Eagles V West 2.10 pm Sunday grand final

This is it the big one

Do all the basics consistently well and early goals and Oval Ave will be abuzz.

West have worried me all year since that first game loss... Although we've had their measure for most of each game, they've proved time and again that it ain't over til it's over.

I'm feeling this will be the one we either break them completely, or they'll get us like that first game.

I'd feel a lot more comfortable with Rowntree and Poole out there... But the best 2 teams are playing off and should be a cracking game.

We did without Rowntree for most of the game in the 2nd Semi and Poole for a fair portion of it too.  We can cope withouth them, but Mickan will know they aren't there this time for the whole match.

Fun fact: West Adelaide are the only team any of our grades have not won a flag against.  One thing is for sure this Grand Final has a completely different flavour to it without Central, Norwood or Port in it.  One of both of them contested every GF from 1992 to 2014.

Given the way West have dominated the last Q of all 3 games against the Eagles, we need to be minimum 4 goals up at 3Q time to feel confident, at least for the first 10 mins of the last Q!
We've shown that we struggle to kick 14 goals while Westies can explode and kick multiple goals very quickly.
I anticipate Jarrad will cop a lot of off-the-ball attention as Westies know his importance.
Hope the GF isn't decided by injuries to key players.

Well thats a big problem

SANFL News
24 SEP 2015
GRAND FINAL TEAMS
By Zac Milbank

EAGLES
Woodville-West Torrens ruckman Marc Borholm is a shock omission with injury ahead of Sunday’s SANFL IGA League Grand Final against West Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
The former Bloods bigman will cruelly miss the most important match of the year after being diagnosed with a fractured tibia in his leg.
Borholm suffered the injury during the first term of the Second Semi-Final and despite playing the entire match, was only able to train at ‘’30-40 per cent’’ on Wednesday night.
‘’The fact he was able to play the whole Second Semi-Final showed how courageous he is,’’ Eagles coach Michael Godden said.
‘’He tried to train on Wednesday night but was just not able to go to the standard required for a Grand Final.
‘’We’re all really devastated for him as he’s fought so hard for his spot in the team. His absence will present a challenge for the whole group.’’
Former Essendon rookie Fraser Thurlow has replaced Borholm in the centre square while Tom Whittlesea – the Eagles’ best in the Reserves Second Semi-Final – could also play to lend a hand in the ruck.
Reserves Magarey Medallist Matt Appleton, Joe Sinor and Giles Ellis have also been included in the 23-man squad to replace knee victims Angus Rowntree and Angus Poole.
Premiership midfielder Scott Lewis will play his 150th SANFL match after making his debut with West Adelaide as a teenager in 2005.


F: N. Hayes, Wundke, McGregor
HF: Schwarz, Ainger, Allmond
C: C. Hall, Lewis, Martyn
HB: Goldsworthy, Thompson, Jarrad
B: P. Raymond, Von Bertouch, Giuffreda

R: Thurlow, Petrenko, Boyd
INT: Whittlesea, Batley, Appleton, Ellis, Sinor

IN: Thurlow, Whittlesea, Appleton, Sinor, Ellis
OUT: Rowntree (knee), Poole (knee), Borholm (leg

Not good at all... I can't see us getting over the line given those outs.

Mara32 wrote:Not good at all... I can't see us getting over the line given those outs.

While i think its a body blow . Does make the ruck line up spring a surprise for west . They know bomber know what he will do im hoping Thurlow will throw in some shocks for me them .

Bad news for Bomber but I know my boys will do their very best.
Unfortunately, my health is not the best at present & I won't be able to be at the Oval to cheer the boys on. So, all the Eagle supporters on this site will have extra work to do to get our boys over the line, at least I got to see them win the 2nd semi.
Congratulations to my Lewie on his 150th.
Go you mighty Eagles

Eagle014 wrote:Bad news for Bomber but I know my boys will do their very best.
Unfortunately, my health is not the best at present & I won't be able to be at the Oval to cheer the boys on. So, all the Eagle supporters on this site will have extra work to do to get our boys over the line, at least I got to see them win the 2nd semi.
Congratulations to my Lewie on his 150th.
Go you mighty Eagles

take care you will be missed

Ironical that the Eagles have had an excellent run re injuries during the season (no ACLs, and Thurlow and Boyd being the only long term injuries) until the Eve of the GF. Devastating. Timing is everything
But if we try to look for optimism among the "debris"
1. Marc Borholm, despite his Herculean effort playing with a fractured fibula, was convincingly beaten by Willitts (which is no disgrace). We go into Sunday's game knowing that we are going to rove to losing rucks again. So long as Thurlow is competitive. Also, Thurlow hasn't the engine that Bornholm has and therefore need to take Whittlesea as backup. To think that some advocated only taking one ruckman (Bornholm) into the GF - imagine had this injury happened in the 1st 10 mins.
2. Rowntree and Poole were out of the game early yet we still managed to win. Of course, Westies had 2 off as well  which helped.

So a little OPTIMISM please!!!!

Absolutely Shattered for Bomber (And Gus x2), footy and life in general throws some curve balls from time to time.
Fraser is a big unit who wont get any shorter or lighter as the game goes on, he may just thrive on the responsibility, his second half in the twos was pretty decent a couple of weeks ago....get around him!

Premiers wrote:Ironical that the Eagles have had an excellent run re injuries during the season (no ACLs, and Thurlow and Boyd being the only long term injuries) until the Eve of the GF.

I knew when I saw the injury list coming into the finals it had to be too good to be true.

Is there anyone in the side that is known for their leap? Could someone play a Trent Ormond-Allen like role?

Columbo wrote:Absolutely Shattered for Bomber (And Gus x2), footy and life in general throws some curve balls from time to time.
Fraser is a big unit who wont get any shorter or lighter as the game goes on, he may just thrive on the responsibility, his second half in the twos was pretty decent a couple of weeks ago....get around him!

I don't know why Thurlow has been in the Reserves for, is he not rated? Obviously he is the only logical choice now. Funny how I wanted him to be picked and now he gets the chance in this manner!

spell_check wrote:

Columbo wrote:Absolutely Shattered for Bomber (And Gus x2), footy and life in general throws some curve balls from time to time.
Fraser is a big unit who wont get any shorter or lighter as the game goes on, he may just thrive on the responsibility, his second half in the twos was pretty decent a couple of weeks ago....get around him!

I don't know why Thurlow has been in the Reserves for, is he not rated?  Obviously he is the only logical choice now.  Funny how I wanted him to be picked and now he gets the chance in this manner!

could it be a sign Mickan got injured and west brought in Dejong
The universe is certainly strange

Come on Fire up Peeps are we going to kick Westie Butt or what!!!!!

Hope the boys can give you some good medicine today Eagle14.
Come on Eagles, bring another one home!