Round 3 - Norwood and Eagles at Norwood

The Eagles would be a hot favourite to start the season at 0-2 after meeting a confident Norwood outfit on their home ground.

They worked out Norwood's game plan in the 2011 finals.

Can they do that again>

Norwood at home by 15-25 points.

Can’t wait for this game! Any chance of playing it tonight? Just so pumped after Saturday night and so proud of the club for coming away from Elizabeth with wins in all 4 grades to start the year. To do it again against the Eagles would see record sales of sedatives at Parade pharmacies!

It’s a big ask, but just the delicious possibility of doing it again has me wondering what the record is for the number of rounds where a club has won in all 4 grades from the start of the season? I think it’s pretty safe to say that no club has ever gone the entire season undefeated in all grades.

Maybe ‘Spelly’ or some of our other resident ‘statsmen’ could answer that one.

Cheers,
Sabre.

Sabre wrote:
Can’t wait for this game! Any chance of playing it tonight? Just so pumped after Saturday night and so proud of the club for coming away from Elizabeth with wins in all 4 grades to start the year. To do it again against the Eagles would see record sales of sedatives at Parade pharmacies!

It’s a big ask, but just the delicious possibility of doing it again has me wondering what the record is for the number of rounds where a club has won in all 4 grades from the start of the season? I think it’s pretty safe to say that no club has ever gone the entire season undefeated in all grades.

Maybe ‘Spelly’ or some of our other resident ‘statsmen’ could answer that one.

Cheers,
Sabre.

As no side has ever won the 'Grand Slam' of premierships (closest would be the Eagles winning the reserves, u/19's and u/17's in 2000 and Centrals winning the league, reserves and u/19's in 2003), it would be safe to say no side has gone through the season undefeated in all 4 grades.

Thanks ‘Bruce’.
That still leaves the question …
“What is the record for most wins in a row in all grades from the start of the season?”
There must be a few clubs that have racked up a few magical weeks.

Getting a bit carried away Sabre? We've won 1 in all grades so far

Not at all 'Hawky', I'm just interested in who has been lucky enough to do it and how
many rounds they got into the season before they had a loss in one of the grades.

If only you're Legs were as pumped last September/October Sabre, rather than March/April.

For the record, Eagles won League, Reserves, u/17's in 1993 and were in the GF of the u/19's the same year... which is the closest to a Grand Slam as any team has got. As Bruce said, were also in the GF of all grades in 2000 winning each except the league.

I’ll try again, the question is:

“Which club has gone farthest into a season without losing a game in any grade ?”

Nothing to do with Norwood. We could lose in all grades this week.
It's only because we happened to win all 4 grades in our first week
that it got me wondering who holds the record for going the furthest.
Surely that's not too hard to work out. Give me strength.

Yeh, I know what you meant. It's a job for Spell Check.

I wonder if Glenelg in recent seasons have managed to pull it off? They've had a good league side in recent seasons (except last year) and have been very strong in the 2's and 3's.

The size of the Magpies win over the Eagles in round 1 shell-shocked a lot of us.
I doubt the WWT psyche was damaged too much though and they’ve had a week to regroup.
My heart says Legs and I never listen to my brain, so it’s Norwood at home for me.

Norwood cock-a-hoop after last week and the Eagles needing to get their season up and running. Eagles by less than 10 points, just to keep the comp interesting

We've really stuggled with the Eagles on our home turf, 2 wins & 11 losses since 2000. Then again, up to last week we hadn't won at Elizabeth since 2003. I'll wait for the teams before making a call.

Eagles to bounce back for mine in a nailbiter


how often have you heard someone call the umpire a clown ?

i believe Ronald Macdonald has been considered & likely to do the reserves match, can someone post photos on saturday to verify this please

bayman wrote:i believe Ronald Macdonald has been considered & likely to do the reserves match, can someone post photos on saturday to verify this please

Can I have fries with that game?

Eagles were poor 2 weeks ago & by all reports Legs were very good vs Dogs.

IMHO Godden has managed to out-coach Bassett over the past 2 seasons - I haven't rated Bassett's Game Plan (too Ross Lyonesk re: St. Kilda for my liking). This has played into Godden's hands because he has had the luxury of playing Luke Jarrad off the Half Back Line, this has 'freed up' McKenzie to play the 'Quarterback' type role between FB & CHB. As a result, the quick running Midfielders of the Eagles have managed to 'run past' Grocke @ CHF.

I assume that Bassett has learned this - if he has, Norwood for mine... if he hasn't, then you can expect the Eagles to continue their dominance over the Legs. I feel strongly that Bassett is under pressure this year, Norwood need to 'take the next step' for him to 'keep the wolves from his door' IMHO - I think they will BTW, provided the Game Plan improves. He must grasp the concept that 'away goals' don't count for double in this sport ( i.e. a low scoring game plan, 'choking' the opposition, is fraught with danger, ask St. Kilda)

Having said all that, I've picked Norwood.

I think the Eagles will miss Cicca & I also think it's going to take a while for them to 'gel' this year.

Having looked @ the draw, I hope not TOO long because I can foresee them even 2 - 6 after 8 rounds, I'm hoping for @ least 4 - 4.
That said, I believe this season will be very close between 6 or 7 teams (I don't expect Sturt or Glenelg to challenge - yes, I am prepared for grief should I be wrong). I like Port, South & West to improve but their test will again come via their FOXTEL Cup commitments.

This game? Norwood by 28 points

c'mon LEH, ''wolves at his door'' give me a break they couldn't win a game until he took over & got them to a grand final & then the preliminary final after he lost some very good players, i'd suggest your stirring the pot or have a lot less idea about footy than i give you credit for

Guilty ... perhaps a little stirring of the pot but,

I would suggest if they don't perform, one A. McLeod may be in mix for a promotion.

LEH wrote:Guilty ... perhaps a little stirring of the pot but,

I would suggest if they don't perform, one A. McLeod may be in mix for a promotion.

There is nothing of that magnitude going on at Norwood. Andrew McLeod was named as Assistant Coach for 2012 to see how he handles the coaching role. Should Bassett move on in 2013, it would give Andrew a foot in the door. Certainly at this point in time, Bassett will coach Norwood for the entire 2012.

Having said that, my own feelings, as well as some others in the club, is that we are rather concerned that Bassett is continuing with the same game plan that let us down so badly in 2011. Only time will tell if Bassett has it right, but he is the man in charge, not me.

LEH wrote:IMHO Godden has managed to out-coach Bassett over the past 2 seasons.. then you can expect the Eagles to continue their dominance over the Legs.

How quickly you've forgotten the 2010 Preliminary Final.

Don't think that was his coaching per say... more like the quality of the players in the team.
I recall a certain 'tall forward with long hair' dominating the last 1/4 (kicked 3 from memory), don't think that was actually the 'game plan'.

I remember the 2010 Prelim very well... Jarrad Redden, Trent Hentschel, Scott Welsh, Leigh Treeby, and Scott Lewis all missing from the week before, and the Eagles still found themselves 6 goals up in the 3rd quarter. Then after losing Grocke for most of the second half it was a genuine case of running out of legs... Norwood's lucky win had nothing to do with game plan or coach. Plus they didn't get the job done the week after.

Michael Godden and the Eagles learnt from the experience and (except that first final) dominated Norwood in 2011... and DID get the job done in the GF.

That's a great coach and great team acheiving the ultimate.

Bassett and Norwood still have much to prove.

A good game plan is all well and good. And it can bring success.
But once sides have worked it out, perhaps you don't persist with it.

Maybe ask Luke Norman about that as it gave us a shot at a flag in '09 but sides worked it out and his persistence with it was his undoing in the end.

How that relates to Nathan Bassett's game plan, I can't say.
However, he ought to consider other options rather than persist with something if isn't working so well.

Eagles team:

FF Lewis Bock Fairclough

HF Knights Grocke Staple

C Jarrad McKenzie Hall

HB Thompson Day Shirley

FB Raymond Grieger Giuffreda

Ruck Parry Powell Goldsworthy

Interchange Rae Joyce Sumner
Fitzgerald Rowntree

Ins Fairclough Rae Sumner
Rowntree
Outs Toumpas Cicolella (susp.) Eddy
Kane (Susp.)