East Coast Eagles
Final position
9th- 4 wins, 14 losses
Snapshot
It was a tough start to the season for the Eagles before their opening win in Round 5 against Campbelltown. They would not get to sing their club song again until Round 15 against the same opposition which spelt a strong final month where they would win their final two games- including one against UNSW/ES which meant the Bulldogs would miss finals.
What worked
The Eagles blooded a good bunch of youngsters who will form part of their future. While they couldn’t keep up with the top sides in the competition, they often enjoyed strong starts and to their credit, despite their ladder position, they finished the season well to avoid the wooden spoon.
What failed
Ultimately, the depth wasn’t there for what was their Reserve Grade side to their NEAFL outfit. There were numerous changes week-to-week which made the job tough for coach, Peter Steer. They also boasted the worst defensive record, conceding on average over 100 points a game. You won’t win too many games with that record- especially given they only managed to kick over that amount once in 2014.
MVP: Scott Pierce & Josh Cass
The duo were named as joint Best and Fairest at the club’s Presentation Night. Cass joined the club from Balmain and played all but one game in Premier Division in 2014- kicking 15 goals and was named in the best on nine occasions. Pierce kicked 19 goals from 16 games playing predominantly as a deep forward. The 23 year-old also played two NEAFL games this season.
Surprise packet: Jordan McPherson
The 19 year-old was a revelation for the Eagles across half-back in his first season in Premier Division. He finished third in the club Best and Fairest and was often given the job on the opposition’s dangerous small forward. He was an AFL Sydney Rising Star nominee and along with players like Lyndon Hupfield form the future.
Low point
There were some definite low points where the Eagles were bullied by the top sides with their biggest loss coming against Manly-Warringah in Round 6 at Weldon Oval. In the 136-point loss they conceded their highest total for the season and recorded their second lowest score.
What do they need to improve?
Retention of their big name players will be the key due to the announcement in the back end of the season that the club will not be competing in the NEAFL in 2015. For a side that pushed the Sydney Swans Reserves in their final NEAFL match, it is hard to see them not starting as competition favourites in Premier Division- a grade in which they dominated until their entry into the NEAFL with a three-peat from 2009-11.
A good mix of youth and experience, as well as depth will be vital. They also need to focus on improving their Under 19 Division One outfit which has struggled in recent years after being a powerhouse for many years.
Grade: C
Their end to the season improved their ranking. The blowouts were worrying but understandable for what is their second 22. They brought on some good kids and the elder statesmen tried hard. All in all, a marked improvement on their 2013 campaign where they only won one match for the season and exciting times ahead for the club as they look to become the powerhouse they were only a few years ago.
Last Modified on 07/10/2014 09:30
