Resilient Roosters Fight It Out
Our Mighty Roosters travelled to Brighton Road to clash with Glenelg on Saturday. The Tigers have the wood on us. We haven't beaten them for 2 seasons. Nick "Emu" Gill was back in the line up.
In the 1st Stanza we moved it forward first. Nothing came of it though. Glenelg worked it down their end to score the opener. North were able to withstand several Tiger forays. We inched it to the half-forward flank. Younie was pushed. His free kick found Stewart in the pocket. He drilled it from 20 metres. It was very tight at close quarters. Out of a stoppage at half-back, Motlop received it. He booted it to Younie. At half-forward he popped it over to Ryswyk. Leroy took off straightened up and went BANG. After foiling another Tiger foray we put together another well constructed run from defence. Young Thiele booted it over the wing. Alleway gathered it and bombed it to the pocket. Younie marked. Younie scored. Glenelg then got 2 back, either side of a point to Allers and Thompson, who missed a free from close range after copping abuse from Grima. Just before the bell, Motlop received it out of a stoppage on the wing. He put on his speed skates and went on a mesmerising run to score a ripper Sausage Roll. This gave us a 3 point lead at the, 4-2-26 to 3-5-23.
In the 2nd term, it was tight in the clinches once again. We finally got a break when Thompson found Stewart from 45 out, he hit the post. Minutes later, Stribling and Wright combined to get it to Clarke. He booted it to half-forward. The Big Men flew. Gill stayed at ground level (besides, everyone knows Emu's don't fly!). He took it off hands and snapped a beauty from 45 to give us a 10 point break. Glenelg replied immediately. They then peppered the sticks with 4 consecutive points. The Roosters were feeling the heat in this period. Glenelg finally put a major on the board courtesy of a netball free kick to Sellar right in front. Stribling took a knock on the siren and hobbled off. At the long break we trailed 5-3-33 to 5-10-40.
Stribling took his "smelling salts" at half time. He was right in the action in the early minutes. Rugged, in-close combat was the order until Stribling got a free on the wing. He sent it to half-forward. Clarke bulldozed past 2 opponents and dished it off to Stewart. Sausage Roll 2. We went forward again. Ackland wobbled one forward. Allers trapped it beautifully and dished it off to Armstrong. It was A. to A. to A., goal. We hit the front. An indecisive kick-in from Motlop led to Glenelg then re-taking the lead. Minutes later Wright had a chance. He gathered the kick from Clarke. He missed everything with his shot. After Pfeiffer missed one we built again form defence. Stribling found Gill. Emu marked and passed to a free Allan. From close range he scored. Another lead change. After Motlop missed a chance in time on, Glenelg scored 2 late goals to take a 6 point lead into Lemon-time, 8-5-53 to 8-11-59.
In the final quarter we levelled the score early. White was the instigator. It got down to Alleway. He kicked to the square. Leroy got it off hands and snapped a beauty over his head. Glenelg regained the lead with a point and then banged on 2 quick goals to move to a 13 point lead. Was it over? No way said The Roosters! Another good run out of defence ended with Ryswyk. He missed the shot by a whisker. Moments later White marked strongly again. He sent it to half-forward. Wright was denied a free but Millar got it, popped it over to Clarke. He ran on and made no mistake. Glenelg replied quickly to restore a 2 goal buffer. We refused to lie down. A swift movement in the middle saw Motlop find Thiele. The youngster cooly slotted it from 40 out. Back in the middle we got it forward. Ryswyk received a free. It could've been an F.A.D.? No, said umpy. Leroy's shot to the goal face was rushed. 5 points in it. In a bid to keep possession Glenelg went back to the goal square. Allers nearly stole it but was foiled. The Tigers ran it out and scored a point. 3 heart stopping minutes later, a chain of handballs found Clarke. He passed to Leroy. He ran on and missed. This time by half a whisker! North desperately searched for the winner. Glenelg foiled us. Right at the death Wright kicked to the square. Damon White marked it, but the siren had gone. OH, NO! A heartbreaker! The final scores, North Adelaide-11-8-74 Glenelg-11-13-79.
K.Chaplain
Match Reporter-12-05-09.