Eagles v Dogs

[Grand Central]

Strewth! What a frustrating game to watch for Bulldog supporters. First half was crap with players in strange spots. Once Sibenaler went back to defence and Wilson up forward things looked markedly different. McCabe's two costly turnovers (both for goals) hurt us big time. It was heartening to see the spark come back late in the game when Laird told them to play on.

Steiny's future must be in doubt with yet another shoulder injury so quickly.

Umps were terrible.

[spell_check]

Well I was very worried when Centrals got the margin down to 5 points, it looked like they were going to cruise to victory. But as the Eagles players found out in the first two rounds, if you play catch up football, it only takes a couple of steadying goals from the team in front and the game is over.

McKenzie carried on his great performance from last week with another this week with several safe marks in the backlines, and a goal late in the last quarter. Passador also continued on from last week with some strong marks, he could have had 8 or 9 goals had it not been for inaccuracy. Other best payers I thought were Inkster, Cicolella and Oakley who also did his bit in the forward line.

[Mickyj]

Pretty entertaining last quarter, I thought the Dogs were no chance but when they got the lead back to under a kick I thought they would win the game. Inkster's snap was brilliant, and that 25m penalty paid at the end was shocking. Probably not the umps fault though as thats part of the new rules which the AFL have brought in. Good to see Oakley kick a late one too.

Welldone to the ABC for going to the News in time on final term, surely they could have waited a few minutes to show the trophy handover and BOG awarded.

RM as an Eagles fan and having watched the game at the ground let me say thank god for that 25 there were a couple of funny frees paid to the dogs that got them going again and we had stopped.
Re that 25 metre I watched the whole centrals V glenelg game the week before and that happened most of the game against centrals they shouldve learnt the lesson from the week before!!

Well done Eagles you weathered the doggies twice today and you won

[Wedgie]

They were consistent on that 25 m rule all day long and were pretty consistent on most decisions especially as far as not paying holding the ball so I thought the umpiring was quite good.
Still annoys the living crap out of me than when there's 3 umpires they'll position themselves 9 times out of 10 so 2 of them are looking into the sun. I know its not the umpires fault but those who advise them where to stand, its absolutely ridiculous.

[Mickyj]

They were consistent on that 25 m rule all day long and were pretty consistent on most decisions especially as far as not paying holding the ball so I thought the umpiring was quite good.
Still annoys the living crap out of me than when there's 3 umpires they'll position themselves 9 times out of 10 so 2 of them are looking into the sun. I know its not the umpires fault but those who advise them where to stand, its absolutely ridiculous.

I can not argue with what you have said Wedgie, just to add the umpires did not pay the first or second free but the THIRD FREE which lead to at least 1 doggies goal in the last term.
I did feel sorry for a doggies seconds player running with the ball an Eagles player grabbed him for what appeared a second and it was holding the ball ,in fact he didnt really retard him at all !!

I was really only pointing out what happened the week before and today .

I did see some signs today of improvement by the Eagles and Jarrad even did some great things thumbs up guys you have the bye this week to rest up for Port .

[sydney-dog]

For me, I can't understand why Laird does not keep Thomas on the ball, at the moment the doggies need their best players around the footy........

Forward structure cost us, we need schell and luke back asap

also thought laird should of made a change on Pasador a lot earlier

[dogfish]

An interesting game.

I see the Bulldogs struggling to knit together until the last quater. Alot of kicking to the player standing still with an eagle on his back. Very undoggy like.

A lack of forwards doesn't help when the game play seems to hinge on the kick into the fifty.
I can understand why Lairdy doesn't change the game plan in the early stages of the year, and seems willing to wait until Shelly and Cowans return. But it is very frustrating to watch.

A few years ago we won a couple of premierships without a dominating forward. It would have been good to see them adopt that run the ball through the goals system we saw success with.

The doggies looked pretty sore at the end of the game, and I am unwilling to tip them against Westies in a mere 4 days time, but you never know.

Well done Eagles. Definitely the better side today. Passador was awesome.

The next clash will be a cracker.

[Aerie]

Was a physically tough game and whoever programmed Central to play on Saturday night needs to provide an explanation. It is very unfair. Why not take this weekend as a round with 3 teams having the bye (including Eagles and Central).

Was a game full of ebb and flow. Twice Central looked back to their best and twice the Eagles were able to hold them off. The Eagles won because they were more consistent and they had Passador as a forward line target. I was very impressed with the Eagles players commitment to the body and ball and they held their tackles well. Great to see us win with first gamers Vandeleur and Redden, inexperienced Jackman and Spencer and a couple of old heads in Wigley and Potter playing their first games for the season. Both the Eagles and Central will improve a lot when they get some players back from injury and have settled teams.

Passador deserved the Bob Quinn medal. He was the only player on the ground to dominate up forward. Powell, Colville, Lindsay, Cicolella and McKenzie were good. Earl, Pedler and Jarrad played their best games this season. Jarrad looked a lot more comfortable on the left wing. For the majority of the first 3 games he was played out of position on the right wing. A great attacking move by Fuller when we were only 5 points up in the last to put McKenzie in the middle. He won a couple of centre breaks and kicked a goal to seal the match. He has done well at CHB, but we need him in the middle. He is very close to being the best player in the competition at the moment.

The Eagles have salvaged their season and to go in at 2-2 is not so bad considering 7 quarters ago the Eagles were playing the worst football they have played since Fuller took over. What a great occasion it will be playing an in form Magpies at Thebbie on Sunday week. Can't wait!

[Dogsbody]

Four day breaks are nothing new to the Dogs.

Its still crap though, we should really play on Sunday.

Geez today's match effort p*@#ed me off.

[Jimmy]

umps were terrible hey??

[Dogsbody]

They could have been better positioned, even Wedgie said they were average.

How good were they on Friday?

[sydney-dog]

4 day break is no good, the SANFL need to do more to look after player welfare

both teams should of had the bye this week or at worse played Sunday games

[Wedgie]

They could have been better positioned, even Wedgie said they were average.

How good were they on Friday?

I said they could have been positioned better but the only thing I said on the standard was they were consistent which in my book is a positive.
I left early in the last but the umpiring up to then was good, only blatant miss I saw was the push they paid against the Eagles forward in the first minute of the 3rd quarter, weak as piss and would be let go 9 out of 10 times, in fact was let go 5 minutes later down the other end.

Umpiring standard today was very good IMHO, consistent and let the play go.

[SBR]

They could have been better positioned, even Wedgie said they were average.

How good were they on Friday?

Clearly a little bit better than when you played Glenelg

[Dogsbody]

We're still one win better!

[MightyEagles]

We had players in the reserves who played in the 19's on Saturday, so they had 3 days between matches.

[MightyEagles]

Good win by the Eagles today, Passa played well and got BOG by Ron and Co.

[bulldog pommy]

Watched the game on tele due to being a lazy bugger

Hmm...and I am sure you will gloat if you win another flag.

I did not gloat last year. If you have ever noticed I rarely post on these boards, or footy sa because I very rarely get to see SANFL footy live these days.
I have not seen a live game since the 2004 grand final.
When you have 5 boys and one on the way, it doesn't leave much time for anything else!

[RM]

Watched the game on tele due to being a lazy bugger

Hmm...and I am sure you will gloat if you win another flag.

I did not gloat last year. If you have ever noticed I rarely post on these boards, or footy sa because I very rarely get to see SANFL footy live these days.
I have not seen a live game since the 2004 grand final.
When you have 5 boys and one on the way, it doesn't leave much time for anything else!

You are the one that said you didnt go to the footy because you are a lazy bugger.

5 kids and one on the way. Hmm, you shouldnt be watching the game, you should have been cleaning the bathrooms and doing the laundry to help your poor partner out.

Then again, it does sound like the typical Elizabethan houshold.

[Wedgie]

Will you two stop quoting each other, Im sick of fixing the tags you keep leaving out!

PS RM, BPs cool, Ive had pre-match drinks with him at the Grand Centrals a few times.
PPS BP, RMs cool, Ive had lunches with him at the London Tavern.