Bruce Purser Reserve saw a fantastic opening day crowd on Saturday for round one of the AFL Sydney season. Was it the glorious weather? Was it the excitement and anticipation of the start of the footy season? Or was it the fact that the Eagles distributed nearly 12,000 leaflets to the local community promoting the “Family Day at the Footy” concept for 2010? 

Whatever the reason, the family hill and the terraces were packed with fans who witnessed the unfurling and raising of the 2009 premiership flag before the start of the main game amongst jumping castles and face painting.

It was the grand final re-match between East Coast and UNSW-ES. The margin last September was 54 points and both sides were super keen to do better. The Bulldogs wanted to avenge their loss whilst the Eagles wanted to make the margin even bigger this time around. 

Although the scoreboard didn’t indicate such, it was an arm wrestle all over the ground for the first 20 minutes or so before the Eagles began to take charge and went into the quarter-time break six goals up.

Uni held superiority in the ruck where Earl Shaw was too good and more often than not he gave his midfielders first use of the football, which in turn created some super contests in the midfield as the Eagles tried to anticipate where it would go.  Trent Baker on one wing played his best game since joining the club two seasons ago, gaining 26 possessions. His team mates clearly agreed, as they voted him their Players’ Player for his outstanding performance. Daniel Spiteri (pictured) and returned Eagle Mark Goodey were in everything as they sought to continually send the ball down forward.

At half-time, the eventual result of the match was in no doubt with the Eagles taking a 68-point buffer into the long break. As good as the Bulldog forwards were, the Eagle defenders were better, with Kristian Pearson dominating at centre half back, Ben Bourke holding gun forward Brad Abbott goalless for the game and another returning Eagle in Damien Charleston simply impassable.

Down the other end however, it was a different story. Debutant Eagle forwards Jamie Vlatko and Peter Dugmore were on fire. There is no truth to the rumour that it was they who caused the two fire brigade units to attend the match when an errant alarm went off at the beginning of the third quarter and could not be turned off for the rest of the match. Despite the ringing in their ears, Vlatko went on to kick six goals in a best on ground performance, while Dugmore backed him up with five from full forward.  

All in all, it was a very impressive first-up performance from the entire squad, which eventually ran out winners by 91 points.

EAST COAST EAGLES        6.6       11.11    15.11     19.13 (127)
UNSW-ES                              0.1       1.3       3.5         5.6    (36)

Best: Jamie Vlatko, Trent Baker, Peter Dugmore, Damien Charleston, Kristian Pearson, Jack Dimery.

Goals: Jamie Vlatko 6, Peter Dugmore 5, Daniel Spiteri 2, Anthony Stubbs, Glenn Garner, Ben Rogers, Mark Goodey, Damien Charleston, Trent Baker.

Results in other grades as follows.  

DIVISION 1
EAST COAST EAGLES 17.18 (120)
UNSW-ES 5.7 (37)

DIVISION 3
EAST COAST EAGLES 22.14 (146)
HOLROYD PARRAMATTA 1.3 (9)

U/18 CHALLENGE CUP
EAST COAST EAGLES 8.12 (60)
HOLROYD PARRAMATTA 7.7 (49)

EAGLES EXTRAVAGANZA

First grade
Best: Jamie Vlatko owned by the BGP syndicate 
First free: Peter Dugmore owned by Steve Gawley

Reserve grade 
Best: Steve Merkel owned by Corey Durie 
First free: Etiosa Okunbor owned by the Oaks syndicate

Third grade
Best: Ben Hynes owned by the Black, Blue & Brown syndicate