– Glen Atwell
THE Doveton Eagles face the gruelling reality of a winless season after copping a 189-point thrashing from North Kew at Stradbroke Park in Division Three of the Southern Football League.
Last year’s preliminary finalists dropped just one home and away match in season 2005, but have lost the first two games of 2006 by a combined total of 238 points.
The lowly start has quickly answered the recurring questions asked of the club’s contentious preseason decision to replace last year’s senior coach, Paul Wilson, with Paul Davis.
The coaching change has not transpired into success for the Eagles, but instead resulted in a number of player departures and a far from impressive start to the season.
Top players Corrie Wilson and Russell Weeding have both exited the Eagles’ nest since Davis was announced coach for 2006.
Wilson is headed to Ellinbank and District Football League club Nyora after a spat with club officials, while Weeding was best on ground for the Division Two Lyndale Pumas on Saturday.
Roger Lumanovski is also awaiting clearance to leave Doveton and join the Lyndale ranks.
On Saturday, the Doveton Eagles were not even a shadow of the team that won the Division Three minor premiership last season.
At quarter-time the Eagles trailed North Kew by 48 points and by half-time the deficit had rocketed to 106.
Matthew O’Keefe booted 12 goals for North Kew in a stand-out performance.
Unless the Eagles can pull off an unlikely win against the Dandenong Demons in the local derby at Power Reserve this Saturday, the season looks certain to be a long one.
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