Eagles v Sturt, Sun. May 13 Unleash Solar Oval, 2.10

It sounds silly to say form suggests an Eagles win here when they're 1 and 5, but they've been "trending upwards" in Budget parlance, in contrast to the Double Blues. The Eagles have some injury concerns though (Grieger and Cicolella) and Sturt do seem due for a win after their solid opening to the season. You'd want to see the AFL ins and outs before you had a bet on this one, but it would feel like a big surprise if the Blues got up.

WWT by 4 points for me.

Eagles are back in the winner's circle, they like it, and should make it 2 in a row. I thought Sturt could have been the big improver on 2011, but after a good start they look to be slipping back to old ground.

Sturt

Wwt easily for mine as they start their march up the ladder

Eagles by five goals.

Eagles 11 15 81
Sturt 11 6 72

Final margin nine points.

FULL TIME @ UNLEASH SOLAR OVAL

LEAGUE:

Final Scores

Eagles - 11.15 = 81

Sturt - 11.6 = 72

WWT wins by 9 points




GOAL KICKERS:

Eagles - J.Toumpas 3, A.Grocke, C.Ellis-Yolmen 2, M.Goldsworthy, N.Joyce, J.Redden, L.Staple 1

Sturt - T.Hurley, T.McIntyre, J.Cubillo, B.Martin, S.Kerridge 2, J.Plant 1




FREE KICK COUNT:

Eagles - 27

Sturt - 10




FINAL STATS WINNERS: (Courtesy of Chamion Data)

http://sanfl.championdata.com/matches/17170804/afl_summary.html




CROWD: 2,038 @ Unleash Solar Oval, Woodville




RESERVES:

Final Scores

Sturt - 14.9 = 93

Eagles - 7.9 = 51

Double Blues win by 42 points




GOAL KICKERS:

Sturt - S.Miles, Z.Vitkunas, B.Harland 3, J.Mutton 2, M.Crocker, J.Greenslade 1

Eagles - J.Von Bertouch, J.Summerton, P.Lindsay, N.Ramsey, N.Batley, S.Heinjus, T.Lane 1

Big Phil wrote:FREE KICK COUNT:

Eagles - 27

Sturt - 10

What is it about the Eagles and free kicks?

why doesnt big phil put free kicks on every full time report

blacky wrote:why doesnt big phil put free kicks on every full time report

Maybe it isn't usually important!

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:

blacky wrote:why doesnt big phil put free kicks on every full time report

Maybe it isn't usually important!

Exactly, Chambo.

Think WWT are on the way back again, premiership hangover is likely disappearing rapidly!

I can't say how many were warranted/missed whatever, but I do know I saw one of my absolute pet hates today - Lewis being penalised for high contact when the Sturt player was almost kneeling with the ball - went straight into Lewis and got a free kick. Lewis only took about one step towards him.

spell_check wrote:I can't say how many were warranted/missed whatever, but I do know I saw one of my absolute pet hates today - Lewis being penalised for high contact when the Sturt player was almost kneeling with the ball - went straight into Lewis and got a free kick. Lewis only took about one step towards him.

Yep, they can't outlaw that practice soon enough for my liking.

One of the more peculiar games I've seen this year. Eagles looked like blowing the game apart in the first half at times completely, yet Sturt reeled them in slowly in the second half and nearly pinched it late.

In the spot where I watched from, on the grassed area next to the stand, safe to say many of the Sturt fans disagreed with the umpiring.

What did YOU think of the umpiring CK?

Not really my place to comment on the umpiring, AH. All I can say is many of the Sturt fans around me, and some of the Eagles fans, were perplexed with some of the decisions.

Why can't you comment ? You raised it above but then won't comment ?

A fair question AH.

waddayamean wrote:Why can't you comment ? You raised it above but then won't comment ?

A fair question AH.

Actually it probably wasn't a fair question because CK isn't really in a position to comment on umpiring due to his role in the media. I was merely interested in an opinion about the umpiring from an unbiased point of view because of the 27-10 free kick count.

The thing that gets me though, is the amount of shots on goal we had late in the 2nd quarter. From 6.3 late in the 1st to 10.13 early in the 3rd, along with about 4 out on the fulls - we should have been miles ahead and not just 34 points. Jarrad missed one of the easiest set shots you could get as a player - 15 metres out on a slight angle and it was hooked across to the other side of the goal area!

Then all of the play just switched from one side to the other and then we did not look like scoring for over a quarter. At least I can see some signs that the side can still be a finals contender with the first two and a bit quarters.

spell_check wrote:I can't say how many were warranted/missed whatever, but I do know I saw one of my absolute pet hates today - Lewis being penalised for high contact when the Sturt player was almost kneeling with the ball - went straight into Lewis and got a free kick. Lewis only took about one step towards him.

If its the same incident . I think the sturt player perhaps a power listed player . He appeared to almost head butt the jatz cracker region of lewis .

Did u hear the Grieger tackle on number 12 ? Poor guy never knew what hit him and didnt make it back.

C.K wrote:Not really my place to comment on the umpiring, AH. All I can say is many of the Sturt fans around me, and some of the Eagles fans, were perplexed with some of the decisions.

one should ask how many of the Eagles frees were paid to players who were first to the ball ?
While the cound looks high .First half Eagles were first to the ball and all over Sturt.Second half sturt were all over the Eagles first to the ball etc etc . Perhaps while the eagles almost lost the game they may well have been more disciplined than Sturt .
Both teams had players throwing heads back or ducking into high tackles .
How many of the frees were from Sturt backmen(mind u they flooded into the eagles forward line so may not have been just backs) holding players ?

And I pointed out in the seconds 1 umpire was standing on the wrong side of the pack.Which on a sunny day would be the best side to stand so the umpire could see what happens in the packs .Food for thought stand there looking in the sun or swap sides ,

spell_check wrote:The thing that gets me though, is the amount of shots on goal we had late in the 2nd quarter. From 6.3 late in the 1st to 10.13 early in the 3rd, along with about 4 out on the fulls - we should have been miles ahead and not just 34 points. Jarrad missed one of the easiest set shots you could get as a player - 15 metres out on a slight angle and it was hooked across to the other side of the goal area!

Then all of the play just switched from one side to the other and then we did not look like scoring for over a quarter. At least I can see some signs that the side can still be a finals contender with the first two and a bit quarters.

Shocking goal kicking into the wind Ellis-yoleman showed jarrad how to do it .

well i enjoyed the contest, i was amazed when the 5RPH boys said the free kick count something like 22-5 around 'lemon time' & there is no doubt that someone in the 'Sturt group' near the southern stand had a radio because only after the stat was given out were they very vocal at the umpires & actually i never noticed any glaring mistakes by them, had Wwt kicked straight the game would've been over earlier (almost was anyway), i thought during the last term the 'wise heads' like Jarrad & the best player in the comp Mackenzie stood tall & steadied the ship. considering who was out for Sturt they did very well to keep hanging on & finally gaining some momentum when (haven't got the budget with me) the ruckman (not Kurtz) started to dominate the ruck.......

i think Sturts biggest mistake was when Staple missed a shot at the 24 minute mark of the last term & put them 3 points up so can someone please explain to me at that point why did the Sturt player kicking out go wide ? surely straight down the guts at that stage is the way to go & if there is a turnover so be it