The South Warrnambool defender has watched the one-time Hampden league powerhouse regularly destroy opponents and knows the Blues deserve respect.

The Blues’ current plight – they’re without their skipper Sam Cowling and sit in unfamiliar territory outside the top five – has done little to ease his nerves ahead of the second-placed Roosters’ clash with them at Reid Oval on Saturday.

Eagleson said sides could “write them (the Blues) off at your peril”.

“We have been a struggling side for five years so we haven’t earned the right to further forward than week to week,” Eagleson said.

“You like to think the ground will suit the style of football we play but I am also very cautious when we play Warrnambool anytime, anywhere.

“It would be very foolish to think we can turn up at Reid and think it’s going to happen.

“You don’t want to give any side momentum because they will run over you.”

South Warrnambool is flying at the halfway point of the season with an 8-1 record.

Eagleson said the Roosters – aiming to play finals for the first time since 2011 – wanted to model themselves on Koroit, a club with sustained success built through home-grown talent.

Eagleson, who played his 100^th game for South Warrnambool on Saturday, is unsure of his long-term football future. The strong-marking key position player recently moved to Mount Gambier for work. He expects to spend up to four months in Asia next year in his role for International Timber Solutions.