| Last week in the SANFL... | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The following information is provided by Phillip Monk [moustrap@camtech.net.au], and is updated here after the weekends games. All credit for this information goes to Phillip and is being used with permission.
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| NORWOOD | 4.7 | 8.13 | 14.15 | 17.17 119 |
| Sturt | 2.2 | 5.4 | 7.5 | 12.8 80 |
Norwood stunned warm favorite Sturt by 39 points in the first match of the '99 finals. Norwood's late season form had been anything but impressive with some soft efforts against out-of-contention sides, but the Redlegs really displayed that they know what finals footy is all about. Norwood's greater pressure at the player with the ball and swarming midfield brigade was too much for the Double Blues who would be disappointed to have finished fifth after some of the footy they have played this season. But that's finals.
Norwood kicked first with a stiff breeze and soon skipped out to a handy lead, but did miss a few easy opportunities. The Double-Blues would have been pleased to only be 17 points adrift at quarter time. It was in the second quarter however that Norwood really set up the win with Roger James and Anthony Harvey winning plenty of hard ball. Then in the third quarter the 'Legs sealed victory with another six goals to two assault. By lemon time Norwood had been inside 50 a staggering 59 times to Sturt's 26, no wonder the scoreboard was so one sided. Sturt did make things a little more respectable in the last quarter, with Steven White kicking some face saving, but not season saving goals.
Roger James led the 'Leg midfielders with 16 kicks, 20 handpasses and a goal. Ben Kemp (24 kicks, 11 handpasses) and captain Anthony Harvey (21 and 13, plus 2 goals) were also prolific. Jarrod Cotton (26 disposals), Andrew Pascoe (6) and Troy Clements (18) all kicked two sausage rolls. Two-gamer Hamish Tamblin had 19 disposals until injuring an ankle in the third quarter. Spearhead Eugene Warrior was in good form, kicking 5.1 despite facing a free kick count of 0-4. Steven Pitt and Troy Clements led a winning backline. Jonathon Yerbury shaded his in-form opponent Tom Waltham in the ruck. For the Double Blues new Dad Damian Squire (23 disposals) displayed some more of the form that's made him a Magarey Medal favorite and Chris Thredgold in defence were their best. Brodie Atkinson never plays a bad game and it was again so here, he had 25 handlings. Steven White ended up with four goals, Kennett and Robinson each booted two.
Qualifying Final
| EAGLES | 2.1 | 3.6 | 8.10 | 11.13 79 |
| Glenelg | 2.3 | 7.5 | 8.7 | 10.8 68 |
Glenelg went and spoilt what was shaping up as a good weekend for me by blowing a four goal lead at half-time to lose to a powerful Eagles outfit by 11 points. In truth, after the game it seemed that Glenelg were lucky to get as close as they did, given the Eagles second half dominance. Well done to the Eagles though, they certainly were fierce at the contest all day and they don't really seem to have any weaknesses. Pace, skill, marking forwards, wise heads in defence...I wish I could say something as complimentary about their supporters.
The incident which summed up the type of game it was to be occured only three minutes into the game when the Bays' Paul Sherwood and his Eagle opponent flew headlong at each other a full pelt. The Eagle eventually got up while Sherwood was stretchered off, concussed and barely conscious. The Eagles had the better of the first quarter with their big guys in Biglands and Pavlich prominent, but failed to make it count on the scoreboard, Glenelg's defence of Mellody, Gigney and Raidis were desperation personified. Then in the second quarter the Tigers' midfield started to get to the ball first as Hele, Kelly and Chigwidden gave their forwards plenty of chances and it seemed as though the forces of goodness and niceness would prevail.
The breeze picked up at half-time and Woodville West Torrens made use of it, going long at every opportunity. Goals started to come and Glenelg's run slowed then almost stopped altogether, as if they were trying to run down the clock with 45 minutes left. Rhett Biglands was getting on top of Matthew Golding in ruck and suddenly there were free Eagles everywhere. It was awful. The Bays came home with the wind but almost seemed disinterested in using it as the Eagles got as far as 17 points up. Finally the Tigers tried kicking long and somehow they did manage to claw back to within four points thanks to marks and goals by McEntee and Jameson. In the midst of this comeback Sudjai Cook, who had had a quiet day, took the best mark I've seen for many a long day, seemingly propelled by the wind elementals themselves. However Jason Dylan kicked the sealer with about four minutes left and McCarthy and Andrew Rogers in the Eagle defence shut the gates to the Bay goal until the siren blew.
For the Eagles veteran John McCarthy with 27 possessions dominated CHB and his opponent, Simon Nicholas. Jason Dylan (20 disposals and three goals), Gavin Colville (22 disposals) and Adam Pearce (25 disposals) were in the end too slippery for their Bay opponents. Robert Pyman and Matthew Kluzek added some class to the forward line and kicked two goals each. For the Tigers Martin Mellody (18 disposals) and Lance Picioane (22 disposals and a goal) led a defensive unit that played extremely well given the amount of pressure they were under, though they did let the Eagles' forwards take a couple of marks they shouldn't have late in the game. Richard Kelly (18 touches), Josh Carr (19) and Nick Chigwidden (18) were to be found at the bottom of every pack, though perhaps strugged to match their Eagle opponents for pace. McEntee and Higgins each kicked two goals.
Next Week - Semi-Finals
Sunday 19 September
First Semi-Final: Glenelg v Norwood
(Football Park, 12:30pm)
Second Semi-Final: Port v Eagles (Football Park, 3:20pm)
The official SANFL web site is located at: http://www.sanfl.com.au/
Author: Phillip Monk Email: [moustrap@camtech.net.au]
Curator: Darryl
Harvey
email: {darryl@myinternet.com.au}
Last Updated: 14 September 1999
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