The Shanghai Eagles met the West Shanghai Crows in the inaugural Shanghai AFL Grand Final last weekend in what proved to be a fierce battle, determined by a single goal.

With the Crows steadily upping the ante during the season, Shanghai Eagles were keen to provide their team with an edge, taking to mountain training, competing in the Great Wall Marathon and pouring over team tactics in the days leading up to the clash.

As rumours of a hamstring injury to Crows captain Dave Lucas grew, the Eagles were confident going into the match, having defeated their opponents on two previous occasions.

The West Coast Eagles, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia, is proud to deliver a comprehensive Business Mission to China in October 2010. If you are interested in exploring business opportunities in China and would like to visit the World Expo in Shanghai, click here for further information. 

A strong start was imperative. In all previous games, the Crows had come out and booted several goals clear in the first few minutes. From the starting bounce, the ball went up and was cleared, straight into the arms of an awaiting Crow. A charge up the field. Bang. First goal to the Crows - this was not in the plan.

On the next bounce, the ball was won again - cleanly this time - with some slick hand passing through the forward line finding Andrew Collins lurking in the goal square where a goal duly followed. The scores were even and the Eagles were on a roll. With clean ball from the ruck seemingly a formality in the first half, the Eagles had found a winning formula; moving the ball quickly between Will Abbott, Ciaran Griffen, Geoff Tink and Brodie McDougall, creating the overlap for Peter Hunter or Collins to pounce. The first half closed with a score line of 41-27 in favour of the mighty Eagles.

Half-time bought oranges but no respite. With a 14-point lead, the Eagles were hardly home clear, especially with Shanghai’s very own ‘Fremantle Doctor’ blowing into the faces of the Eagles for the rest of the game.

As the boys departed to return to the field, the call went out: Do it for Brodie. As founder of the Eagles and club chairman, McDougall was playing his last ever game of Shanghai footy adding even more importance to an already emotion-fuelled clash.

The Eagles started off well, but the Crows began to find a way into the game. Slowly but surely, the tide began to turn. The Crows drew to within a goal, before a barnstorming goal to Tink saw the Eagles draw away. The Crows closed in again, before Rob Kellaghan charged out of defence to foil another attack. James Kirchheimer, Heath Mooney and Ian Foulsham were fighting all before them in defence.

Jonathon Watras cleaned out several Crows big men, Larry Li had all the legs in midfield, while McDougall was inspirational, taking the miraculously uninjured skipper Lucas out of the game - and still finding time to create some magic out of nothing further up the field. But still, the game turned. Then, with a snap in front of goal, the Crows drew level.

The crowd was on their feet, five minutes of footy remained in season 2010 and the scores were level. Who would make the play that would determine the course of history in the inaugural Shanghai AFL Premiership? Abbott was the first man to stand up. Taking clean ball from the ruck, he hoofed it from 50 metres and straight through the uprights to kick the Eagles clear. But the Crows came back again, with a nicely taken goal to Andrew Sawitsch. Once again, the Crows charged forward with the wind at their backs.

The Eagles were under the pump, well and truly. Crows captain Lucas took advantage of a single second when he wasn’t being harassed by McDougall, but inexplicably dropped an uncontested mark in front of goal. Jack Barlow missed a sitter. Sawitsch couldn’t convert a great run up the field. The pressure was telling on this Crows outfit; did they truly believe they deserved to be champions in 2010? With every missed chance, every desperate last ditch tackle, every clearing kick, the faith of the Eagles grew. With a minute on the clock, the Crows were ahead by one.

In the blink of an eye it happened. Yet another clearance by McDougall, a heroic run by Griffen, nice hands by Abbott, quick ball to Collins lurking 50 metres from goal - and a blind snap over his head. The ball went high. It could have been going to anyone. Colloms himself would admit it was a hospital pass. Instead, it was the shortest man on the field, the little Englishman Kirchheimer that found himself under the ball. Haring in for a huge hit was Sawitsch, the Crows talisman in defence. The crowd collectively drew their breath. And in one giant leap and without concern for his safety, it was Kirchheimer that took the mark.

From 35 metres out, right of centre, and with a confidence kicking red leather belying his nationality, Kirchheimer kicked straight and true, the audible gasp of the Crows defence signalling six points before the flags had time to wave. The crowd went into delirium as 45 seconds remained in the quarter. Abbott took yet another clean ball from the ruck, starting a mazy run up the field to waste time and kicking it neatly to Tink who took the mark. Time ticked by. The socks needed to be pulled up. Then ‘GONG’, it was all over. The Shanghai Eagles were the inaugural premiers and Brodie McDougall was leaving Shanghai as a champion.