2nd Semi Final: Eagles v West - Sunday 13 September 2015 @ Adelaide Oval

Eagles - 1st (16-2, 58.17%)
West - 3rd (11-7 54.91%)

2015 Meetings:
Round 2: West 15.5.95 d Eagles 14.5.89 @ Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval
Round 12: Eagles 14.4.88 d West 10.13.73 @ City Mazda Stadium

The Eagles earned their week off after a great minor round campaign, while West ran away with the win over Port in the Qualifying Final. Who will be the first side to book their ticket to the Grand Final

Interesting that these two teams will have the smaller tooms under the western stand this week for the Second Semi Ginal, while the 1st SemiFinal teams, Port and Central will have the larger rooms under the Southern Stand.

Not sure why, perhaps the Magpies insisted on having the Power's rooms?

having the bigger rooms will not help or hinder them getting or not getting the ball.......as for the game i'm tipping Westies' to run over the top of the Eagles after a tight first half, my only concern for West is the fact that the two times they've met the Eagles, they've given them a huge lead (ok, the first one the coach wasn't there for the first half & perhaps Lees' speech didn't inspire them early on) & were again slow starters yesterday, if they're with them they will run away with it

I think Westies can win this. As Bayman said, there run could be significant. Even though the minor round games were split 1 each, the Eagles kicked a very respectable 28.9 over both games whilst Westies had more scoring shots in both games. They need to improve their accuracy and keep the pressure on the Eagles forward line and the delivery to it.

Lee wrote:Interesting that these two teams will have the smaller tooms under the western stand this week for the Second Semi Ginal, while the 1st SemiFinal teams, Port and Central will have the larger rooms under the Southern Stand.

Not sure why, perhaps the Magpies insisted on having the Power's rooms?

Like a dog with a bone. Let it go mate, let it go. It's quite laughable, your obsession. Probably quite unhealthy, too.

Eagles comfortably.

It's factual, it's an example of the usual procedures being changed and it doesn't matter much.

Just a side issue mentioned on a footy forum. That's what happens on footy forums.

Lighten up and enjoy the footy, mate, no need to get uptight.

Up tight, me? No mate, just makes me jealous that people have so little to worry about in their lives that this sort of thing becomes "news worthy".

Perhaps you could give me and others a list of subjects that upset you, Booney?

It's a footy forum. We don't sit in judgement of every post's newsworthiness.

If you think it's trivial (which it is), just ignore it.

I don't have time to type that list out, would be far too lengthy for this discussion.

Anyway, let's keep the thread on track, no need to discuss who is in what rooms, it won't impact the outcome of the contest.

Eagles, comfortably.

Try the game thread on another forum if you think this one posts trivial stuff

Agreed, though, I rate your comments highly on footy, so happy to get back on thread.

Why do you think the Eagles will win comfortably?

I think their midfield matches up well with the blood'n'tars, their forward line is much more structured than Port's ever changing front half and they pride themselves on their defensive efforts behind the ball.

I don't think West will score as easily against them nor get as many loose behind the ball as they did on Sunday.

Eagles v West:

Perhaps this game will come down to the coaches and tactics.

It's easy to forget that the Eagles only lost two games this year and beat a rampant Adelaide side at top strength recently. That entitles it to favouritism and justly so.

The wildcard is whether West can, or will be allowed to, show their best form. When firing, they can score quickly and consistently, but should find the Eagles system hard to crack. Their two meetings this year confirm how thin is the margin between doing that well or failing.

In their first meeting, after an even first half, the Eagles kicked right away from West and looked tio have the game won. west clicked and scored heavily in the last quarter, dominated and won.

In the game at Richmond, the Eagles were far too accomplished all day until 3/4 time, then West clicked, scored heavily, dominated the quarter and lost narrowly.

West are playing much better footy now, so the focus turns to the Eagles.

A week's rest will help, they've been consistently good in executing their game plan, have plenty of good players and a sound structure. It seems reasonable to think the game is between one side who will produce a high quality game and another side who might produce a lesser game, but might also produce a superior game.

Who knows?

The Eagles forwards are dangerous, but Keough and Hartlett are good match-ups for Wundke and Ainger. West rely on their smaller forwards, Fielke, Green and Beech for goals and WWT will plan for that.

As always, it comes down to the midfield. The ruck looks fairly even and both sides have strong midfielders. Porplyzia, Schmidt and Tuck are the better-known midfielders for West, but the lesser-known Schiller, Snelling and Stevens have been terrific all year.

Again, it comes back to the solidity and experience of the Eagles against the potential and excitement of West.

Two teams coached by former West players who had a stint at Glenelg.

Booney wrote:I think their midfield matches up well with the blood'n'tars, their forward line is much more structured than Port's ever changing front half and they pride themselves on their defensive efforts behind the ball.

I don't think West will score as easily against them nor get as many loose behind the ball as they did on Sunday.

Thanks, fair enough.

I believe the Bloods can win this

EAGLES
Woodville-West Torrens coach Michael Godden has rolled the dice at selection with the inclusion of star midfielder James Boyd for Sunday’s Second Semi-Final against West at Adelaide Oval.
Despite not playing at league level since injuring his groin in Round 10, Boyd has been named to start in the centre square from 3.10pm.
The 2010 premiership player has been steadily building match fitness during the past month, with his most recent Reserves outing yielding 44 disposals in an impressive display.
Boyd has been joined in the Eagles’ 23-man squad by running defender Nathan Batley and former Essendon rookie Fraser Thurlow.
Thurlow could provide relief for Marc Borholm in the ruck, while also presenting himself as an enticing marking option in attack amid the expected fine conditions.
Giles Ellis and Matthew Raymond are the unlucky players sent back to the Reserves, with Godden to consider playing two more from his extended interchange in Saturday’s Reserves Second Semi-Final.

F: Poole, Wundke, C. Hall
HF: Petrenko, Ainger, McGregor
C: Allmond, Lewis, Martyn
HB: Goldsworthy, Thompson, Jarrad
B: P. Raymond, Von Bertouch, Giuffreda

R: Borholm, Rowntree, Boyd
INT: Schwarz, Thurlow, N. Hayes, Appleton, Batley
IN: Boyd, Batley, Thurlow
OUT: Ellis, M. Raymond

WEST
West Adelaide coach Mark Mickan has opted not to risk wingman Taite Silverlock for Sunday’s Second Semi-Final against the Eagles at Adelaide Oval.
Sidelined during the second half of the Bloods’ Qualifying Final win, Silverlock was forced to spend the rest of the match off the ground with ice strapped to his leg.
The left-footer will now focus on recovering in time for the club’s next outing, which could be in the Preliminary Final should the Bloods succumb to the minor premier.
Three players have been included in Mickan’s 23-man squad but which one replaces Silverlock will be decided before the bounce.
Experienced key forward Daniel Webb has again been named in the extended squad while star AFL Draft prospect Aaron Francis returns from a bout of the flu.
But the most realistic replacement would be Nick Homburg, who has regularly played on the wing for the Bloods and is closest to Silverlock in height and weight given he measures in at 182cm and 78kg.
Veteran forward Jason Porplyzia has been listed in the forward pocket despite hurting his neck in the victory against the Magpies in the final term.
The former Crow was able to return to the ground with extra strapping, indicating he should be fit to confront the Eagles.

F: Porplyzia, Willits, Fielke
HF: Green, Tuck, Beech
C: Helbig, Stevens, Schiller
HB: Caire, Hartlett, Wasley-Black
B: Anderson, Keough, Hill

R: Middleton, Schmidt, Snelling
INT: Hardy, Haysman, Francis, Webb, Homburg
IN: Webb, Francis, Homburg
OUT: Silverlock (hamstring)

Go Bloods...always loathed the Eagles, nothing would please me greater than to see them go out in straight sets.

I'm with you there B&W !!

Despise them ! Come on Westies !!!

Eagles by 49

Well I'm hoping the Eags can continue their winning form and go all the way this season. (In all grades!!)

good that the Sunday mail and Advertiser have done previews of the matches at least, can't find much anywhere else

Southee wrote:I'm with you there B&W !!

Despise them ! Come on Westies !!!

3-9 Woodville West Torrens
9-11 West Adelaide

Thats if you deduct Ainger, Wundke and Boyds scores

where was the intensity that West showed in the last term in the first three terms ? entertaining game of footy & the Eagles' deserve to march straight into the grand final after dominating the early part of the game, the loss of Rowntree & Fielke probably evened out

Well done Eagles

And your point Scrappy ?