Match Report

Straight From The Sauce – Round 8 League & Reserves

1 month ago – June 1, 2026

Sam Jacobs reviews Round 8 League v Norwood

On Sunday we went to Norwood Oval to play the Redlegs and we went down by 44 points.

The first quarter we were able to create chances but didn’t cash in on them when we knew the start was going to be important. Fundamentals started to drift and when against good teams they punish you and Norwood did that. We weren’t able to get our hands back on the ball to put pressure back on them. This continued on in the second as we lost control of the game and we were hard up against it at half time with Norwood up by 25 points.

The third quarter we knew we had to start well and they kicked 2 inside the first 3 minutes. While we were able to work our way back into the game in the 3^rd we weren’t able to get enough scoreboard pressure soon. In the final quarter we fought the game out right to the end, kicking 3 important goals late to trim the margin back.

Credit to Norwood, they played some good footy and we look forward to improving and playing them again as they are looking as the measuring stick.

Better players on the day were Ted and Herb, Dawks and Moorey and I thought Weck did a great job up forward competing hard.

6 days break, looking forward to taking on Central District at Maughan Thiem Kia on Saturday.

Sauce

Sam Jacobs – Eagles Senior Coach

Kieran Sankey reviews Round 8 Reserves vs Norwood

A disappointing day at Norwood Oval saw us fall to Norwood 17.15 (117) to 5.5 (35).

Outside of a competitive first quarter and an improved final term, Norwood were able to take control of the contest across all areas of the game. They consistently won first possession and the contested ball, before hurting us with their run and carry, which we were unable to match. Their ability to use the ball effectively meant we struggled to establish any sustained control throughout the afternoon.

While there were brief periods where we were able to move the ball with purpose and show glimpses of the football we want to play, Norwood were stronger around the contest, worked harder for longer, executed their fundamentals more effectively and consistently applied their game plan.

The most frustrating aspect for our group is that some of the issues we experienced have been recurring themes over the past month. We know that improving our fundamentals, work rate and commitment to executing our Eagles method of football must be our priority moving forward.

One positive from the day was the opportunity created through several changes at League level. Five players played their first Development League game of the season, including three members of our Under 18 program. Ethan Ashley was a standout in defence, effectively nullifying his opponent while also providing drive with ball in hand.

We now turn our attention to Central District this week, where we look forward to the opportunity to respond and show improvement in the areas that matter most.

Kieran Sankey – Eagles Development Coach