The East Coast Eagles with everything to play for and the season on the line were easily outpointed by the North Shore Bombers on Saturday. After a great second half last week and the return of senior players Jason Coulloupas and Ryan Smyth everything seemed to be falling into place for the Eagles. Someone forgot to tell North Shore the storyline.

From the very first bounce to the final siren North Shore were dominant all over the ground. They had too much leg speed, were more desperate and won the stoppages conclusively all day. At no stage did the Eagles threaten the Bombers. In fact the closest the Eagles every got was the 11 point deficit at quarter-time. For most of the game the margin hovered around the four goal mark and in the end the Bombers ran out convincing winners by 42 points. The final scoreboard read North Shore 15.15 (105) to the Eagles 9.9 (63).

The coaching panel were at a loss after the game to understand the lethargic display by the team and can now only look to regain lost pride in the final three matches. It was a disappointing game and now the team must accept the challenge of taking on the ladder leaders in St George next weekend in a game which has now become a true test of every player’s character.

Of the very few positives to take out of the game one was the standout performance of Matt Arbon. He played in the new role of a winger and was the dominant player on the ground in the first half. He then went forward and kicked two goals to try to spark the team into action. Without Matt the result could have even been worse. Rowan Bilkey and Phil Entwisle tried hard in the back line all day and Captain Jon Vlatko put in a wholehearted effort. Newcomer Shane Ryan also showed glimpses of his quality and after a pre-season next year he will only get better. There was not much else to cheer about and unless there are some major upsets in the final three rounds the Eagles as mentioned before will be playing for pride in the jumper.

The reserves on the other hand assured themselves of a top two finish after a hard fought victory against the Bombers. The Bombers needing to win to stay in finals contention really came at the Eagles for three quarters but a dominant five goal to two last quarter gave them a 35 point victory, 12.17 (89) to 8.6 (54). This assures the team the double chance come finals time.

The most pleasing aspect for the reserves was the great all round display by the whole team. It was difficult to nominate a few best players because everyone contributed at certain stages in the game. James Ford however was one player who was dominating through all four quarters. After coming back from a hamstring injury he has steadily got better each game and his game on the weekend was another step in the right direction. James Mann and Travis Thripp gave the side much drive from the wing and half-back and young Damian Gatte put in another impressive performance.

The Premier Cup Under 18’s were also playing for finals survival and, coming up against a side that was physically taller and stronger, they put in a display after which all players can hold their heads high. They were outstanding in their attack on the football and willingness to put their bodies on the line. With a bit more luck they could have in fact taken the four points, but again this young team will learn from the experience and be even stronger when a similar situation confronts them. The agonising final score was North Shore 9.11 (65) to the Eagles 8.14 (62).

Jason Moeller, Scott Lear and Nathan Gordon were three of many that shone on the day. All the players have greatly improved from the start of the season and the club has a bright future if all players can continue with same development they have shown this season.

An under strength Challenge Cup team took on the top team Manly and were no match for the Wolves. With only 17 players taking the field it was always going to be a difficult assignment. Sam Pinchen and Tim Jenson were two boys who kept trying throughout the whole game.

Next weekend the Eagles travel back to the showgrounds to take on St George in the seniors, reserves and Premier Cup. The Challenge Cup has a big week taking on Riverview on Wednesday night at Quakers Hill and UNSW/ES next Sunday at the Village Green.