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http://eagles.newman-knights.com/index.php?newsid=43
Who says you have to play four quarters to win a football match? The Eagles played 22 minutes last week to beat the Pies (fifteen in the first quarter and seven at the end of the game) - but what a 17 minutes it was!
Anyway onto this week. Nine weeks ago if you had predicted that this weeks Eagles v Richmond clash would be match of the round you'd have been laughed at. If you'd even suggested it would have two teams in the eight you'd have been looked at funny. If you'd had the temerity to suggest it would have been 2nd v 3rd the men in white coats would have been at your door before you could say "unpredictable".
Apparently Richmond are the Eagles bogey side. And a quick look at the stats (eight of the last nine games to the Tigers) seems to support that theory. On the other hand though, Richmond's appearances at Subiaco to play the Eagles have been far from common - this will be only the third appearance since 1995, so the Tigers' dominance may not be so extreme. Interestingly 2003 will be the first year ever that the Eagles do not travel to Victoria to play the Tigers.
Changes
Daniel Chick's calf sees him unable to make the side, while Ashley McIntosh's unmemorable performance has seen the Eagles backman dropped from the side for this week. Coming back in their place is Kane Munro for another chance and Glen Jakovich who seems to have recovered fine from his heart arrythmia last week. Somewhat surprisingly Troy Wilson has not been brough back in for the out of form David Haynes, suggesting the big man might need to kick a lot more at the Royals to get his spot at full forward back.
Click here for the squad
Lead up
These two teams aren't two and three for nothing. Both sides would be considered the surprise packets of the year - very few would have predicted either to be top four material at any stage of the year. However there it is.
The Eagles, second on the ladder are in form not seen since the days of Mick Malthouse. Two consecutive away wins added to an unblemished record at home makes the Eagles look outstanding in 2003. The only blemish would be that the Eagles last two games, while both victories have not been the best - the home game against Geelong looked lacklustre, while the win over the Pies last week was done with two amazing spurts separated by a large amount of Collingwood dominance. The positive in both these games though is that the Eagles showed a lot of tenacity to hold on in those games and manage to grind out a win where most teams would fold.
On the Richmond side of the ledger, the main question is how the Tigers will go when faced with "real" opposition. Up to now, they haven't beaten any of the form teams in the competition except the Dockers, and that appeared to be during a tidal wave. To be fair though, you can only beat the teams you play. This week's game against the Eagles must be considered a real test for the Tigers.
Injuries and Suspensions
The Eagles have a few injury concerns, the primary one being high profile recruit Daniel Chick who is unlikely to recover from a calf strain in time to play. Travis Gaspar is listed as being available, but given his tendency to injury it wouldn't be surprising if the Eagles left him out for another week, and Phil Read's ankle looks unlikely to come up for the game. On the positive side it seems likely that Glen Jakovich will be available for the game.
From Richmond's performance this year you'd think they were full strength. However, they will be missing Brad Ottens and former Bomber Justin Blumfield this week for certain. Wayne Campbell is reasonably likely to play, something the Eagles would not be happy about given his performance last time we met.
Match Ups
Michael Gardiner once again stars in the Match ups section, his duel with Greg Stafford should be interesting. Gardiner is clearly the best ruckman in the league so far this season, but Stafford has been reasonably good for the Tigers. Nullifying Gardiner would be a big step forward for the Tigers.
Matthew Richardson has traditionally been a nightmare for Perth teams (forgetting he is supposed to be his own teams worst enemy), and he is in form at the moment, and would be the player giving the Eagles brains trust the most nightmares. Finding a big man to match up on Richo will be difficult as he has in the past given a bath to Trent Carroll and would certainly be too mobile for Glen Jakovich. Darren Glass perhaps?
The battle of the midfield, a big part these days of any Eagles match sees the Eagles' rampant midfielders (Ben Cousins, Chris Judd, Daniel Kerr and Chad Fletcher, with also possibly David Wirrpunda) probably too good for the likes of Wayne Campbell, Joel Bowden and Mark Coughlan. The Tigers will need to keep the game slow to negate the impact of the Eagles mosquito fleet.
Andrew Embley, whether out on a wing or up forward will also take some watching, as will Phil Matera and Ashley Sampi. For the Tigers, we need to keep a careful eye on the dangerous David Rodan and former Crow Kane Johnson.
2002
The Eagles and Tigers only met once in 2002, predictably in Melbourne at Docklands. The Tigers were led by Wayne Campbell to what was an unexpected victory over the Eagles that helped wedge the travel monkey on the back of the 2002 Eagles.
Round 8, Docklands
Richmond 2.3 7.6 10.9 13.16 ( 94)
West Coast 3.4 7.5 8.11 10.13 ( 73)
Head to Head
Overall: Played 24; West Coast 13, Richmond 11, Draws 0.
At Subiaco: Played 8; West Coast 7, Richmond 1, Draws 0.
Biggest Margin - West Coast: West Coast 20.15 (135) d Richmond 5.9 (39) - 96 points, M.C.G, R3 1994
Biggest Margin - Richmond: Richmond 20.18 (138) d West Coast 10.13 (73) - 65 points, Docklands, R20 2001
Milestones
Brauny! Everyone's favourite Eagle reaches 100 matches in the blue and gold this week.
Summary
When you look at this game at first glance, you tip the Eagles unhesitatingly. Then you remember that Richmond are sitting third on the ladder at the moment and start to worry a bit. Countering that Richmond have only beaten Essendon from the top eight so far this year and this games at Subiaco (contrary to normal service), and the Eagles are still looking pretty good at home while Richmond don't have much experience on the road yet for 2003. In the end first impressions mean something so I'm going to tip the Eagles.
My prediction: West Coast by 23 points.
Who says you have to play four quarters to win a football match? The Eagles played 22 minutes last week to beat the Pies (fifteen in the first quarter and seven at the end of the game) - but what a 17 minutes it was!
Anyway onto this week. Nine weeks ago if you had predicted that this weeks Eagles v Richmond clash would be match of the round you'd have been laughed at. If you'd even suggested it would have two teams in the eight you'd have been looked at funny. If you'd had the temerity to suggest it would have been 2nd v 3rd the men in white coats would have been at your door before you could say "unpredictable".
Apparently Richmond are the Eagles bogey side. And a quick look at the stats (eight of the last nine games to the Tigers) seems to support that theory. On the other hand though, Richmond's appearances at Subiaco to play the Eagles have been far from common - this will be only the third appearance since 1995, so the Tigers' dominance may not be so extreme. Interestingly 2003 will be the first year ever that the Eagles do not travel to Victoria to play the Tigers.
Changes
Daniel Chick's calf sees him unable to make the side, while Ashley McIntosh's unmemorable performance has seen the Eagles backman dropped from the side for this week. Coming back in their place is Kane Munro for another chance and Glen Jakovich who seems to have recovered fine from his heart arrythmia last week. Somewhat surprisingly Troy Wilson has not been brough back in for the out of form David Haynes, suggesting the big man might need to kick a lot more at the Royals to get his spot at full forward back.
Click here for the squad
Lead up
These two teams aren't two and three for nothing. Both sides would be considered the surprise packets of the year - very few would have predicted either to be top four material at any stage of the year. However there it is.
The Eagles, second on the ladder are in form not seen since the days of Mick Malthouse. Two consecutive away wins added to an unblemished record at home makes the Eagles look outstanding in 2003. The only blemish would be that the Eagles last two games, while both victories have not been the best - the home game against Geelong looked lacklustre, while the win over the Pies last week was done with two amazing spurts separated by a large amount of Collingwood dominance. The positive in both these games though is that the Eagles showed a lot of tenacity to hold on in those games and manage to grind out a win where most teams would fold.
On the Richmond side of the ledger, the main question is how the Tigers will go when faced with "real" opposition. Up to now, they haven't beaten any of the form teams in the competition except the Dockers, and that appeared to be during a tidal wave. To be fair though, you can only beat the teams you play. This week's game against the Eagles must be considered a real test for the Tigers.
Injuries and Suspensions
The Eagles have a few injury concerns, the primary one being high profile recruit Daniel Chick who is unlikely to recover from a calf strain in time to play. Travis Gaspar is listed as being available, but given his tendency to injury it wouldn't be surprising if the Eagles left him out for another week, and Phil Read's ankle looks unlikely to come up for the game. On the positive side it seems likely that Glen Jakovich will be available for the game.
From Richmond's performance this year you'd think they were full strength. However, they will be missing Brad Ottens and former Bomber Justin Blumfield this week for certain. Wayne Campbell is reasonably likely to play, something the Eagles would not be happy about given his performance last time we met.
Match Ups
Michael Gardiner once again stars in the Match ups section, his duel with Greg Stafford should be interesting. Gardiner is clearly the best ruckman in the league so far this season, but Stafford has been reasonably good for the Tigers. Nullifying Gardiner would be a big step forward for the Tigers.
Matthew Richardson has traditionally been a nightmare for Perth teams (forgetting he is supposed to be his own teams worst enemy), and he is in form at the moment, and would be the player giving the Eagles brains trust the most nightmares. Finding a big man to match up on Richo will be difficult as he has in the past given a bath to Trent Carroll and would certainly be too mobile for Glen Jakovich. Darren Glass perhaps?
The battle of the midfield, a big part these days of any Eagles match sees the Eagles' rampant midfielders (Ben Cousins, Chris Judd, Daniel Kerr and Chad Fletcher, with also possibly David Wirrpunda) probably too good for the likes of Wayne Campbell, Joel Bowden and Mark Coughlan. The Tigers will need to keep the game slow to negate the impact of the Eagles mosquito fleet.
Andrew Embley, whether out on a wing or up forward will also take some watching, as will Phil Matera and Ashley Sampi. For the Tigers, we need to keep a careful eye on the dangerous David Rodan and former Crow Kane Johnson.
2002
The Eagles and Tigers only met once in 2002, predictably in Melbourne at Docklands. The Tigers were led by Wayne Campbell to what was an unexpected victory over the Eagles that helped wedge the travel monkey on the back of the 2002 Eagles.
Round 8, Docklands
Richmond 2.3 7.6 10.9 13.16 ( 94)
West Coast 3.4 7.5 8.11 10.13 ( 73)
Head to Head
Overall: Played 24; West Coast 13, Richmond 11, Draws 0.
At Subiaco: Played 8; West Coast 7, Richmond 1, Draws 0.
Biggest Margin - West Coast: West Coast 20.15 (135) d Richmond 5.9 (39) - 96 points, M.C.G, R3 1994
Biggest Margin - Richmond: Richmond 20.18 (138) d West Coast 10.13 (73) - 65 points, Docklands, R20 2001
Milestones
Brauny! Everyone's favourite Eagle reaches 100 matches in the blue and gold this week.
Summary
When you look at this game at first glance, you tip the Eagles unhesitatingly. Then you remember that Richmond are sitting third on the ladder at the moment and start to worry a bit. Countering that Richmond have only beaten Essendon from the top eight so far this year and this games at Subiaco (contrary to normal service), and the Eagles are still looking pretty good at home while Richmond don't have much experience on the road yet for 2003. In the end first impressions mean something so I'm going to tip the Eagles.
My prediction: West Coast by 23 points.

