World Footy News

The number three ranked (WFN USFooty Top 10 Polls) Baltimore Washington Eagles (BWE) have won the 2007 Eastern Australian Football League Premiership, suggesting they are the best team on the East Coast for 2007. The Eagles have won 11 games in a row, which includes a 5-0 record in 2007. The EAFL Premiership was finalised last weekend with the Eagles beating the Philadelphia Hawks 98 to 17 in Philadelphia to finish 4-0 in EAFL play. The New York Magpies (5 in the poll) finished second with their only loss being to the Eagles at home. Boston (8) finished third after losing to the Eagles in Washington and failing to hold off the Magpies' last quarter come-back in New York last weekend. The Hawks finished fourth with one win over the North Carolina Tigers in Washington DC. After their strong finish to 2006, BWE still had plenty to prove but knocking off New York will surely make the USFooty community take notice.

The Eagles have qualified for division one in the USFooty National Championships and will look to seriously compete with number one poll ranked club San Diego and number two Denver. It is quite a rise to the top after finishing the 2006 season well and earning the Division II National Championship. The Eagles started the 2007 season rated eighth, but with impressive wins over Boston at home and the Magpies in New York the Eagles have moved up to third. The Eagles have done this with an impressive running game and a forward structure that resembles Carlton in the early 80s. A number of players have stepped into the key forward positions throughout the year including Aaron Tyndall, Captain R.J. Wheelock and Vice Captain Chris Carroll. Even Coach Bishop managed 4 goals against the Hawks. What has been more consistent, is the contribution of the Eagles' mosquito brigade led by Dwayne Marshall. While Coach Bishop has been very excited and gratified with the transformation he says he can only imagine what it means to club stalwarts like Rob Brunton, Dave Schall, Tony Goodman and Denis Ryan.

"Our goal at the beginning of 2007 was to make Division 1 at the Nationals. This was based on our success in Division 2 in 2006 and the fact that we have retained most players from that team. We figured that we would have to beat at least 2 of 3 East Coast division 1 teams from 2006 - North Carolina, NY and Boston. Given we played NC and Boston at home naturally we figured these games were our best chance and the results speak for themselves. The wins in New York and Philly were very gratifying, not only in the fact we played well but based on the amount of support we had at both games. In New York we had 24 fit players, a couple of injured players and at least a dozen wives, girlfriends and friends make the trip. The girls even went to the trouble of organising a supporter's shirt for the game! So with 2 wins at home and 2 on the road, 3 of those against division 1 teams from 2006, we are excited that we have well and truly exceeded our objectives for the 2007 season. Winning the EAFL title as part of this is a very nice bonus!"

The Eagles have benefited from recruiting a number of talented Australian players including Aaron Tyndall and the relocation of a number of experienced and talented Americans such as Chris Carroll from the St Louis Blues and Mike LeValley from the Denver Bulldogs. "Of course there is a good element of luck having all of these players converge on the one place at one time but a great deal of hard work has been involved in coordinating a united front. The remarkable part of all this is that our success is being driven by the American contingent. Starting with Captain RJ Wheelock and Vice-Captain Chris Carroll the work these guys are putting into their fitness and their game would easily match that of many amateur clubs in Australia."

Bishop is looking forward to testing his Eagles against the best in the US in Louisville. "The excitement that is being generated by the 2007 Nationals is enormous. The only real concern we have for the Nationals this year is not foreign to any team and that is having your best team make the trip. Hopefully it will come together in October but no doubt every other team is working toward the same goal."

BW Eagles versus North Carolina Tigers