Round 21 - WWT Eagles v Port Magpies Review

[dedja]

The Earth is flat ... prove that it isn't

[on the rails]

The Earth is flat ... prove that it isn't

Looks round on google earth?

[cennals05]

If you look at the stats Eagles get the most free kicks and Port are second. It was a battle of the umpires favourites with their favourites winning!

[Sky Pilot]

You can provide more than anecdotal evidence of systematic questionable decisions enabling Magpie success I assume?

Of course he can't Boonmeister
I really don't think umpires bring bias into their role at a level that could be defined as game-changing. A retired SANFL umpire told me during a very boozy charity golf match that in his career he never gave Magarey votes to certain players because he didn't like them and didn't think they deserved to win the prestigious award.

[cennals05]

You can provide more than anecdotal evidence of systematic questionable decisions enabling Magpie success I assume?

Of course he can't Boonmeister
I really don't think umpires bring bias into their role at a level that could be defined as game-changing. A retired SANFL umpire told me during a very boozy charity golf match that in his career he never gave Magarey votes to certain players because he didn't like them and didn't think they deserved to win the prestigious award.

So you're saying umpires do cheat?

[Dog_ger]

Let's be honest.

Can't see the eagles winning another game guys.

Unfortunately, they have left their run a little too late.

5th spot is out of Bays or Magpies.

Bays are there. Magpies have to get there.

Maybe the rooster will end ports fight next week.

and so they should. 4th v 7th.

[RB]

Can't see the eagles winning another game guys.

You can't see them beating Sturt?

[Dog_ger]

Can't see the eagles winning another game guys.

You can't see them beating Sturt?

Only time will tell my friend.

Eagles have been bottom all season.

It won't happen...

[whufc]

You can provide more than anecdotal evidence of systematic questionable decisions enabling Magpie success I assume?

Of course he can't Boonmeister
I really don't think umpires bring bias into their role at a level that could be defined as game-changing. A retired SANFL umpire told me during a very boozy charity golf match that in his career he never gave Magarey votes to certain players because he didn't like them and didn't think they deserved to win the prestigious award.

So you're saying umpires do cheat?

Very naive if people dont think that kind of things has always happened.

If some bloke has spent 2 hours running around giving me lip all day i couldnt care if he kicked 7 goals and 48 possesions he isnt getting anything from me.

[NO-MERCY]

Let's be honest.

Can't see the eagles winning another game guys.

Unfortunately, they have left their run a little too late.

5th spot is out of Bays or Magpies.

Bays are there. Magpies have to get there.

Maybe the rooster will end ports fight next week.

and so they should. 4th v 7th.

I can if they have the same umpires for their next 3 games,

[Columbo]

I can if they have the same umpires for their next 3 games,

No thanks NM, you can have them.
Some very confusing things happened yesterday, both ways.

Slattery's goal in the dying minutes one of the best I have ever seen at Woodville Oval, not too many get kicked from there.

[FlyingHigh]

Was a pretty average game for two teams playing to keep the season alive. Neither side would do much damage in the finals if they dished that up.

The umpiring was simply deplorable all day. For those not there. Centre wing outer, Eagles player dishes ball out, obvious throw. Umpire at centre half forward calls throw, play goes on a bit,4 or 5 seconds. The umpires converge where the throw was to discuss it and ball it up.

Port were in front most of the day but play between the 50m arcs was in the main controlled by the Eagles, they just were not as efficient as port going forward for 3 and a bit quarters.

Couple of questionable free kicks resulting in goals to both teams, perhaps the Eagles just getting the better of that.

Slatterys late goal in the right forward pocket southern end with the breeze blowing the wrong way to help him was a ripper to put Port back in front after throwing away a 15 point lead with less than 6 minutes to go. Pretty disappointing way to finish our shot at finals.



Jarred and Powell good for the eagles late in the game when cool heads were needed, Cicca good in the last quarter too.

A lot of dross on this thread, but a lot of this post I agree with.

FWIW, from my vantage point which admittedly was on the outer wing, it looked like a free to Rowntree. The goals that we got from frees that I thought were dubious were Rae's in the goal square just before half time, and Hall's free against Rakka in the last. The umpire seemed not going to pay it, and then second-guessed himself, which kind of eptomised their day and numerous other incidents, including the one Booney referred to (thanks, because I had no idea what was going on, other than it seemed as thoguh it was going to be a Port free). Tought Port got the best of the inconsistencies early, but overall it swung our way, but just baffling so many times.

But on the umpiring overall, it has been woeful with the odd exception, since a couple of years ago the decision was made to instruct the umpires to umpire more in accordance with the AFL interpretations. It seems hard enough for experienced, well-paid AFL umpires to get it right often enough, so must be hard and confusing for those new to umpiring ranks umpiring blokes who are almost as competitive as AFL players without the skills. And where has this left footy? A young lad like Rakka, good footballer who seems to play without any fanfare, looked like at first he hesitated going against his instincts in that spoil against Hall.

On to the actual footy, yeah, wasn't a great spectacle, but ironically given the strong tricky wind, the kicking for goal was pretty accurate apart from a couple OOF's snaps from Port. A pretty gutsy effort without Grocke and Guifredda for half the game. Greiger, such a huge heart, and him and Rae, whilst probably beaten by Meiklejohn and Cockshell, Port didn't make enough of this advantage IMO. Just on Rae, good to see a couple of good marks and goals from him. Staple battled hard against the odds, with Beard and Rakka playing god games. Shirley, I don't think was on Harder all day, but when he was was a good old-fashioned battle. Shirley was good, but Harder was a class above everyone else on the field IMO. Hall continuing some reasonable form. Slattery's goal was a beauty.

I can't see us knocking off Norwood or West when we'll need to win one (probably why we were trying to get Paryy's charge downgraded so he could play v West), but thank christ we have avoided the wooden spoon.

[Booney]

The last free kick to Rowntree was marginal at best, but if it was half way through the second quarter on the wing I wouldn't have cared.

Really disappointing game fore mine, barely any player showed the desperation to help his team win in the final stages other than Cicollela (sp) and was not the game of two desperate teams vying for a finals spot.

[FlyingHigh]

Very valid point Booney about the desperation. Again, it was Macca, Powell and Cicca that stepped up in the last, and the worrying thing for the Eagles is that it's always these older blokes, and apart from Rowntree, a lot of the other younger players seem to be happy to support, but not lead, when the game was there for them to put their stamp on in the second and third quarters.

[Booney]

I thought McKenzie looked out of touch. He still reads the game well, but his disposal late in the game was that of a man with tired old legs.

Salopek looked alright at times but on three occasions took possesion of the ball and bounced it less than 3 steps after taking it and ran himself into trouble. Mieklejohn and Cockshell did nowhere near enough around the ground to exploit the lack of Eagles talls and Wilson again struggled to get into the game up forward.

Corey Beard again the standout in defence for Port, helped somewhat by the Eagles kicking it to him over and over again. Will be a different Port back half next year with Beard and Raikiwasa bound to be drafted.

5th spot, Glenelg, Eagles or Port wont do any damage if they somehow get past North. North fans though wouldn't be confident against any of those three.

[FlyingHigh]

The Eagles, with a disrupted forward line structure in the second half, certainly played into the Port's defenders hands, but these young blokes still had to play well the most of advantage of this, which they did. Unlike the experienced ruck duo, and unlike Wilson, who you'd be hoping would really put his stamp on a game like that, where our defence was again unsettled without Greiger and Guifredda down there.

[Pseudo]

Salopek looked alright at times but on three occasions took possesion of the ball and bounced it less than 3 steps after taking it and ran himself into trouble.

Perhaps he needs a spell inthe ressies

[eaglesfan]

Courageous win to the Eagles with a depleted side. One of the most exciting finishes to a football game that I have ever seen. Hope Grocke is okay for the Norwood game - we certainly need him, back at his best.

[eaglehaslanded]

The last free kick to Rowntree was marginal at best

I suggest you take a look at "The Recovery Session" to take a look at the free kick again. It was definitely there, high contact across and above the shoulder. I would be saying the same if the free was paid to Port. Doesn't matter when or where or even at what stage of the game that was a free kick every day of the week. End of story.

[GWW]

Part of the recent discussion on this thread has been moved to the SANFL History Forum, with the new thread titled "Memorable Grand Finals".

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