Bombers Show Class Against Gallant Eagles

The Eagles Men’s Premier Division side arrived at Gore Hill Oval pumped and fired up, ready to take it to the competition heavyweights North Shore Bombers on their home deck. Fresh off defeating back-to-back premiers UNSW last week, the Bombers were in the driver’s seat, expected to soundly defeat East Coast.

East Coast had plenty to prove and straight from the first contest, our Eagles made their intentions known: that we don’t lie down for anyone.

East Coast started the game fantastically, with our structures and game plan firing in the first quarter. To keep the top team to one goal in the first quarter was a great effort, one which we aimed to carry into the second term.

North Shore are a classy outfit, they prove that week in and week out. They possess that key knowledge of how to play their style of footy, especially on their home ground, and they do not give an inch once they gain momentum. This was the story of the second quarter, as they kicked 2 goals to none, maintaining a solid 15 point lead at half-time.

As the Eagles lost some key players, with Bailey Stewart and Jordan Etto succumbing to ankle injuries, we struggled to keep pace with the Bombers, and the home side kicked away 5 goals to nil in the Premiership quarter.

The challenge for the Eagles was there from the outset, and we take plenty of positives from the pressure style of footy we played to overwhelm North Shore in the first quarter. Unfortunately we just could not keep this up for four quarters, and we were defeated by 58 points, a margin that many would believe does not reflect our improved performance.

Whilst Season 2020 has not been our most successful, the rise and climb of many of the younger players has been a real shining light. The future of the club continued to make an impact on the weekend, with Baylee Jones, Brandon Clark, Lewis Waters and Cam Wood having unreal games, proving that our future is bright.

Skipper Jamie Vlatko kicked our lone goal for the day, a tough day at the office no doubt, but one that showed plenty of promise as we head into the final third of this shortened season.

Will Cashmore

FINAL SCORE