NINE rounds ago when Eaglehawk faced South Bendigo in the Bendigo Football League, it was the Bloods’ ability to stand up and perform against a quality opponent that was under the microscope.
A few weeks earlier South Bendigo had been pummelled by Golden Square by 86 points in their season-opener, while the Hawks were flying heading into the round six match against the Bloods.
The Hawks had won their first five games of the season by an average of 75 points, and after all their pre-season hype, were living up to their expectation as looming as the biggest threat to reigning premier Golden Square.
But the Bloods turned up at Canterbury Park ready to play that day and upstaged the Hawks, winning by 41 points.
With the two sides to face off against each other again today at the Queen Elizabeth Oval, that same question of being able to compete with the best that was asked of the Bloods in round six is today being asked of Eaglehawk.
The Hawks sit in third position on the ladder with a 12-2 record, but as well as their 41-point loss to the Bloods in round six, they also copped a 70-point hiding from Golden Square at home the following week.
“In those two games where we’ve been beaten, I don’t know whether we toughed it out as much as we should have,’’ Eaglehawk coach Derrick Filo said yesterday.
“Early we were winning games on talent, and talent can get you into the top-three, but we need to add other things if we’re going to be a fair dinkum challenger.
“I know we’re better than we showed in those two games, but we’ve got to prove it.
“At the end of the day it’s about performances on the field... you can have as much talent as you want, but you have to win games, and you have to win the big games, especially at the QEO, which is the most important ground to win at.
“We’re really working on being more consistent during games, and being more gritty, which to be honest, I think we’re heading that way.
“But the test will be this game because with the weather the way it is, you would think it’s going to be a very gritty game.’’
The round six meeting between the Bloods and Hawks was a see-sawing contest full of momentum swings.
The Bloods – who had to play one man short after losing midfielder Daniel Anderson to a hamstring injury in the warm-up – led by 19 points at three quarter-time.
However, the Hawks rallied, kicking 3.3 to 0.1 in the first 16 minutes of the final quarter to lead by one point, and with all the momentum looked set to run away with the win.
But the Bloods showed enormous character to withstand the surge from Hawks.
After being headed, the Bloods then kicked eight of the last nine goals of the game to win 19.15 (129) to 13.10 (88).
“We had an opportunity in that game, but we just didn’t take it,’’ Filo said.
“And that’s what it’s about; when you play the top teams you have to grab it, which we didn’t do.
“We took the foot off the pedal just for a minute, and sometimes that’s all it takes against a good side like South Bendigo.’’
For the fifth game in a row, the Hawks will be without Kain Robins, who will miss again with his elbow injury.
“Kain’s impressing on the track at the moment, but he’s obviously really important to us, so we just don’t want to take any risks,’’ Filo said.
Ruckman Tim Nicolson is unavailable, while talented half-forward Jarrod Findlay – who was the Hawks’ best against South Bendigo earlier in the year – returns after a month out.
Both sides carry lengthy winning streaks into today’s game.
The Hawks have won their past seven games, while the Bloods have won 13 in a row. Today’s game starts at 2.20pm.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff
Twitter