Australian Football

Match Report

There was just one match for the Saturday afternoon timeslot, which finds us heading up Port Road for the Battle of the Birds between the Eagles and the Magpies at the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval in Woodville. This was the first of the return matches for the season, with the Magpies tearing the feathers off the reigning premiers' backs with their 10-goal hammering at Alberton in Round 5. Only seven points separated the two at quarter-time, but then a seven goal to one second term ended the game as a contest as the 'Pies romped away with the victory. Port sat out last weekend after their defeat of West two weeks ago, while the Eagles were relatively untroubled on their trip to the Ponderosa for their 29-point win against Centrals last weekend.

The Magpies had the first major within the first minute in a term that was tit-for-tat on the board up until the last minutes, when the Eagles kicked a major to lead by as many points at quarter-time with the board reading 4.1 to 3.1. It was the same story in the second term, the Magpies squaring things up late before the Eagles again bagged a late major to maintain their one-goal advantage going into the long break, both kicking 2.1 each in that period. With their previous clash still stuck in their minds, now was the time for some reprisals. The Magpies wouldn't even kick another major until added time in the third quarter, which came after a run of five goals from the home side. The Eagles kicked 6.1 to 1.1 to run off to a game-breaking six-goal lead at the final change. But they still weren't done dishing out the pain, the Eagles maintaining the rage into the final term and burying the visitors who would manage just two behinds. The Eagles scored a further 5.4 to record a 68-point win.

James Tsitas was the standout best for the Eagles, with 41 disposals, six marks and nine tackles. Jarrod Lienert was best afield for the Magpies, with 26 disposals and four marks.