Australian Football

Match Report

The next game on the schedule takes us to the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval in Woodville as the Eagles and the Magpies met for the Battle of the Birds. Not even the star power of a returning Charlie Dixon could save the Magpies the last time they met their Port Road rivals, the Eagles victorious at Alberton in Round 6. Port outworked the Eagles in the second term to lead by five points at half-time, but went to sleep in the second term to be held scoreless as the reigning premiers took over. The Eagles scored seven goals to two for the entire second half to win by 26 points. Last week the Eagles were brought down for the second time in three weeks by the Redlegs at Norwood, while the Magpies fielded probably one of their weakest line-ups possibly in its entire history to score just 1.4 against North, who would inflict a 21-goal smashing at Prospect. That seemed to be rectified this week at least for the opening quarter, but accuracy on goal by the Magpies only allowed them to lead by just nine points at quarter-time with a scoreline of 2.4 to the Eagles' 1.1. But from here the Magpies were back to their old habits, though to their credit it wasn't going to be nearly as embarrassing as the demolition job they copped last week, only half as embarrassing. The Eagles bagged 5.3 to the Magpies' single major, going into the long break with a three-goal lead. There would be precious little for the Eagles to do from here, meeting very little resistance. The Eagles' third quarter in front of goal wasn't destructive, but seeing as the Magpies could only manage a single behind there wasn't much to worry about. The visitors scored 2.4 to take their advantage out to 33 points come three quarter-time, but they still weren't out of fuel. The current champions rammed the point home in the final term, Port scoring just one goal while the Eagles scored 5.3 to post a 10-goal victory. Daniel Menzel scored seven goals, but it was Riley Knight that took out best afield honours for the Eagles with his tally of 33 disposals, nine marks and five tackles. The Magpies would name Steven Motlop as their standout with 32 disposals, six marks and seven clearances.