SA Footy

Fair to say that the scoreboard flattered the Eagles ........

wedgetail wrote:After missing the last 2 games, was hoping for an improved performance from the Eagles but was left disappointed again. Sturt too intense, too polished and too systematic for a dysfunctional Eagles team. Strut's first win against the Eags since 2019 so they were well and truly due and probably should have won by more. Ballenden played his best game for the club kicking 5 and Sinor battled hard once again. Thin pickings after that. on that form, Central will have few problems next week.

I think you are being a little harsh "wedgetail". Looking at the line up the Eagles put out against Sturt there appeared to be a distinct lack of SANFL experience. I went through the numbers for the "Eagles" to find out what experience they went in to the game with. The 22 players totalled 834 league SANFL games this averages out to 37.91 games a player. If the four most experienced players are removed (521 games) the total becomes 313 league games between 18 players at an average of 17.39 games....less than a season average a player for 18 players. Sixteen players had played less than 35 SANFL games. The games experience could be enhanced slightly by including 185 AFL games played by Toumpas, Knight, Thompson, Rowe, Cameron Collier-Dawkins, and Ballenden but this would take the average senior games played to 46.32.
Over the past five years in the SANFL it's been very hard to keep a stable, consistent list. Of the 22 Eagle players who played against Sturt, there were only 8 from the Eagles 2021 premiership team. The ability to integrate new players is not easy and takes time, all clubs seem to go through ups and downs, we just have to be patient, Just look at Norwood, premiers last season now currently bottom.
Just as a comparison Sturt's 22 had 1,359 SANFL league games experience at an average of 61.77 games, against the Eagles 834 games at an average of 37.91. Excluding Sturt's four most experienced players the 18 remaining players had an average of 41.16 games experience compared to the Eagles 17.39 games. I think the result has a lot to do with experience. Just keep faith in our leaders.

Agree with a lot of what you say, Ferret. This week will see you line up against a team with less SANFL matches behind them and will give you a good guide as to where the Eagles sit... should be a great game, as long as we don't bring our last quarter effort from last week to it.

bulldogproud wrote:Agree with a lot of what you say, Ferret. This week will see you line up against a team with less SANFL matches behind them and will give you a good guide as to where the Eagles sit... should be a great game, as long as we don't bring our last quarter effort from last week to it.

"bulldogproud", the composition of teams change from week to week and I can only go on the latest information available, but after last weeks game the 22 that played for the Dogs had an accumulated total of 911 SANFL league games, the Eagles had an accumulated total of 856 games so assuming the teams remain the same (which they won't, Knight and Pudney will be outs for the Eagles) I would say the Dogs will be playing a team with less SANFL experience than the Dogs.

ferret wrote:

bulldogproud wrote:Agree with a lot of what you say, Ferret. This week will see you line up against a team with less SANFL matches behind them and will give you a good guide as to where the Eagles sit... should be a great game, as long as we don't bring our last quarter effort from last week to it.

"bulldogproud", the composition of teams change from week to week and I can only go on the latest information available, but after last weeks game the 22 that played for the Dogs had an accumulated total of 911 SANFL league games, the Eagles had an accumulated total of 856 games so assuming the teams remain the same (which they won't, Knight and Pudney will be outs for the Eagles) I would say the Dogs will be playing a team with less SANFL experience than the Dogs.

527 of those games are attributable to just three players though (Hoskin, J. Schiller and Presbury). We only have one other player who has played more than 33 games (Barreau with 57). None of our players have played an AFL match. The Eagles will have more combined AFL and SANFL experience and more players who have played more than 33 games of SANFL. Overall, reasonably matched with overall experience if you take Riley Knight and Luke Thompson out of your team.
Cheers

"proudbulldog", to end this little skirmish I was only answering and relating to your statement of "this week will see you line up against a team with LESS SANFL matches behind them" this statement can be rightly challenged like I have done.

ferret wrote:"proudbulldog", to end this little skirmish I was only answering and relating to your statement of "this week will see you line up against a team with LESS SANFL matches behind them" this statement can be rightly challenged like I have done.

Sorry, Ferret, my friend, I should have said less 'experience' than less SANFL matches. It should be a great match on Saturday, between two evenly matched sides.
I still think the fact that the Eagles have players with considerable AFL experience does help your team though and cannot be ignored when talking about the experience level of teams.

Cheers

give it to them now