Round 1 Review: Eagles win...but still lose.

I came away from yesterday's win with a due sense of dread. A win, sure, but a win that felt more like a thank-less win, less celebratory more contemplative. 

We won by 4 points, against a bottom 6 side without some of their best players and most evidently without a ruckman. Sure we were without casual-player Kerr and inconsistent Naitanui, but it would have been quite an effort to lose. Yet, we nearly did. I'm not arguing that we played poorly. I thought we showed some positive signs. Cox was at his dominant best (until the final quarter when cramps compelled him to form the fetal position). Gaff, starting as a sub, showed some silky skills. Darling looks strong, if not a little rigid and inflexible.

Yet, in general, the skills of some of our players allowed North to stay in the game. Ebert continues to amaze me with his inability to kick a football properly. Scott Selwood had a few clangers. Last season we had a tendency to turn the ball over at the most inopportune times. Nothing I saw yesterday convinced me that much had changed.

Now to the real bad news. I’m sure you all saw it. Following a goal he kicked in  the 3^rd quarter, Mark Lecras seemed to clutch his groin in pain. Well, it turns out he has an adductor tear and will be out for 7 to 10 weeks. I can’t overemphasise how great a loss this is. Lecras is the most skilful player in our team (outside of Kerr). Morover, yesterday he seemed to be spending s a substantial amount of time in the midfield. This loss deprives us of what could have been a coming of age season for Lecras. In a more tangible way we lose the 63 goals he kicked last year. More pressure is now on the likes of Ashton Hams, who yesterday did close to nothing.

Geez...I don't know why I'm turning yellow

In other news, Chris Masten has damaged cartilage in his knee and will miss 6 weeks. I would like to say this is a huge loss. But Masten has been a perpetual disappointment since we drafted him a few seasons ago. Injuries have played a role in this, but it just adds further credence to my view that our drafting has been exceedingly poor in the post-Juddas era.

Still, we won. In McKinley’s and to a lesser extent Edward’s face. 4 points on the board. We are in the top 8!

Next up, Port at AAMI Stadium. From memory we have only won once against Port there. I actually remember that game well. Late in the last, Cousins kicked two goals to lift us over the line. Good times. I think we can win this game, but by Friday I may have changed my mind.

Until next time
A Victorious Misanthropic Eagle

P.S The Umpiring was complete bollocks.