North Warrnambool Eagles coach Adam Dowie says loss a learning opportunity for finals-bound group

The Eagles were made to pay for their slow start against South Warrnambool at Friendlies on Saturday, ultimately falling to a 51-point loss.

Dowie said with the likelihood of meeting the Roosters again in finals in a few weeks it was a good opportunity to learn about what they can improve on.

"It would have been a good toss to win, their forward line looked dangerous and they were able to mark the ball a lot in their forward fifty," he said.

"Their stoppage work was also good but with the results going the way they did there's a good chance we'll be playing them (in finals) in a few weeks.

"You learn a lot more from a loss than you do from a win - we'd beaten them the last two times we played them so there's no issue with our boys in terms of belief."

The Eagles mentor said the surface certainly challenged his group against a well-drilled opponent but was confident they would bounce back quickly.

"For us, the surface of the ground is a bit shifty, a bit like Koroit - I know Bushfield is not the MCG but it's a bit firmer under foot and it's a bit smaller so to go onto a surface like that, it's a different ground to play at," he said.

"When South get the game on their terms they just tend to keep it on their terms, and it was set-up pretty early.

"You come off some comprehensive wins and it doesn't really set you up so for our guys we'll find out a lot and what we need to do better.

"It's not doom or gloom, we'll get them going this week."

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