Preliminary Final Norwood vs Eagles Sunday 26th September

eaglehaslanded wrote:Ineresting non-selection of Matthew Broadbent

Also thought Goldsworthy might have been a chance to be included this week as well.

Perhaps a chance for a late change.

Not on Goldsworthy's form last week in the two's

I too am surprised that Goldie was not included.
How does Day get a call-up, he was ordinary last week in the ressies.
The team looks very attacking with both Salts and Rowdy in the forward line. Welsh will struggle to get a kick. It's all good. Go the Eagles!

Agree, Welsh won't be missed from attack based on his form over the last part of the season but, Eagles being short of run-on players, suggest Welsh might take CHB releasing McKenzie to an on-ball roll - then with Powell at centre and McKenzie /Cicca as the first onballers and Rowntree/Daniel as the second with brief turns coming from Rimington, Cheep, Polec and even Salter.

If we can break even in the centre breaks, we'll romp it in !!!

Best game Rimington has played for the Club last week and would be reluctant to move him away from his forward pocket role.

While it does look a bit tall, at least as your post suggests Premiers, it gives plenty of flexibility for Godden work with during the match if something doesn't work.

I feel confident looking at the team.

I think Salter should play @ CH BACK tomorrow, reasons;

Good Mark.
Long Kick.
Played back for Power in last few weeks.
Pressure OFF being a target - if we need one in the 2nd half, then move up forward but I would start him @ CHB.

I assume that day is on the bench as back up if Hentschell doesn't come up.

Thus, Salter's spot IMHO is to start @ CHB.

Very proud of the players & the entire club to get this far but...
A Premiership is a REAL possiblity now.

Will be very interesting to see their performance tomorrow - I really hope that they approach it just like Week 1 - hit 'em hard from the first contest to the last - do that, another GF awaits.

C'mon You Eagles !!!!

Totally agree with your comment LEH, we should all be very proud of the performance by our club this year.
I was happy to make the five but the last two weeks have been a bonus.
Unfortunately, I don't think Trent will come up tomorrow, however, good to have Salts back.
To all our members, get down to footy park early tomorrow to support our under 18's, they are a great bunch of kids that have been playing good footy. Bad luck for a couple of the boys who have played majority of the year in the 18's, not allowed to play due to ridiculous SANFL rule.

From Byron Bay to AAMI Stadium

NICK Salter trained while holidaying in Byron Bay in the hope his injured calf and the Eagles' season would live to see tomorrow's preliminary final.

The boom forward returned to Adelaide on Wednesday and has watched replays of the Eagles' past two wins over Sturt and Glenelg as he prepares for Norwood at AAMI Stadium.

The Power-listed 23-year-old missed the final game of the AFL season with a calf injury then travelled to Byron Bay with his girlfriend.

But he maintained his fitness by running and kicking the football with a rugby player and yesterday told The Advertiser he felt ``refreshed''.

``Because of the calf injury it looked like that was it for the year,'' he said.

``But I've done plenty of work when I was away and I feel better, refreshed more than anything.

``I've watched the last couple of (Eagles) games on the computer this week to see what the boys have been up to, and I'll have a short and sharp session tomorrow (Saturday).''


Salter played eight SANFL games for 27 goals with Woodville-West Torrens this season.

The last time he was in Eagles colours was on June 6 when he kicked four goals against Port Adelaide Magpies.

He also played eight AFL games with the Power where he developed into a solid key defender.

He said there was never any doubt that if he was fit, he'd put his hand up to play finals for coach Michael Godden.

``I've been at the Eagles all my life,'' he said.

``And I've got some good mates there.

``It's not like this is my first year at the club, I always wanted to play.

``I had the option to either keep training or rest, I thought it was going to happen (Eagles remain in the finals race) and it did.''

Salter's inclusion could be even more important for the Eagles if former Crow Trent Hentschel doesn't recover from a hamstring injury.

Hentschel's three goals helped the side recover from a five-goal deficit to beat Glenelg last weekend.

Salter will form an imposing combination with fellow key forward Adam Grocke who will face close attention from Redleg defenders Kieran McGuinness and Alex Georgiou in the do-or-die final.

Ok, it was disappointing, but we would have had no chance next week if we held on. I suppose if Norwood were up and we came back and lost by 5 points, we could look at it in a different light, but the margin is still the same.

I see this year as a stepping stone - recruit the right players to replace those we will lose in the draft and enhance our side, and we will be premiership contenders.

If there is such a thing as an honorable loss this is probably it. The boys worked so hard in the first half but they just had nothing left to give by midway through the last quarter. Had we been able to pinch a goal in that 3 or 4 mins while the ball was down in the forward line in the last qtr maybe it would have been enough...but maybe it wouldn't have, you can pick the eyes out of all the different contests and say what if but in the end the guys were totally spent as those who were back at the club saw last night. Lets hope what Mick said as he finished his speech last night comes true....a few years ago he lost a prelim by 1 pt, the following year he won the Grand Final!

Fantastic effort by the team - disappointing result.
To get so close with half a team - outstanding.

Defensive tactics in the 2nd half were worrying but somewhat understandable considering our injury concerns.

Losing Welsh didn't help but (& I have been a critic) I thought Day played a very serviceable game, Well Done to him, stepped up.

Still very proud of the club getting to 3rd this season.

Great debut by Rayner - like him, appears a real 'goer'
Parry is the recruit of the year IMHO - just ahead of Lewis.
Parry's efforts throughout the year were outstanding - in fact I didn't think he was actually that good a player, but he IS !!!

Bye bye Luke Powell - thank you for your consistency of effort & performance, a HIGH QUALITY midfielder for almost a decade.

As for Godden - I think in the end we overachieved by finishing 3rd.
That being the case, 1st season as coach, 7/10 IMHO.
There were times when I questioned if he actually had a 'plan B' throughout the year but he proved a more than adequate replacement for Ronnie - I look forward to next season.
well done to the board on his appointment.

To all of you (fellow WWTFC lovers) - keep the faith.
This club has done great things in 20 years - granted only 2 Flags to show for it but its been a terrific ride & long may it continue.

Our team is usually compeditive in all matches - something that supporters from BOTH former clubs can't say happend all that much.

Keep promoting the Woodville-West Torrens Brand - we are ONE CLUB.
Keep renewing your memberships - our club, our money.

Finally, thanks to those 6 people who put up with the LEH each week - as a famous man once said "I luvs yoos all"

C'mon You Eagles

Another entertaining and interesting season.

• New Coaching staff
• AFL players in and out of the team.
• A bagful of injuries. (most untimely)
• Some Top-class recruits in- Parry, Lewis, Grieger and Thompson
• Ordinary performances from Welsh and Day
• The unearthing of some awesome talent – Smithy, Rayner,
• Progressive development of Rowntree, Giuffreda, Rimington, Polec making their mark.
• The continuing, heart wrenching Trent Hentschel drama
• Eye-catching and talented Eagle dancing girls
• An Eagle blog -well done MickyJ and all posters
• Some Norwood supporters dedicated the Prelim. Victory to LEH
• Success in the Finals circus
And sadly, the retirements ….?

Thanks for the season boys.

Great courage shown by our boys this finals series.Goddens game plan finally clicked into gear and with the right players should get us back up where we belong.Sadly injuries got us in the end and even if we had won yesterday would have limped into a Grand Final.
Take talented players of the calibre of Welsh,Hentschell,Treeby,Lewis,Grocke out of any of the other four finalist teams and i am sure they would have struggled (including Centrals).
We must now concentrate on recruiting and strive to keep as many as we can on our current list for next season.Whilst Smith and Polec(boy can this kid play) are certainties to get drafted,maybe Grocke (Gold Coast ) every effort must be made to keep Hentschell,Jacky.
Don't think we have to go overboard recruiting but a pacy midfielder or two would be nice! Plenty of talented kids coming through our ranks should help and don't expect the side to be disrupted by AFL players coming back and forth as much next year.
Well done to the players,assistant coaches and Michael Godden.

Best players from presentation last night:
1st Parry
2nd McKenzie
3rd Powell
4th Cicolella
Special mention from Gods of Nathan Rayner's great effort in his first game.

What a year, never thought it possible to play in finals this year, new coach, game plan etc but we not only made the five we played in 3 finals.
Of course, our boys were shattered last night & regardless of being assured we were more than pleased with their efforts they were inconsolable. Would have been interesting to see the makeup of a team to tackle Centrals next week. The injury list would definitely be extended after yesterday's game.
Congratulations to all involved with the Club for a great year, in particular, the recruitment of Craig Parry, Scott Lewis & Ben Grieger, what an asset to the playing group & as highlighted by 'Flash', the eye-catching & talented Eagle dancing girls.
If the young guns I've seen this year in the under 18's is anything to go by we can look forward to an exciting 2011, of course, that's after the AFL Draft!
B & F will be interesting in a few weeks time.

while I am disappointed I am also strongly proud of our Eagle BOYS!!
Well done guys cant wait until next year!!

Absolutely gutted sunday afternoon but starting to deal with it as the week goes on.

So many things you could point to, mostly injuries, should have been further in front after dominating the first half, seemingly going on the defensive too early, etc etc but what does it matter? The score is on the board and nothing changes it now. And now that the dust has settled, I do feel immense pride in this great club for what they did over the last few weeks after being totally written off by all the 'experts'.

It also fills me with great hope that we could all be celebrating another flag in the next few years.

@LoudEagleHooligan - great comments and I agree with you totally. BUT, what do you mean with 'Bye bye Luke Powell'? Is he retiring or going home or something? I thought he still had a year or two left in him but if you've heard something, could you please expand on those comments? I'd hate to see Powell go more than almost anyone else. Cheers.

I like you 'Nayf' would hope that Luke stays on for at least another year.
Haven't heard anything but he only signed last year for 1 year & he's getting married in a few weeks time. I'm sure he would be a required player.

Thanks for that info Eagle014. Haven't been keeping up with club news as much as I should have and didn't know about that.

I guess we'd all wanna keep a guy like Powell around the club for as long as possible. I'll keep my fingers crossed!