Eagles must stick to game plan in SANFL battle against Norwood, says coach Michael Godden

WOODVILLE-West Torrens coach Michael Godden wants his players to have the courage to stick to the game plan when they tackle Norwood in Woodville on Sunday.

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WOODVILLE-West Torrens coach Michael Godden wants his players to have the courage to remain committed to the game plan when they tackle Norwood in Woodville on Sunday afternoon.

Godden claimed that courage had been missing last week when the Eagles were overrun by West Adelaide in the final quarter in their season opener.

The Eagles, need a response to last year’s fade-out, when they stumbled into the major round before being knocked out in the elimination final.

In the quest for that redemption, they have altered their game style this season.

“This week we have been going through things we want to do offensively, how we want to set up and stoppages’’ Godden said.

“Instinct is a hard thing to change in a group but to be successful we had to change from last year.

“The players have bought into what we are doing although last week there was a lack of courage to stick to the game plan.’’

Jared Petrenko, whose pre-season was unsettled by Essendon when recruited for its trials, is back in the Eagles jumper after watching the loss to the Bloods from the coach’s box.

He was rested because of soreness and Godden said he was fully ready to go for the imposing battle against the Redlegs, unbeaten after two rounds but still a work in progress, according to coach Ben Warren.

South Adelaide will be aiming to bounce back from a poor performance against Port Adelaide when it hosts Sturt at Hickinbotham Oval.

The Panthers, overwhelmed by a Port side flooded with AFL personnel, included Peter Rolfe, Roland Ah Chee and Adam Gulden in a 23-man squad announced on Thursday.

The Double Blues tested the Redlegs in the first round before overcoming Glenelg last week.