Round 21: Eagles v Glenelg - Sunday 21 August @ Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval

Sunday 21 August
Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval

Reserves: 11:25am
League: 2:10pm

our last home game for the year come on you Eagles

A handicap to the Eagles Finals campaign is the "soft" final 2 matches against Glenelg and West - doesn't have us hardened for finals. Good at least that Centrals pushed us hard last week but a hard match (like South's final match against Adelaide) would have been ideal for our final minor round game.

Competition for places is good. Sam Rowland 21 disposals and playing well may be unlucky to make way for Lewis

Last year we couldn't kick 14 goals/game for much of the season, relying on our defensive play and this came unstuck when Westies attacking flair got us. This year, in the first half of the season, we were consistently kicking big scores. But lately, our scoring has dried up despite winning and having much of the ball - a bit of a worry. There are not many of our forwards that you could bank on kicking goals from 45 metres, dead in front - perhaps, McGregor, Poole, Wundke, Redden and Lewis. The unreliable kicking for goal of the remainder badly hurts us and Centrals kicked good goals from all angles in contrast to our sloppy attempts last week.

Cameron Giles out for 3 weeks with a pulled hamstring. Just about finishes his chances (slim anyway) of pushing for A grade selection this year. He's had a shocker of a year, only playing approx. 4 Seconds games, after having approx. 3-5 VFL games in 2 seasons prior to that. Hopefully, a good pre-season will see him have a big 2017.

I thought our last minor round game was against Norwood at Norwood
Both Glenelg and Norwood may not necessarily be the pushovers you are thinking
The worse scenario is 1 game in 3 weeks if we win the second semi, should we be in it, then off the boil against an inform Adelaide AFL in a grand final

Yeah Norwood at Norwood in the last round.

Im not sure it's a soft draw... Every team poses different challenges. We've struggled twice against North this year and they'll end up 9th!

I'm also not sure the weeks off for coming top and winning 2nd Semi is a major issue either. Unlike last year, we just need to stay healthy.

If we get through to the big dance, I'd expect to see a manic Eagles team that won't let the chance slip again.

Reddeer wrote:I thought our last minor round game was against Norwood at Norwood
Both Glenelg and Norwood may not necessarily be the pushovers you are thinking
The worse scenario is 1 game in 3 weeks if we win the second semi, should we be in it, then off the boil against an inform Adelaide AFL in a grand final

yep but this is our last home game

Premiers wrote:Last year we couldn't kick 14 goals/game for much of the season, relying on our defensive play and this came unstuck when Westies attacking flair got us. This year, in the first half of the season, we were consistently kicking big scores. But lately, our scoring has dried up despite winning and having much of the ball - a bit of a worry. There are not many of our forwards that you could bank on kicking goals from 45 metres, dead in front - perhaps, McGregor, Poole, Wundke, Redden and Lewis. The unreliable kicking for goal of the remainder badly hurts us and Centrals kicked good goals from all angles in contrast to our sloppy attempts last week.

Agree...South is the perfect team to exploit such weaknesses.  They will also have much neutral support out there and a tidal wave of momentum, no matter how they get in.  I have put a couple of dollars on them to win the flag.

The Crows reserves would be the other danger...if they care enough.

I don't agree it's a soft draw to finish; Glenelg and Norwood can win on their day, even if they are 7th and 8th.

Interesting to speculate which player in the Eagles can we least afford to go down with injury, not necessarily the best player in the team, but one in a critical position that we can't cover well for his replacement.
For me, I use to think Redden was irreplaceable as our only really big body to match Bass, O'Brien etc. But if the worst came and big Red went down we could, under duress, ask Bomber to take the load and we would still be better off ruck-wise than we were in last year's grandfinal.
So I've changed my choice to Thompson as being the player we would miss most. He is probably the only defender in the comp that has been able to hold South Adelaide's Eddy and matches him well in height and speed. I guess if Thompson went down, Patty Guiffreda would swing across to attempt to cover but would be caught short. So Thommo, stay fit!!
(Of course, any of the midfielders would be badly missed especially Petrenko and O'Brien but the 4 of them partially cover each other better than Thompson could be covered). Who do others feel is most irreplaceable?

I prefer not to tempt fate by speculating on injuries
I just hope unlike last year all our players stay fit

It will be a big advantage to any team against South who can cover Eddy or especially not be in the side at all.

Last year, Rowntree and Borholm were about the biggest losses we could get; maybe apart from either Ainger or Wundke. This year, we have got both Redden and Borholm to cover for the two forwards if they are held...so I suggest it will be either one of those two.

Reddeer wrote:I prefer not to tempt fate by speculating on injuries
I just hope unlike last year all our players stay fit

totally agree Reddeer

EAGLES
Woodville-West Torrens could launch the League career of Jack Hayes against Glenelg at Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval on Sunday.
Hayes, a younger brother of Nick Hayes, has been in strong form in the Reserves, culminating in him collecting 25 disposals, 10 marks and 14 hit outs last round.
Originally from Redhill, Jack Hayes measures in at 193cm and 93kg and can play at either end of the ground.
He has been joined in the Eagles’ 23-man squad by in-form forward Jackson Press, who has booted 14 goals in his last two Reserves matches.
Veteran midfielder Scott Lewis will resume from a calf injury on the wing in the Reserves.

League
F: O’Brien, Borholm, N. Hayes
HF: Gaffney, Wundke, Rowland
C: Goldsworthy, Poole, Hall
HB: Jarrad, Von Bertouch, Allmond
B: P. Raymond, Thompson, Guiffreda

R: Redden, Petrenko, Boyd
INT: Ainger, McGregor, Press, J. Hayes, Rowntree
IN: J. Hayes, Press

Reserves
F: Jolly, L. Hayes, Comitogianni
HF: Stengle, Summerton, Whittlesea
C: Woods, Firns, Lewis
HB: G. Ellis, Cox, Westbrook
B: Elsworthy, Heinjus, Batley

R: Raikiwasa, Yarran, M. Raymond
INT: Lee, Sinor, B. Ellis

Under-18
F: Longbottom, Hoare, Moore
HF: Weidemann, Moller, Creeper
C: Martin, Hoyle, Georgeson
HB: Coxon, Lukosius, W. McPherson
B: Smith, Beecken, Bondarenko

R: Baqeri, Lee, Mead
INT: Brill, Cook, Goold, Holman, Miller, Wood

goddy11 wrote:

spell_check wrote:It will be a big advantage to any team against South who can cover Eddy or especially not be in the side at all.

Last year, Rowntree and Borholm were about the biggest losses we could get; maybe apart from either Ainger or Wundke.  This year, we have got both Redden and Borholm to cover for the two forwards if they are held...so I suggest it will be either one of those two.

I think Boyd was struggling with injury and didn't Pooley go down as well. I was away in Europe last year and "luckily" missed the GF but I did listen to it on radio at some ungodly hour and switched it off last 1/4.
Our small guys Boyd, Poole and McGregor give us so much of the ball. O'Brien is coming into a real form high at the moment as well.

Our real strength is the team aspect as when 1 player drops out , the incoming player just steps in.

One thing from my head brain injury basically all of 2015 is gone including the GF

The injury list is from August 3 Chris Hall played against Centrals after he recovered quickly. I was hopeful that the club would update this info weekly as it did at one stage but people forget

From SANFL Website

Ethan out for 1 with a quad, didn't play in 2's last week.
Cam Giles 3 weeks with hammy.
Whit and Lewie were listed as a test.

To refresh your memory, Mickyj
Eagles lost their entire first ruck, the week before the 2015 GF. Bornholm, Rowntree and Poole all out. I would like to think we could beat any of the other finalists if THEY lost their entire first ruck this time!!
Secondly, Boyd was brought into the GF team, more on hope than on form, because he had barely played 3 Seconds game due to carrying a groin injury which he has had since joining the club in 2014. The gamble didn't work. He said that this year was the first time he had been free of it, hence his good form in 2016.

Premiers wrote:To refresh your memory, Mickyj
Eagles lost their entire first ruck, the week before the 2015 GF. Bornholm, Rowntree and Poole all out. I would like to think we could beat any of the other finalists if THEY lost their entire first ruck this time!!
Secondly, Boyd was brought into the GF team, more on hope than on form, because he had barely played 3 Seconds game due to carrying a groin injury which he has had since joining the club in 2014. The gamble didn't work. He said that this year was the first time he had been free of it, hence his good form in 2016.

I did forget all that Premiers once i got out of the RAH and hampstead i saw it all online .

Today im missing out so cheer for me guys sick as a dog yes i never miss a game .
Whatever made me sick has gone to my good ear everyone enjoy the game

Is that what we get for injury speculating?

Bloody tempt fate and that is what you get.
Shut the F8ck up in future!!!!!!!!!!

From SANFL site (according to Mick Godden),
McGregor - surgery but should be available for the 2nd week of Finals.
Boyd - surgery. Could be anything from 4 wks to 12 weeks. If 4 weeks, then available for the Grand Final.

What a load of **** have been in a permanent bad mood since last night...if this costs us a GF I'm going to be pretty ****** off

There were 3 very ordinary weak umpires out there letting go scragging and illegal tackling. No wonder there were pocket melees and they were lucky that it wasn't a total boil over. The bays were playing filthy from the start. Not only was Boyd targeted so were some others. Chris Hall was deliberately worked on, on his face, right in front of us when he was pinned under a pack. He had to come off straight away to get patched up
The umpire stock must be very low when standards of umpires like that get games

Unfortunately Boyd's season is over = massive loss. Lachy will be ok unless anything else was found during surgery. Yes Glenelg were awful, it was their way to avoid a whitewash but I know a couple of numbers are saved for retribution.
How do we cover. We will not be blooding any untried juniors, (ala Ronnie), so I expect that Press will come into the forward pocket and if Lewie pulled up ok he will come into the rotation. Decent options are to shift Rowland on the ball and put Bately or Sinor on the wing.