Eagles to defend record against North Adelaide in preliminary final
WOODVILLE-West Torrens’s miserly defence will challenge North Adelaide’s desire for attacking football in the preliminary final.
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WOODVILLE-West Torrens will be hoping to smother North Adelaide in the preliminary final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, but it is not by design.
Eagles coach Michael Godden said there is no flooding numbers back, no loose player in defence and there is a constant six in the forward line.
He cites having good defenders for the miserly defensive record of the Eagles.
“We have good one-on-one defenders,” Godden said. “Like any team, we have got to stop the opposition from scoring.
“North Adelaide like to run and gun so we have got to take them out at the coal face and not let them get out.”
The Eagles have built the best defence in the league, statistically anyway.
They conceded just 66.5 points for the 18 minor round games, before holding Sturt to only 40 points in the qualifying final. Norwood conquered the Eagles in the second semi-final, but the hot premiership favourites put only 69 points on the scoreboard.
Both finals involving the Eagles have been messy affairs, and they need to adopt similar tactics to counter a Roosters outfit which has a hunger for free-flowing action and high scoring.
The Roosters averaged more than 86 points in the minor round with only the Redlegs getting bigger numbers. After having nine goalkickers and finishing with 90 points against South Adelaide in the elimination final, the Roosters amassed 111 against the Double Blues.
They again had nine goalkickers with Lewis Hender bagging five.
“North and Norwood at the height of their powers are similar,” Godden said. “They like to run and gun, get the all going forward and try and kick a big score.
“We are playing a very good footy side and they beat us at home this year. If you don’t lower the eyes and focus fully on North then you will be crying over a beer on Sunday night.”
The winner takes on minor premier Norwood in the grand final on September 23.
Despite losing to the Redlegs by 17 points, Godden said the players were extremely upbeat and ready for the challenge against a Roosters outfit confident after back-to-back finals victories.
“I don’t think I have ever been involved in a loss when our belief has risen,” Godden said.
The Eagles and South Adelaide will meet in the under 18 grand final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.