2015 Grand Final - Eagles v West - Sun 27/9/15

[wedgetail]

Congrats West, too good on the day. West's on-ball division too big, strong and footy smart for our lot. Many Eagles players did not perform on the big stage and I thought Godden was out coached (he will bounce back though as evidenced this year from 2014).
Redden will be a significant addition next year but a hard nut onballer to replace Rowntree essential and we still need some more run!

Is Redden a definate in?
Heard a couple of AFL clubs are looking at him

From what I have heard, most likely to be with Eags.

[wild dog]

Well done Bloods. I was surprised how good they were in the prelim with a few of their best out, and they really carried that form into the GF.

[Thiele]

It has Finally sunk in that the Bloods are Premier's. Have watched the game 3 times

[blood bath]

http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/sanfl-gr ... ent-752436

A refreshing article that so simply explains the emotions and feeling we have about our SANFL and the recent GF. Thank you Dave Brown

[HoldenV8]

Mind you, I'm not sure anyone was going to beat Glenelg in 1985. North did well to get in front by 29 points in the second quarter of the Grand Final IIRC before being steamrolled. That was one helluva power team, 16 out of the 20 who played in the premiership side went to play VFL/AFL or had already done so, and few handy ones at that, plus players like Peter Carey who would've certainly made it if he succumbed to St Kilda in 1981 or whenever it was.

Agreed. When I said it was debatable I meant that I doubt we could have beaten either team. North after all did beat us in the Prelim final. Though I still wonder how things would have gone had Luders been playing (after his jaw was smashed by Stephen Riley a few weeks before the finals). And I do agree Glenelg were the best team in 1985.

And its 3 days after the GF and I am still smiling

You know, I am more happy for Mark Mickan than anyone. He was one of my favourite players as a kid (along with Luders, Grantley Fielke and Leon Grosser) and he sadly missed the 1983 premiership because of a knee injury (PCL done in a game against Glenelg). After the career he's had in senior football he is one who deserved a premiership.

[Captain_Bulldog]

Congratulations to everyone at West Adelaide. A solid finals series was topped off with a brilliant GF performance.

It's great for the SANFL to see a club that has been through some tough times on and off the field recently come strong again and after a 32 year drought claim the Premiership again!

Mark Mickan has proven himself to be a great coach at the Eagles and then getting Glenelg right up there, but this effort getting Westies from 9th to Premiers in one year is amazing and so fitting he finally got the Premiership he missed out on as a player in 1983 at his Bloods!

I hope everyone at Westies are soaking it up and enjoying every bit of the deserved success. No doubt Richmond will be a happy place during the off season.

Let's see what 2016 brings us!

[Magellan]

Though I still wonder how things would have gone had Luders been playing (after his jaw was smashed by Stephen Riley a few weeks before the finals).

And its 3 days after the GF and I am still smiling

You know, I am more happy for Mark Mickan than anyone. He was one of my favourite players as a kid (along with Luders, Grantley Fielke and Leon Grosser) and he sadly missed the 1983 premiership because of a knee injury (PCL done in a game against Glenelg). After the career he's had in senior football he is one who deserved a premiership.

Good point. That was not one of Stephen Riley's greatest moments, and Luders was definitely an excitement machine who could kick plenty of goals. How was Luders' form in the latter part of that season? I was at that game, but I can't recall much of it.

Mickan's one of the true nice guys of footy on and off the field, and thoroughly deserves his premiership success after all these years.

[HoldenV8]

Though I still wonder how things would have gone had Luders been playing (after his jaw was smashed by Stephen Riley a few weeks before the finals).

And its 3 days after the GF and I am still smiling

You know, I am more happy for Mark Mickan than anyone. He was one of my favourite players as a kid (along with Luders, Grantley Fielke and Leon Grosser) and he sadly missed the 1983 premiership because of a knee injury (PCL done in a game against Glenelg). After the career he's had in senior football he is one who deserved a premiership.

Good point. That was not one of Stephen Riley's greatest moments, and Luders was definitely an excitement machine who could kick plenty of goals. How was Luders' form in the latter part of that season? I was at that game, but I can't recall much of it.

Mickan's one of the true nice guys of footy on and off the field, and thoroughly deserves his premiership success after all these years.

Luders only kicked 35 goals in 17 games in 1985 so it wasn't his best year even before his jaw was broken (Peter Meuret was our leading goal kicker in 1985 with 55 from 23 games). But he had finals experience which could have helped though when we lost him though we did lose our full forward which is hard to cover (Bruce Lindner was at Geelong by this time). After he came back in 1986 he wasn't the same player any more, some would say he was gun shy. He retired at the end of 1987. He did pop up again in Whyalla on a big dollar contract in 1990, but again was gun shy and only lasted a season or two.

This is the news report following Luders' jaw being broken. Doug Thomas called for Riley to be delisted by the SANFL though he somehow managed to escape being reported and was never suspended over the incident.

[Spargo]

Stephen Riley was a dirty sniper, period.

[therisingblues]

Very late hit by Riley there. Luders also received a little push from behind after taking the mark, which might have caused him to concentrate more on keeping his feet rather than watching out for the idiot charging at him.

[o five]

While you are all at it, why not chuck Simsy`s effort in there. Anyhow back to the topic. Well done Westies on beating the Eagles.

[HoldenV8]

While you are all at it, why not chuck Simsy`s effort in there. Anyhow back to the topic. Well done Westies on beating the Salary Cheats.

I was about 50 metres back towards the southern goals when Sims hit Matthew Simpson. Have to say that when Sims swung his arm the ball was about a metre or more in front of Simpson. No way was he trying to get the ball.

I've heard stories that in the first quarter of the game, Simpson was giving Darel Hart the shits by constantly niggling him. Hart, sick of it allegedly said that if someone didn't get Simpson off his back he'd end up thumping him. Steve Sims stepped up and did just that. It arguably won them the game though because from that point on Westies forgot about playing footy and just wanted to beat the crap out of Sims.

Steve Sims may have finished that GF looking like he'd gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, but he had the last laugh didn't he. He had a premiership medal.

[Rik E Boy]

While you are all at it, why not chuck Simsy`s effort in there. Anyhow back to the topic. Well done Westies on beating the Salary Cheats.

I was about 50 metres back towards the southern goals when Sims hit Matthew Simpson. Have to say that when Sims swung his arm the ball was about a metre or more in front of Simpson. No way was he trying to get the ball.

I've heard stories that in the first quarter of the game, Simpson was giving Darel Hart the shits by constantly niggling him. Hart, sick of it allegedly said that if someone didn't get Simpson off his back he'd end up thumping him. Steve Sims stepped up and did just that. It arguably won them the game though because from that point on Westies forgot about playing footy and just wanted to beat the crap out of Sims.

Steve Sims may have finished that GF looking like he'd gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, but he had the last laugh didn't he. He had a premiership medal.

Question. How many mates did Sims leave the game with? I had the misfortune of meeting him when our Indoor Cricket team played his. We were a good side but their team was a great side. He clearly expected an easy night but we got up and won.

When the game was up for grabs he was arrogant and when we won he fresh aired us all and loudly bagged his team mates before storming off. He came off as angry, arrogant and an extremely poor sport. Was he like that all the time or did he just have a bad night?

regards,

REB

[robranisgod]

While you are all at it, why not chuck Simsy`s effort in there. Anyhow back to the topic. Well done Westies on beating the Salary Cheats.

I was about 50 metres back towards the southern goals when Sims hit Matthew Simpson. Have to say that when Sims swung his arm the ball was about a metre or more in front of Simpson. No way was he trying to get the ball.

I've heard stories that in the first quarter of the game, Simpson was giving Darel Hart the shits by constantly niggling him. Hart, sick of it allegedly said that if someone didn't get Simpson off his back he'd end up thumping him. Steve Sims stepped up and did just that. It arguably won them the game though because from that point on Westies forgot about playing footy and just wanted to beat the crap out of Sims.

Steve Sims may have finished that GF looking like he'd gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, but he had the last laugh didn't he. He had a premiership medal.

North were well in control of the game when Sims hit Simpson. Hart had already scored 4 goals on him. If you watch the replay the commentators are very critical of West's discipline from the start of that game. To say they only started fighting from the Sims incident is not correct.

These comments are in no way to defend what Sims did but it is interesting to note Mark Naley's comment at the time that he had wished that he had done the previous week what Sims did in the Grand Final.

Anyway congratulations to Westies on this year's win.

[Second Team]

Think this is a West v Eagles 2015 Post. Not some rant about the Past. Go Bloods. 2015 Premiers.

[johntheclaret]

Think this is a West v Eagles 2015 Post. Not some rant about the Past. Go Bloods. 2015 Premiers.

You're right, and apart from a few posts that belong in the History Forum, I think this has been a really good 'Grand Final' topic. 20 pages of generally honest debate and opinion, and a very large slice of congratulatory praise and best wishes to the victors.

[therisingblues]

Do you think there'll ever come a time when we complain about Westies winning the flag all the time?

[Brodlach]

Do you think there'll ever come a time when we complain about Westies winning the flag all the time?

[FlyingHigh]

I hope I don't put the mockers on them, but I reckon Westies might win another flag within three years. I'll stick my neck out and say they'll compete in two of the next three grand finals, based purely on the fact that Mickan is coaching them, and he's now got a taste of it.
Damn bloody good for the comp to have such a club that's gutsed it out for so many years become strong.
Just don't get in the way of Sturt's next flag and we'll all get along just fine.

Certainly you'd think they've got an age group to have a another good 3 seasons. For their supporters hopefully they can keep their core group together, which was something the Eagles weren't able to do after their last two flags, that year or the next we were regenerating (rather than rebuilding).