R3: Port v Eagles Review

[Macca19]

RESERVES

A 10-goal second quarter was the catalyst for a strong 39 point Eagles victory in the early game at Woodville Oval.

With Trent Hentschel playing his first game of football for over 12 months, the Eagles came out firing with a huge 10 goal to 4 second quarter.

After leading by just a point at quarter time, the Eagles kicked the first 5 of the first 6 goals of the second quarter to break out to a handy lead. Whilts the Magpies hit back with 3 goals of their own, the Eagles finished with 5 unanswered goals to lead by 37 points at the main break.

The game was much tighter after half time, with both teams struggling for regular shots on goal.

Trent Hentschel kicked 3 in the first half, before spending the second half on the pine. He was joined on 3 goals by Adam Jolly and Ben Arbon. For the Magpies, Jordan Erskine continued his good form with 4 first half goals before moving to Full Back.

Sam Daveron, Adam Jolly and Tom Couch were strong for the victors, whilst Jonathon Lee led the way in the ruck. For the Magpies, Mark Dolling was clear best on ground, whilst Josh Taylor continued his push for senior selection with two goals and strong around the ground work.

WW 2.4 / 12.5 / 15.7 / 17.13 115
PA 2.3 / 6.4 / 8.8 / 11.10 76

BEST
WW: Daveron, Jolly, Couch, Lee, Arbon, Hentschel, Passador
PA: Dolling, Taylor, Erskine, Wilkey, Stanley

GOALS
WW: Hentschel, Jolly, Arbon 3; Daveron, J Redden, Couch 2; Passador, Symmons
PA: Erskine 4; Miller, Taylor 2; Hughes, Harder, Walker

SENIORS

A week is a long time in footy, as Port Adelaide enigma Daniel Hargraves found out at Woodville Oval today. After struggling to hold marks and hit the target against South last week, Hargraves went from zero to hero, kicking a massive 10 goals in a stunning display that turned back the clock to help the Magpies to their inaugrual victory of the season.

The Port Adelaide spearhead had 6 goals to half time and started the last quarter needing only two goals to hit double figures. After steadying the Magpies with his 9th early in the last, it took until late in the last quarter for his 10th goal to come. It is the first time a Magpie has reached double figures since Trent Ormond Allen 6 years ago.

It looked like it may be a long day at the office for the Magpies, as the Eagles went bang with 3 goals in the opening 4 minutes of the match. It took Eagle Ben Schwarze getting reported for a strike on Kristian DePasquale to awaken the Magpies and they never looked back.

They kicked 6 of the next 7 goals, with former Eagle Vincenzo Rugolo kicking two, whilst Hargraves kicked his first 3. 17 year old first gamer Zane Kirkwood also added a goal with his first kick in league football. Magpie Jeremy Clayton was reported after the siren with an open handed strike to the face of Leigh Treeby, after Treeby had thrown the ball at his back after the siren blew. This started an all in melee.

It was the second quarter which blew the game open for the Magpies, kicking 6 goals to 1 in a stunning quarter of football. With both Maric and Batson controlling the rucks, the Magpies had first use of the football and spent most of the half in their forward half of the ground. Both Eichner and Looby were strong across half back and the Magpies led by a match winning 38 points at the main break.

Sam Fairclough became the 3rd report of the match after he hip and shouldered a Magpies player with his head down.

Hargraves kicked his 7th straight after half time, but the Eagles hit back and kicked 4 of the next 5 goals to give themselves a fighting chance at getting close, but a late running goal by Maric pushed the lead back out to 32 points.

It took until halfway through the last quarter for the Eagles to lie down and for the result to go to the Magpies. In a huge collision at the Eagles half forward, Ben Schwarze was knocked out cold and was taken from the ground on the stretcher. After a strong lead, Magpie Tim Looby showed incredible courage to drop in front of Schwarze and stop the mark. It seemed like a clash of heads and Looby also stumbled off the ground.

After the mid quarter break, Luke Jarrad had a chance to cut the margin to three goals and make it interesting but he shanked the ball through the points. The Magpies ran it down the other end and goaled through Daniel Elstone to put the result beyond doubt.

The 43 point victory was a great result for the Magpies and it has shown that they can play top football when in the right head set. The Eagles had their moments but they allowed the Magpies midfielders too much space and they couldnt find a player to stop Hargraves on the lead.

It was a true team performance for the Magpies, with no passengers and a host of players that could be named in the best players. Hargraves was obviously BOG, whilst Jeremy Clayton weaved his magic both in the middle and up forward. Corey AhChee was just as damaging as Hargraves with a number of strong contested marks at CHF. Elstone, Summerton and Watson had plenty of it in the middle, whilst Tim Looby was unpassable in defence.

For the Eagles, Nick Salter and Adam Grocke put in strong performances, whilst Luke Powell and Leigh Treeby also tried hard.

PA 6.2 / 12.7 / 15.9 / 19.11 125
WW 5.3 / 6.5 / 10.7 / 12.10 82

BEST
PA: Hargraves, Looby, AhChee, J Clayton, Eichner, Maric, Elstone
WW: Grocke, Salter, Powell, Treeby, Mackie

GOALS
PA: Hargraves 10; Maric, Kirkwood, Rugolo 2; J Clayton, Elstone, Thurgood
WW: Schwarze, Grocke, Salter, Fitzgerald 2; Fiacchi, Treeby, Biagi, Lane

[devilsadvocate]

Get in!!!!

[Dutchy]

Didnt catch much of it on TV but saw Schwarze get knocked out....it was a clash of heads about 7 foot off the ground and then he proceeded to fall horizointally after being knocked out and hit the ground again to finish him off....frightening stuff...

[Wedgie]

Hope those idiot Port supporters that abused Hargs last week apologised to him this week.

PS Thanks Hargs, I had money on Port today! Hargs> Eagles

[evans01]

Hope those idiot Port supporters that abused Hargs last week apologised to him this week.

PS Thanks Hargs, I had money on Port today! Hargs> Eagles

interesting post considering hargs has had about 3-4 good games since being with the Maggies..............i would have thought the occassional "Spray" wasnt that unjustified.....but then again i would expect nothing but a post like the one above............

but well played Hargs today great game!!!!!!....and well done the maggies!!!!

[evans01]

ps: excellent match review Macca!!!....(as usual)

[Macca19]

Hargs is obviously very much a confidence player. When hes on song, like yesterday, and against North last year, he is clearly a match winner.

When hes not, hes a complete liability.

[Aerie]

Thanks for the write up macca. Very disappointing from an Eagles point of view. Make or break time this Fri night at Norwood.

[eaglehaslanded]

Any Magpies supporters out there that get there early enough to watch the 2's can you tell me how the young kid (51) Troy Wilkey is going. He was out at the Eagles juniors didn't get much of a go at all before heading down to Alberton to continue his jnr footy before making it to reserves grade late last season. I'd be interested to see what your thoughts are. Is he far off making his league debut etc.

[Jardarf]

That clash of heads between Schwarze and Looby was sickening, the crack of the skulls colliding made me cringe, I wasn't too far away at the time and as soon as Schwarze hit the ground you could tell they needed the stretcher.

[woodwt]

I might be a long year for the eagles

[Macca19]

Any Magpies supporters out there that get there early enough to watch the 2's can you tell me how the young kid (51) Troy Wilkey is going. He was out at the Eagles juniors didn't get much of a go at all before heading down to Alberton to continue his jnr footy before making it to reserves grade late last season. I'd be interested to see what your thoughts are. Is he far off making his league debut etc.

I thought hes been great. As you said, cracked the ressies late last year a few times. This year has been one of our best every week. Rate him highly. Nice build, quick, good kick. Hes a very good HBF.

[eaglehaslanded]

Any Magpies supporters out there that get there early enough to watch the 2's can you tell me how the young kid (51) Troy Wilkey is going. He was out at the Eagles juniors didn't get much of a go at all before heading down to Alberton to continue his jnr footy before making it to reserves grade late last season. I'd be interested to see what your thoughts are. Is he far off making his league debut etc.

I thought hes been great. As you said, cracked the ressies late last year a few times. This year has been one of our best every week. Rate him highly. Nice build, quick, good kick. Hes a very good HBF.

Thanks for the info mate. I felt sorry for the young kid never got much of a run when at our club in the jrs. They had a stupid policy of playing 2nd year players in that grade despite ability of others and he left to find more opportunities elsewhere. Good to see he is going well.

[pipers]

Harking back to last week...

Were you in the bowling club Fatal?

One bloke in there gave Hargs a massive serve.After Hargs had spent some time on the pine in the third 1/4 the bloke gave him a massive spray and Hargs returned fire with 'the bird' .....one from front on the other from over his shoulder.

Yep. It was that incident. I know the guy and he's a passionate fan and regular attendee who is just fed up with our lack of forward firepower. A few of us pointed out one or two other names who deserved that title far more than Hargs though.

Personally I still think Hargs was a solid enogh piece of recruiting, he definitely had something to offer. In the handful of games when we've had both him and Waterhouse in the team we have done well (eg. Eagles in early 2007 at Woodville), but games like yesterday and the Sturt game at Unley last season make if hard for the "believers" to back him up against criticism like that.

He had a very dirty day.

Top effort by Hargs to bounce-back in such amazing fashion. Has been suggested to the guy that gave him that serve last week that he should pop across the street and give a similar spay to Chocco's players.

I'm somewhat annoyed I couldn't attend to see it live due to Ecky's wedding (which was very nice btw - don't get me wrong!), but more annoyed I forgot to record the bloody game...

Hopefully he backs up with another bag against the Roosters on Sunday...

[MightyEagles]

Underage results

17s
Port 3.1 4.2 9.10 13.12.90
Eagles 2.3 8.5 9.5 10.7.67

19s
Port 4.5 10.9 15.10 22.14.146
Eagles 2.0 3.3 5.6 9.9.63

Nathan Bock's brother Christian received a broken collar bone and will be out for at least 6 weeks.