Round 1: Sturt v Eagles - Monday 28 March @ Peter Motley Oval

Sturt v Eagles
Monday 28 March
Peter Motley Oval

Reserves: 11:25am
League: 2:10pm

Broadcast: Life FM

Sturt had a topsy turvy 2015, missing out on finals, while the Eagles won pretty much everything bar the premiership last year. Who will start the season with a win.

Eagles to do it for Mickyj & win easily by 56 points

Think I will just stick to the tipping here and not comment on anything else.

Eages by plenty without a team named. 47

bayman wrote:Eagles to do it for Mickyj & win easily by 56 points

Thanks Bayman . Bayman is now my manager lol
I'm hoping Eagles get up I'll be there
My retinue has increased my daughter has joined the Eagles .
I think this is to make sure I'm ok lol

Go Eagles if that running game gets going watch out teams

Good way to start the season for both sides, Sturt to Test themselves Against the minor premiers from last year, and the Eagles to get a testing away game against a side that may improve from last year. Points to a close game, I will say the Eagles by 13 points

Eagles smarting from losing the big one and will win this by 40+ points

Sturt will be playing a different style to the usual running game, but their skills are good and they'll be hard defensively, which I suspect is what Mattner wants to fix up first.

On the other hand, the Eagles look better placed than last year, where they didn't lose many, and I'd expect them to win fairly comfortably, as I can't see Sturt kicking a winning score.

Eagles look way too strong in this one.

Eagles by 6 goals.

Eagles by 54

EAGLES
The Eagles will unveil prized recruits Nick O’Brien and Jarrad Redden against Sturt at Peter Motley Oval on Easter Monday.
Strong-bodied midfielder O’Brien (22, 188cm and 88kg) is expected to make his sizeable presence felt in the SANFL this year after being delisted by Essendon.
Former Port ruckman Redden returns to Oval Avenue after being cut by the Power last year.
Solid pre-season form looks set to be rewarded for Reserves Magarey Medallist Matt Appleton and improved youngster Joe Sinor while speedy indigenous forward Nick Yarran could make his IGA League debut.
The Eagles have named seven on their extended interchange bench as their match is on Easter Monday, meaning coach Michael Godden will need to cut at least four players before the bounce.
Utility Chris Hall will play his 100th IGA League match against the Double Blues.

League
F: Appleton, Wundke, McGregor
HF: Thompson, Borholm, Allmond
C: Boyd, Jarrad, Goldsworthy
HB: P. Raymond, Ainger, N. Hayes
B: Hall, Giuffreda, Petrenko

R: Redden, O’Brien, Sinor
INT: Poole, G. Ellis, Von Bertouch, Yarran, Whittlesea, Rowland, Summerton

Reserves
F: Woods, L. Hoare, M. Raymond
HF: Smith, J. Hayes, Elsworthy
C: Jolly, Gaffney, B. Ellis
HB: Raikiwasa, Firns, L. Hayes
B: Cardone, Heinjus, Batley

R: Baqeri, Press, Westbrook
INT: Georgeson, Enright

Eagles easily

Sturt have lost some major players from their side and while their replacements are ok, they wont be enough to replace Kurtze, Coad and to a lesser extent Duldig.

Eagles have a bit to prove after failing at the final hurdle last year and I cant see them dropping this one.

I'm not really sure they got much from Coad or Duldig last season. Kurtze though is a massive loss.

That Eagles team on paper looks a serious premiership threat, but I expect Sturt to take it right up to them starting a new season and new era on their home deck.

I'll tip the Eagles but don't expect it to be a one-sided affair.

I'm looking at the Eagles line up I know I saw nearly two trial games . Not sure about the line up I could be wrong
Mind you saying Bomber and Redden up forward could be a bonus ,
I like aboriginal players Yarrin I'm hoping he plays but who knows .

i went today & i thought Sturt had as much of the ball as the Eagles & probably went into their forward 50 as many if not more times but sadly for them they have no big targets to kick to & the ball kept coming back out quickly, bar for a couple of late goals the margin would have been more, i know they are hard to come by but surely they should be searching for a player they can target as a forward, without a decent forward they'll get plenty of the ball but wont be able to kick a big enough score, overall it was an entertaining match

bayman wrote:i went today & i thought Sturt had as much of the ball as the Eagles & probably went into their forward 50 as many if not more times but sadly for them they have no big targets to kick to & the ball kept coming back out quickly, bar for a couple of late goals the margin would have been more, i know they are hard to come by but surely they should be searching for a player they can target as a forward, without a decent forward they'll get plenty of the ball but wont be able to kick a big enough score, overall it was an entertaining match

What about ruckman sturts got injured

I thought I saw Brodie Martin only had 5 possessions? Did he have a shocker, or get injured?

Lee wrote:I thought I saw Brodie Martin only had 5 possessions? Did he have a shocker, or get injured?

I watched till three quarter time and didn't see him get injured during that time.

Spent a bit of the game up forward and didn't look quite fit, beaten to the ball a few times

Thought Unley Oval was in great condition yesterday, as well as the oval the grass around the ground was in great condition as well, as opposed to last year.

William wrote:Thought Unley Oval was in great condition yesterday, as well as the oval the grass around the ground was in great condition as well, as opposed to last year.  

I wish we could see the scoreboard

bomber14 wrote:

Lee wrote:I thought I saw Brodie Martin only had 5 possessions? Did he have a shocker, or get injured?

I watched till three quarter time and didn't see him get injured during that time.

Spent a bit of the game up forward and didn't look quite fit, beaten to the ball a few times

yeah i agree, i think Brodie needs a couple of games under his belt & then he'll be fine

mickyj wrote:

bayman wrote:i went today & i thought Sturt had as much of the ball as the Eagles & probably went into their forward 50 as many if not more times but sadly for them they have no big targets to kick to & the ball kept coming back out quickly, bar for a couple of late goals the margin would have been more, i know they are hard to come by but surely they should be searching for a player they can target as a forward, without a decent forward they'll get plenty of the ball but wont be able to kick a big enough score, overall it was an entertaining match

What about ruckman sturts got injured

Mick, i'm talking about big forwards, if Osborn is rucking he can't be up forward & if he's up forward who is going to ruck ? but yes he did go off injured

bayman wrote:

mickyj wrote:

bayman wrote:i went today & i thought Sturt had as much of the ball as the Eagles & probably went into their forward 50 as many if not more times but sadly for them they have no big targets to kick to & the ball kept coming back out quickly, bar for a couple of late goals the margin would have been more, i know they are hard to come by but surely they should be searching for a player they can target as a forward, without a decent forward they'll get plenty of the ball but wont be able to kick a big enough score, overall it was an entertaining match

What about ruckman sturts got injured

Mick, i'm talking about big forwards, if Osborn is rucking he can't be up forward & if he's up forward who is going to ruck ? but yes he did go off injured

Ok I didn't notice a tall up forward the number 16 for Sturt was a bit of trouble for the Eagles .

Mick,
       i'll grant you that Kory Beard spent time up forward yesterday, he even spent time up forward last year, however he is generally known as a defender, mainly across the half back line & with the distinct lack of tall forwards Sturt are playing him across half forward, robbing Peter to pay Paul, Beard is a class act & is showing his versatility

I thought our lads fought hard, but were simply outgunned by a stronger, better organized side. The Eagles are a formidable outfit, and they looked like they are determined to make amends for letting the big prize get away last year. Sturt on the other hand, are very much work in progress at this stage, with a long way to go. I can see quite a bit of experimenting in these early games, to get our forward structure working. And having both the ruckmen we recruited injured before round 2, is a challenge, to say the least. But that's the way it goes and a couple of the younger ones will have to step up.

bayman wrote:Mick,
       i'll grant you that Kory Beard spent time up forward yesterday, he even spent time up forward last year, however he is generally known as a defender, mainly across the half back line & with the distinct lack of tall forwards Sturt are playing him across half forward, robbing Peter to pay Paul, Beard is a class act & is showing his versatility

Ahh that's who he is thanks Bayman