The danger for the Wickers was always going to be the Eagles' star-studded forward line and it didn't take long for the likes of Marc Holt and Justin Berry to assert their authority.

The brilliant pair each finished the game with seven majors as the Eagles ran out 30.12 (192) to 10.9 (69) victors.

Dean Rice's troops looked to be making a statement in the opening half and trailed by just 17 points at the long change. Brad Fowler and Andrew Morozoff battled the odds against the hardened Eagles.

What had been hinted at in the dying stages of the second term came to fruition with a frightening ferocity in the third term as the Eagles slammed on 11 goals on their way to 22 for the second half.

"At half-time I wasn't upset but I thought the boys could have played a bit better in the first half," Eagles coach Doug Koop said.

"I think right across the board we lifted - we got back to basics a little bit."

Berwick's cause was not helped by prime movers Nathan Waite and Steve Finlayson missing the clash through unavailability and injury.

The Eagles had winners on every line with John Frenken and Brandon Osborne brilliant in the back half while the midfield was dominated by the Eagles.

"That is probably the key to our success at the moment - the competition for spots is very tight," Koop said.

"You can't afford to get comfortable because someone is gunning for your spot."

Koop was sympathetic to his counterpart Rice and said the wheel could turn pretty quickly.

"It's never nice to be on the end of it - I've been on the end of it in a grand final," he said.

"They have a few injuries, which is always a problem."

Cranbourne travels to Kalora Park on Saturday to take on Narre Warren in what is shaping as a grand final preview. The Magpies are coming off a bye.

"They are reigning premiers; realistically they are the benchmark and they have the same list as last year with a few additions," Koop said.