Eagles conquer Adelaide in scrappy SANFL contest

WOODVILLE-West Torrens claimed the predictable win over Adelaide, but it did not come without a few hiccups in a lack-lustre confrontation.

Eagles’ Thomas Gray and Adelaide's Domenico Costanzo fly for the ball. Picture: Tom Huntley

LATE in the third quarter, Woodville-West Torrens led Adelaide by only 19 points in a lacklustre encounter at Woodville Oval on Saturday.

But there was one statistic which reflected the contest, the Eagles had had 46 visits inside their attacking 50 compared to only 17 for the Crows.

The Eagles were dominate, only to waste a flood of opportunities with inaccuracy in front of goal. At half-time, the Eagles had 6.12 on the scoreboard and the Crows, loaded with top up players due to the incredible injury toll, just 2.1.

“It was something like 38-8 inside 50s in the first half, I’ve never experienced that in my life,” Eagles coach Michael Godden said.

“To be up by 20 odd points, a bit of frustration kicks in. You want to be up by 10 goals when you have that domination.

“We are not humming, we are not playing great. But we are winning and you have to be happy with that.”

Godden was also critical of the high turnover count and that helped the Crows eat into a 42-point lead early in the third term to trail by only 18, before the Eagles nailed the final three goals of the quarter to regain control.

Eagles veteran Scott Lewis got his hands to plenty of ball, while defenders Jake von Bertouch and Matt Goldsworthy were prominent.

Crows coach Ryan O’Keefe spoke to the umpires as they left the ground at half time, seeking clarification on the discrepancy in the free kick count.

Patrick Wilson was outstanding for the Crows and they showed plenty of fight in the third term, getting their hands to more ball and moving it with more conviction

“The first quarter hurt us, in the contest space we got bullied around a bit,” O’Keefe said. “After that we were good.

“There are a lot of young, top up players and their endeavour and energy was fantastic, we can’t question that.

“All year they have been bringing that effort and as coaches, that is all you can ask. The Eagles probably had more AFL experience than we did.”

EAGLES 4.5 6.12 10.16 16.18 (114)

ADELAIDE 1.1 2.1 6.4 9.6 (60)

BEST - Eagles: Lewis, Haylock, Hall, Goldsworthy, Poole, von Bertouch. Adelaide: Wilson, Hampton, Cheney, Leigh, Signorello.

GOALS - Eagles: Haylock, N. Hayes 3, Johansen 2, Boyd, Gray, Goldsworthy, Westbrook, Guilhaus, Thompson, Redden, J. Hayes. Adelaide: McMahon, Davies 2, Himmelberg, Jarman, Leigh, Wilson, O’Brien.

UMPIRES - Scott, Sboro, Philp.

CROWD - 1735 At Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval, Woodville.