able to get 3-in-a-row. Each minor round game, as it has in each of Sheedy's seasons with us so far, will be putting one piece of the jigsaw puzzle up on the table - hoping we have enough pieces up there early enough in the season to start putting them together in time for finals.

I like your enthusiasm, Aerie !
But keeping things sober, some forward (or two) have to make up the 60 odd goals that Stengle and Poole provided. Secondly, we have two, possibly three class midfielders when we need five.
Sure, we can hope that someone can emerge from the youth or "Comma' s Second Coming" But it is just that - hope.
But again, I like your enthusiasm.

Centrals report that they have signed Eagles U18 Premiership standout Dustin Launer. Did we not value him or was there another reason we didn't offer him a list position? He was named 2nd best in one of the finals. Does anyone know what/how we lost him?