By DAVID NAGEL
CASEY CARDINIA FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
SECOND SEMI-FINAL – Saturday At Pakenham
BEACONSFIELD will look to turn the Casey Cardinia league season on its head – and the clock back four years – when the Eagles confront the might of Narre Warren in Saturday’s second semi-final at Toomuc Reserve.
The Eagles surprised everyone back in 2010, first with a comfortable victory over the Magpies in the qualifying final, but then, and far more relevant to this week, pulled off the upset of the season by defeating the previously unbackable Cranbourne in the second semi-final.
Beacy has ticked off the first stage of that process already this year, but now, phew… this is the ultimate test against a team that has more than had its measure in recent times.
Since the Eagles’ last triumphed at the end of 2011, the Magpies have gone on an impressive six-game winning streak, with margins of 84 and 26 in 2012, 63 and 103 last year and totally dominant 98 and 114 point thrashings of the Eagles this season.
It means Clint Evans and his side will need to have real belief in a game plan and team-first mentality that has seen it win nine of its last 10 games.
“We understand what we’re up against,” Evans said after last week’s qualifying-final win.
“They’ve got hold of us pretty easily the last couple of times, so it’s tough, but I think we’re a different side and we have to go in thinking we can win.
“They’re just a champion side, very well coached, and they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but we just have to keep our pressure and intensity up and stay in the game for as long as we can… and that will build belief.”
The Eagles biggest chance of an upset this week is to take full advantage of the expected dominance of their superstar ruckman Scott Meyer. The athletic left footer was absolutely magnificent against Cranbourne last week, brilliant at ground level but also providing midfielders like Daniel Mislicki, Ben Kerrigan, Tyson Mitchem and Damien Johnston with an arm chair ride at the stoppages.
Cranbourne was simply unaccountable in this area of the contest, but this week there’ll be no such luxury as the Magpies are well drilled in every facet of the game.
They’ll look to nullify Meyer’s influence in the ruck, and from there set about using the strongest and most talented list in the competition to wear the Eagles down. Don’t for one minute think that the experienced Steve Watson, and the youthful Jordyn Flannery are going to bow to Meyer’s talents either, they’ll make him earn every tap, every possession… the big fella will know where he’s been by the end of the day!
What makes Narre Warren so dangerous is that it attacks from every position on the ground.
From full back, with Ryan Morrison and Ben King, then off half back with the sublime talents of Nick Scanlon and Kain Baskaya, the Magpies will launch, and launch with great speed and precision if the Eagles just bomb forward or miss targets when they do lower their eyes.
Decision and skill errors – they’re punished by the Magpies.
We haven’t even mentioned the Magpies engine-room, led by Michael Collins, Dylan Quirk and Col McNamara, the blistering pace of Jackson Parker, or the exquisite skills of Josh Tonna. We haven’t mentioned the danger that forwards like Liam Myatt, Aaron McIver and Lee Boyle present, or the strength and big-game persona of the best forward in the competition this year in Kerem Baskaya.
See what the Eagles are up against?
THE TIP
Beaconsfield has earned the respect of everyone in the competition for the way it has bounced back from a horror start to the season.
“The players have driven the improvement, not me, they’re the ones who have bitten the bullet and had a good look at each other and have really pushed the agenda,” Evans said.
They’re united the Eagles, there’s no doubt about that, but this week they take on the ultimate team challenge, one weak link and they’re screwed!
They’ll fight, they’ll scratch, they’ll claw every inch of the way to keep that respect intact but, at the end of the day, it won’t be enough… it’s the Magpies to book the first ticket to the grand final with a 43-point victory.
