Inspirational skipper Luke Shuey declared early last week that there would be a response after a massive loss to Sydney in round 15.

From the outset he was determined to set an example and almost carried his teammates on his back with a remarkable first half.

The star midfielder pitched in on all fronts and had racked up eight tackles by the main break, setting the tone and leading from the front.

Shuey finished with 28 possessions and eight clearances in an outstanding contribution. While the Eagles fell short of victory by eight points the intent and effort was much improved and the man who created the agenda and followed through with his own contribution was the skipper.