The studs...

SCOTT LYCETT
He’s usually the understudy to Nic Naitanui, but the big ruckman was the star in Sunday’s derby. Lycett was part of the side which blunted Aaron Sandiland’s impact for much of the game, and he won plenty of his own ball as well. The Eagles ruckman tackled, harrassed, took some big marks and got his side going forward. Easily one of their best.

ED LANGDON
The hard-running wingman is having his breakout season at the Dockers, and has risen to become a big part of his side’s attack. Langdon broke lines whenever possible, bringing an energy to the side that’s sometimes worth more than possessions. Extra points for selling the candy from a set shot, then running in and finishing - how did the classic Saturday ammos move work in the AFL?

JEREMY MCGOVERN
Talk about impassable. The Dockers played into his hands early by bombing the ball forward, with McGovern often the spare and too hard to beat in the air even when he wasn’t. They fixed it up as the game went on, but the big Eagles backman rose again in the final term to kill contest after contest.

CONNOR BLAKELY
Big day at half-back. Blakely’s really coming into his own this year and he had another good day against the Eagles. He hit the contest hard, showed great hands to work his team out of trouble and continued being aggressive right up until the final siren.

The duds...

MICHAEL WALTERS
Not for anything he did on the field, in fact he’d had a few classy touches and kicked one ripping goal, but for the fact he missed most of the game with a knee injury. Walters went down early, made an ill-advised comeback in the second term, then was iced for the day. Troubling signs.

JACK PETRUCCELLE
Came into the side because the Eagles wanted some more pace, but wasn’t quite up to the level. Had one handy intercept to create a goal in the third quarter but just couldn’t get into the game. Finished with four touches on a tough day for the debutant.