IN WHAT MANY were calling the match of the round, the Toronto Eagles have defeated the Central Blues and secured their place atop the Ontario Australian Football League ladder.
Both clubs came into round three and played some top grade football in hot conditions. There were some fantastic passages of play from both teams which included some good ball movement around the ground.
The Eagles came into the match missing some key players but were confident they still had a very competitive team for the weekend.
Eagles coach Aaron Falcioni said the victory proved the depth of this year's squad.
“Every week we have players working hard for selection, so when a situation occurs where we have an opening the boys really take their opportunities,” Falcioni said.
The first quarter was fast paced as both teams worked tirelessly to take control of the game. Both sides battled to get a score on the board as each of their defences were working cohesively.
The Central Blues were competitive throughout the match, but the Eagles were eventually able to take control of the game halfway through the second quarter, then pulled away in the third and fourth to eventually win by 34 points.
“This was a big win for us today, especially against the Blues. They’ve played some good football the past few rounds,” said Eagles vice captain Matthew Bachinski. “We wanted to come out today and show the league why we’re still the team to beat.”
Once again, Eagles ruckman Ajit Alister was in fine form. The 2009 league Best and Fairest was at his best controlling the ruck and contesting around the ground. Tagger Kevin Minaker also had a standout match limiting the possessions of one of the Blues’ best.
The Eagles’ defensive unit worked exceptionally well in the second half with some strong leadership from team captain, Tasos Dimacakos. The midfield and forward line also worked hard to find scoring opportunities.
It was a well rounded effort from all involved, as each player had a role to play and performed that role as best they could.
This weekend the Toronto Eagles travel to 'Steeltown' to play the Hamilton Wildcats in what should be another great match. Bounce-down is set for 11am.
TORONTO EAGLES 12.9 (81)
CENTRAL BLUES 7.5 (47)
GOALS
G.Pearce 3, M. Peterson 3, O.Hayward 2, A. Falcioni 2, A. Alister, B. Kantartzis,
BEST
A.Alister, K.Minaker, G.Pearce, M.Peterson, S.Rivett
Injuries: Nil
Reports: Nil
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
