Due to the recent spate of severe weather, grounds across Sydney have been closed. Although football is a winter sport, it seems we are unable to play in winter conditions. Here is the latest for each team:

Premier Division: Will go ahead regardless of weather conditions at North Dalton Park at 6.10pm, Saturday June 5th.

Division 1: At this stage will go ahead as scheduled - 4pm Saturday June 5th @ North Dalton Park. A decision will be made at 7am Saturday morning as to whether this game will proceed.

Premier Cup: Similar to Division 1, this game is scheduled to go ahead at 2pm Saturday 5th @ North Dalton Park. A decision will be made at 7am saturday morning regarding this match.

Division 3: At this stage Gipps Rd Oval is still open and this match is still as scheduled for 12.30pm Saturday June 5th. If it is to be called off, a decision will be made this afternoon.

Challenge Cup: This match has been postponed. At this stage the match will be rescheduled for next Saturday, June 12th. The date, time and location of the reschedule is yet to be finalised. The AFL will wait until monday to see which matches were not played over this weekend before they schedule catch-up matches next weekend.

Please check back here regularly, and keep an eye on the AFL Sydney website, www.sydneyafl.com.au for updates. An update will be posted as soon as the decisions are made regarding Gipps Rd this afternoon, and North Dalton Park at 7.30am saturday morning.

If the Pennant Hills supporters didn’t know the words to the East Coast Eagles victory song, then they surely did by the end of Saturday night. They had to listen to it resounding around Bruce Purser Reserve on each of four occasions after the Eagles defeated their cross suburb adversary in every match on the Round 8 card.

The U/18 Premier Cup boys started proceedings in conditions slippery from overnight rain, winning by 32 points and going further away from their more favoured rivals. The next match was an historic one when East Coast and Pennant Hills met for the first time at Division Three level. The Eagles took the points in emphatic fashion with their brilliant first quarter giving them the springboard to go on to victory.

The match up in Division One between two sides who are constantly at each other’s throats, started at 4.00pm in drizzling rain, but the lights were on and so was the action as Jason Duss’ side were determined to take the win for their Club. A magnificent second quarter did the trick when they held the Demons scoreless, whilst firing through five goals of their own. They went on to win by 11 points, through sheer grit and resolve.

And then the showers stopped and the ground dried quickly, although the pitch area remained heavy. The sides for the main game of the night emerged from the rooms to do battle in the annual “Back to Baulko” match in which they compete for the Warren “Pops” Quintrell shield.  Umpire Frank Kalayzich was honoured for his 400th senior match in the AFL Sydney. In fact, marking a special occasion, the combined First Grade total of all seven officiating umpires totalled 1,888 senior games. The crowd was excellent and they eagerly anticipated the first bounce.

And really from that point on, East Coast dominated the next 120 minutes as their skills in the trying conditions were everything Glenn Garner could have asked of his players. Damien Bowles was the leading man in a chorus of great players where each and every individual had a job to do and did it to perfection. Bowles won the Players’ Player vote and also took the selectors’ nod as “best on”. Daniel Spiteri put in his best performance of the year and looks to be coming into top form as we arrive at the mid point of the season.

Particular mention should also be made of Steve O’Connor’s three goals and his excellent work rate around the ground. Our condolences go to Steve (and his parents Alan & Sue) who lost his grandfather on the afternoon of the match .  

The final margin of 57 points really belied the difference between the two sides. The Eagles’ skills were awesome across the four quarters and the win allows them to retain top spot on the ladder as they travel to Wollongong to dance with the Wolves next Saturday night, June 5^th.

East Coast Eagles    3.9     9.10    13.14  15.15 (105)

Pennant Hills             1.0     2.2       4.2     7.6 (48)

Goal Kickers: Peter Dugmore 3, Steve O’Connor 3, Ben Rogers 2, Damien Bowles 2, Daniel Spiteri, Ryan Silvester, Mike Beardsley, Peter Vlatko.

Best Players: Damien Bowles, Daniel Spiteri, Jack Dimery, Steve O’Connor, Mike Beardsley, Shane Ryan.

OTHER SCORES

Division One ….

East Coast Eagles    2.1     7.4       8.4       10.5 (65)        

Pennant Hills             4.4     4.4     6.10    7.12 (54)

Goal Kickers: Ash Moeller 4, Jason Duss, Jared Patira, Josh Shephard, Jake Pianta, Matt Power, James Mann.

Best Players: Josh Shephard, Dean Eggleton, Liam Madden, James Mann, Ross Donaldson, Steve Roberts. 

Division Three ….

East Coast Eagles    5.5     5.6     7.8     9.9 (63)          

Pennant Hills             1.1     2.3     6.5     6.9 (45)

                                                     
Goal Kickers: Tim Coakley 3, Hayden Benger 2, Adam Tovell, Nathan Peters, James Ford, Jared Madden.
Best Players: Hayden Benger, Ben Hynes, Jared Madden, Damien Gatte, James Ford, Carl Doering.

Under 18 Premier Cup ….

East Coast Eagles   4.2     7.4     10.6    13.8 (86)

Pennant Hills          3.2     5.3      6.5      8.6 (54)     

Goal Kickers: Damon Steer 2, Michael Clinch, Josh Patira, Nathan Campbell, Tate Dimech, Chris Polkinghorne, Ethan Barclay, Matt Lyons, Dominic Killworth.

Best Players: Michael Clinch, Louise Butler, Dominic Killworth, Tate Dimech, Alex Foxall, Damon Steer.

Under 18 Challenge Cup ….

East Coast Eagles   2.0     2.1       2.2      3.3 (21)

Penrith                   4.2     9.3     12.10  16.16 (112)

Goal Kickers: James McCumiskey, Daniel Hoy, Joshua Bancroft.

Best Players: Corey Dimech, James Randall, David Berger, Brendan Stone, Blake Russell, Ben Gray

Next week’s matches:

Saturday June 5th – North Dalton Park Wollongong

U/18 Premier Cup

2.00pm v Wollongong

Division One

4.00pm v Wollongong

Premier Division

6.10pm v Wollongong

Saturday June 5th – Gipps Road

Division Three

12.30pm v Holroyd Parramatta

Sunday June 6th - Bruce Purser Reserve

U/18 Challenge Cup
3.00pm v Southern Power

Extravaganza

First Grade

Best:           Damien Bowles owned by Mick Bowles - $210.00

First Free     Daniel Spiteri owned by Peter Physick - $45.00

Division One

Best:               Dean Eggleton owned by Laima Physick $105.00

First Free:     Jason Duss owned by Steve Gawley - $45.00

Division Three

Best:               Jared Madden & Ben Hynes (jointly) owned by Maree Gawley and the Black, Blue & Brown syndicate respectively. $22.50 each.

East Coast Eagles youngster Eugene Kruger is the AFL Sydney Round 7 NAB Rising Star Nominee.

Eugene is in only his 3rd year of AFL football, coming from a very distinguished Rugby background, stemming from his South African heritage. As well as playing AFL, Eugene is also a national representative over the 400m hurdles.

He made his senior debut last year for the Eagles at the age of 17 and also played in the 2009 International rules match.

This is his first full season of senior football and coach Glenn Garner acknowledges that Eugene is one of the developing players at the Eagles and is keen to foster this development with as many opportunities to play at the highest level in 2010.

The Eagles and AFL Sydney followers  look forward to watching the progress of this exciting young footballer.