Eagles maintain success

WARRACK Eagles put a three-game break on Dimboola on Wimmera Football League’s premiership table with a strong victory on Saturday.
After its win over Horsham the previous week, the Eagles were were asked of another challenge to display the previsously third-ranked Roos who were expected to present the Eagles with a huge challenge.
And present one it did with the two sides trading blows to the final siren despite the Eagles taking out a 31-point victory.
Like the week before, the Eagles were asked of something big and it delivered for a second week in a row to claim another important victory to its second half of the season.
In perfect conditions, an entertaining first term was highlighted by the speed of the Eagles who were forced to improvise to find a way to goal.
With Tim Bell missing through illness, the Eagles were forced to play a small forward line which left the Eagles short of some marking power.
The Eagles, however, found a way through the leg speed of Jack Wilson and Liam Stewart who burned up the track to kick four of the five first term goals.
Both were destructive with their run and carry with Wilson opening scoring with the first two goals before Stewart kicked successive goals to have the Eagles up and running.
In between, league leading goalkicker Lachie Excel opened his day with a goal after a strong mark in the goalsquare in what would be an intruing battle with Adam Schulz.
Nigel Sibson, Al McKinnon and Hamish Excel joined the goalkickers list before Cade Wellington kicked the final goal of the term to give the Eagles a six-point lead at quarter time.
The second term fired up with Dimboola starting well with Daniel Baker kicked the opening goal of the term to level scores before Wilson kicked his third goal for the match to give the Eagles back the lead.
An important mark and goal to joint coach Grant Schultz gave the Eagles some breathing space before Wellington kicked his second to open up a three-goal lead prior.
Ash Avery kicked truly to bridge the gap for the Roos before Brad Krahe snapped a goal to give the Eagles a 19-point buffer at half time.
After a willing second term, both sides looked to assert some authority with some strong running play from two hard working sides.
Fatigue set in for both sides with Dale Hinkley, Rob McAllister and Grant Schultz goaling for the Eagles, while Jackson O’Neill, Sibson and Ryan Bell goaled for the Roos to see the Eagles maintain a 21-point lead at the last change.
Try as it might through the outstanding ruckwork of Peter Macfarlane, the Roos challenges were always met by the Eagles who were not going to be denied its form to find the answers required.
Avery kicked his second goal after showing superior judgement to see the Roos reduce the margin to 15 points before Brad Krahe kicked his second goal with a clever piece of roving.
Dimboola again kept its nose in the contest when Lachie Exell kicked his second goal before the Eagles kicked successive goals through Wilson and Wellington.
Wilson kicked his fourth for the day and Wellington his third before Stewart iced the contest with his third for the day, after marking strongly from a decisive passage of play from the Eagles.
Bell snapped a clever goal for the Roos final goal of the day which was answered when Steve Schultz capped a strong passage of play to top a hard working performance under sufferance from a bout of the flu.
Schultz was inspirational in the Eagles victory with his work being done under sufferance from illness to provide strong backup to a couple of hard running efforts.
In warmer conditions, Wilson and Stewart were standouts with their leg speed and carry, which saw the pair combine for seven goals for the day, while Wellington returned with success to kick three goals for the day.
Adam Schulz won praise for efforts in limiting Exell to just two goals for the match as he teamed with Jayden Werner and Dan Krahe to shut down the Roos forward line.
Macfarlane was a standout for the Roos with a powerful game in the ruck which forced the Eagles midfield to the work overtime to gain an advantage.
The Eagles were beaten in centre clearances but had Kyle George, Jarred Martin and Brad Krahe working hard around the ground supporting Schultz through the centre.
Reserves
Warrack Eagles reserves maintained its unbeaten run when it proved too strong for the Roos by 52 points.
In a some times scrappy affair, the Eagles prevailed well holding its opponent goalless for the first half before powering away in the second half.
Three goals to nil in the opening term had the Eagles up and about with Ayden Roberts kicking two goals to provide a focal point in attack.
Another two unanswered goals in the second term saw the Eagles lead by 29 points at half time as it midfield took control with Paul Atkin and Clinton Jonasson teaming well to send the ball forward.
Steve Murphy was dominant across the half forward line while Kyle Kemp showed his unlimited potential with some strong attacks on the ball that lifted his team-mates.
Dimboola kicked his first goal of the match in the third term as the Eagles answered with a further three majors as it took control to lead by six goals at three quarter time.
In a some times scrappy affair, the Eagles maintained its supremacy during the third term before underlining its effort in the final term when it dominated play.
Three goals was littered with six minor scores as it controlled the match to the final siren with Murphy, Atkin, Kemp and Jonasson continuing to control play.
Down back Jake Cheney was prominent as he combined with Matt Hartnett and ruckman Dean Gunn to stifle the Roos forward line who struggled to make inroads on the scoreboard.
The Eagles welcomed back Brad Atkin from a hamstring injury and also Brenton Cheney who showed good form teaming with brother Jake before injuring his own hamstring and being forced from the ground.