Forestville Eagles (13-5, 2nd) v Norwood Flames (11-7, 5th)
Saturday August 25, 6.30pm at Wayville

It’s that time again.

Yet another post-season clash between the Forestville Eagles and Norwood Flames! It’s a growing tradition – not since 2007 have these teams avoided each other in the finals.

After two Grand Finals, one Preliminary Final, two Second Semi Finals, one First Semi Final and a Qualifying Final, the Eagles and Flames will meet for the eighth time in the last five postseasons. The Eagles started this series of fixtures with an 87-72 win in the 2008 Second Semi Final, before winning their most recent finals clash, the 2011 Grand Final, 82-68.

In between, it was all the Flames. Three years in a row they ended the Eagles’ premiership hopes, beginning with an 89-88 triumph in the 2008 Grand Final, where Andrew Webber banked a three on the buzzer from almost half-way.

Webber is set to line up again this week for the Flames, as are Todd Matthews and Keith Krause. The Eagles have four current squad members who featured in that Grand Final - Trent Fildes, Brad Sullivan, Brad Gerlach and Harri Harvey.

After a season where these clubs have at times appeared farther apart than in any of the previous four campaigns, they have found another way to meet at the elimination stage once more. The Eagles have always looked destined to go deep into the postseason. On the other hand, the Flames were ranked as outsiders for much of the season, before their upset victory over Sturt in Round 15 saw them jump into the top-five for good.

These teams’ vastly different form guides are not all that has been abnormal about them this season. From 2007-11, the Eagles and Flames split their regular season matchups 1-1. This year, however, was a different story. The Flames swept the Eagles 2-0 in the minor rounds, winning 82-77 in Round 9 and 77-75 in Round 18.

The Flames have been on the verge of elimination ever since entering this finals series. Intriguingly, the Eagles are the Flames’ first postseason opponent whom they beat during the regular season.

They lost both matches to West and North, before comfortably beating them in the Elimination and First Semi Finals respectively. Firstly, they held the Bearcats to just 47 points at less than 30% shooting in their 14 point Elimination Final victory. Brian Moultrie was huge with 20 points, 17 rebounds and 3 steals. Matthew Lycett added 15 points and 9 rebounds.

The Flames then made it seven straight finals defeats for the Rockets with a 79-61 triumph. It was a 63 point turnaround from the teams’ previous meeting at Hillcrest. Matthews finished with 24 points, 7 steals and 6 assists, leading the game in each of those categories. Dillon Ford chipped in with 14 points, while Moultrie had 18 rebounds alongside his 9 points.

The Eagles’ Round 18 loss to the Flames cost them the Minor Premiership, and meant they would have to play North Adelaide in the Qualifying Final. Fortunately for them, a long-range shooting exhibition and a 31-11 fourth quarter led them to a 105-77 victory. Sullivan was the main individual culprit, hitting six threes and scoring 22 points.

The Eagles are perhaps a touch unlucky to be featuring in this match, after a 72-73 loss to Sturt at Pasadena in the Second Semi Final, where Sabres big man John Marriott made a free throw after the final whistle. The Eagles trailed by 14 at half-time, but won the second half 36-23. Sullivan, Deng and Adam Doyle each scored 13 points for the Eagles.

Tucker is arguable the X-factor here. “Tuck” has been limited due to knee trouble this season, but when at his best, is near unstoppable. The Flames felt the effects first hand in last year’s Grand Final, where Tucker torched them for 30 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists in an MVP performance.

Both teams prefer different styles, so whoever can get the game on their terms will likely be headed for victory. It is difficult to see how the Flames could score enough points to match the Eagles in a fast-paced, open game. However, if the game becomes a defensive-minded slog, then the Flames could expose the Eagles, as the Sabres did for a lot of last week.

The Eagles have history on their side. They have beaten the Flames at least once during each of the previous seven seasons, hence they are due to win this one. In that same time, no team finishing fifth at the end of the regular season has made it to the Grand Final.

The 2012 Flames are the sort of outfit that could rewrite history, but it is hard to see the Eagles allowing another team to clip their wings and should get another crack at Sturt in the Grand Final.

By James Woite