Jackal wrote:Very entertaining game and certainly one the Eagles would have lost last year.
Fantastic to win but let's not get ahead of ourselves, plenty more challenges to come.
Eagles were probably only 2 players short of our best side, Powell and Salter or Passador at Full Forward will top us up plus it is unlikely we will Knights again, maybe Shirley will get a recall as well. We have depth this year and the best players listed in the reserves are ready to step in.
Whilst we beat North we did play 2 poor quarters and North made us look very slow often when they had the ball. Very gutsy coaching moves by Ronnie and he resisted stacking the back line when the heat was on during the last quarter.
North has a very talented team - Alleway is the powerhouse, White was good and Allan just runs amok against us. The pacy combination on the outer wing in the second quarter should have resulted in more goals for North but their disposal into the key forwards let them down.
Good post Jackal. I think both teams would be pleased as to where they are at this stage based on last year both missing the finals. I know the Eagles had a few good players out in Passador and Powell but they did get gifted a couple of good AFL listed players who had some influence. North suffered more with our outs - especially not having Schwarze who is very handy and hard to match up on as a third tall fwd and does ok down back too if needed - hence another tall fwd would have helped with our inside 50's IMO. I think Healy should have picked Schubert who could have played at CHB and White could have played up fwd all game - hindsight is great isn't. The other big out was Archard who was for the first 3 rounds clearly our best player. Not to mention we have 2 ruckman sidelined, plus V/C Sporn and the pacy and hard at it Whyman.
The other baffling decision that has not got too much "air play" is the fact that Gill was told by the Crows on Wednesday he would be playing at North this past Sunday but by Thursday afternoon he was "held back" another week to make sure his hammy is absolutely ok? He was not pleased to say the least is my mail! Make your mind up Craigy but the way the Crows are going he will probably slot straight back into the Crows line-up.
In summary the Eagles deserved the win because they absorbed North's pressure for the first half and applied a bit themselves, North couldn't get a bigger lead at halftime when they should have and the Eagles exploded in the third and North was caught flat footed and McGregor had one of those magic quarters that happens from time to time. That what was what won it for them. No disgrace to lose to a team by only 8 points who have been for a decade the number 1 challenger to Centrals. At least we fought it out and didn't lie down and get rolled by 10 goals which was on the cards at 3/4 time.
your in fine form tonight wedgie 
