Men’s Premier Division Match of the Round – East Coast Eagles v Inner West Magpies
Written by Lucas Holmes
The East Coast Eagles looked to bounce back after a heavy defeat to St George in round 6. Inner West Magpies defeated Manly Warringah by 34 points.
First quarter
It didn’t take long for the Magpies to impact the scoreboard.
Lachlan Tiziani delivered to Brandon Lagana who converted a long set shot only 15 metres inside the boundary line. The Eagles also scored a behind of their own.
Inner West had the second of the term as the mid-way point approached.
Luke Jamieson took an intercept mark following an East Coast kick out. Jamieson’s kick went laterally to the coach Ben Klemke.
Running from the back of the centre square the football went low inside the forward 50. Tiziani squeezed the ball out to Lagana who fed a short handball to Josh Robinson. Robinson’s left foot kick off a step made it through a pack of players and skidded through the vacant goal square.
The Eagles’ first goal came from a free kick at centre half-forward. Zachary Johns wheeled onto his right foot and sent the football towards the goal line. His kick didn’t quite have the required journey, but Lachlan Mason took a contested marked right on the line and kicked from point-blank range.
Brendan Coxall converted from open play on a tight angle and at quarter time the scores were level.
Quarter time East Coast Eagles 2.2.14 Inner West Magpies 2.2.14.
Second quarter
The Magpies lost key forward Ben Zoppo towards the end of the first term. It would be his last sighting of this round 7 contest.
Tiziani had a shot from the opening bounce of the second term, his long set shot was pulled to the left for a minor score.
Inner West managed to keep the football inside their forward 50, and as a result, had their third goal after three minutes of elapsed time.
From a boundary throw-in 30 metres around from goal the Magpies used chain handballs to move the football into the forward pocket.
Robinson did extremely well to keep the ball inside the boundary before an unselfish handball over the top to Leeroy Veerhuis, who kicked quickly from a metre out.
East Coast matched the Magpies’ intensity and physicality around the contest in the first portion of this contest but already struggled to move the ball past the well-gelled Magpies backline.
After a run of behinds for Inner West, Jamieson converted a long set shot as he proved a difficult matchup around the ground.
The Magpies broke the game open as the second term went past 20 minutes of elapsed time.
Tiziani converted a set shot; the impressive Kel Evans kicked his first from a stoppage before Tiziani added his second.
Scott Brown kicked a long set shot as they tried to stem the flow of Magpies’ goals in the dying stages of the first half.
Half time East Coast Eagles 3.2.20 Inner West Magpies 8.7.55.
Third quarter
The Eagles added a minor score early as second ruck Harry Sutherland couldn’t control his kick off the ground.
At the other end, Tiziani had a pair of long shots on goal, both ended up out of bounds on the full.
Trying to make the most of the relatively dry conditions Magpies quickly transitioned the ball on the western side. However, Marshall Poynter was up to the task with his strong tackle ending a counter-attacking opportunity.
Some sleight of hand from Robinson set up Evans to finish his second as he snapped the ball low. Inner West had their first goal (and seven of the last eight) of the third term after 13 minutes of elapsed time.
The Eagles hit back straight away through Brendan Coxall who was the beneficiary of some unselfish play. Coxall converted the tight set shot for the Eagles’ fourth goal.
Nick Pleming answered back almost immediately before Joshua Gunian finished a team move as Inner West opened a 43-point margin at the last change.
Three quarter time East Coast Eagles 4.7.31 Inner West Magpies 11.9.75.
Fourth quarter
Some teams could potentially slow the tempo down after building a margin as the Magpies have done, but they made their intentions clear in the early stages of the fourth term.
Thye Hamilton snapped across his body from 20 metres out after a sweeping handball from Veerhuis. With three minutes of elapsed time, Inner West had their twelfth goal.
Robinson who had impressed in Zoppo’s absence kicked his second from directly in front as the Magpies’ extended further.
Inner West didn’t have it all their own was as the Eagles spent the next few minutes camped inside their forward 50.
From a boundary throw in 15 metres out from goal, Nathan Coxall read Jamieson’s tap but could screw his snap around enough as he registered a minor score.
Inner West didn’t let their foot off as they kicked six final quarter goals as the Magpies ran out 86-point victors.
Full time East Coast Eagles 4.9.33 Inner West Magpies 17.17.119.
Brandon Clark was instrumental around the contest for the home side. Joshua Cutting did a commendable job at full-back whilst Tim Organ impressed.
Brandon Lagana was dynamic across the ground for Inner West. Lachlan Tiziani had a handful of chances in the forward half whilst Kel Evans continued his solid form.
East Coast Eagles 4.9.33
Goal kickers: B. Coxall 2, S. Brown, L. Mason,
Best: J. Cutting, B. Clark, T. Organ, N. Coxall, L. Mason, C. Dowle
Inner West Magpies 17.17.119
Goal kickers: K. Evans 2, L. Jamieson 2, N. Pleming 2, J. Robinson 2, L. Tiziani 2, A. Ball, J. Guinan, T. Hamilton, B. Lagana, O. Matar, B. Myers, L. Veerhuis
Best: B. Lagana, B. Myers, L. Jamieson, K. Evans, L. Tiziani, N. Pleming
