Roosters Reel In The Bloods

Our Mighty Roosters met West Adelaide in The City Mazda Car Yard on Saturday. Allan was back after injury. A one week layoff, which is an eternity by his standards! In the 1^st Stanza West had a major on the board before The Denco-Rub had set in! The Bloods were making all the running. They banged on another. We were yet to enter our 50 zone, let alone score! The trend continued as West scored again. Our first fluent sorties were snuffed out. After West's 4^th goal, Stewart scored a point. Our first score off the boot. In time-on, Archard and White missed bankable set shots. Meanwhile, after going off on The Blood Rule, Armstrong re-entered the arena in the number 29 and here was me thinking Trevor Clisby had run on! Healy had concerns at quarter time as we trailed 0-4 to 4-2.

In the 2^nd term West went forward first and missed. On the rebound, Clisby, no, Armstrong, Allan and White were involved. White's kick to the square was brought to ground by Schwarze. He wheeled around and snapped a beauty. Minutes later West's Cupido sent a relieving kick to Centre Half-Back. Wright took a spectacular intercepting mark. His set shot missed. West then scored after a burst down outer wing. We responded quickly when Leroy found " Workhorse Alleway"! In turn Allers found a leading Schwarze. He drilled the shot. After a brief lull in the scoring, the umpy fell for a soft in the back free to gift wrap a goal to The Bloods. Basically, West's Davis pushed himself in the back! North moved it forward from the restart. Leroy chopped off a West rebound and found White. The Skipper drilled his first. A lengthy time-on yielded two more points, including a nice "catch in the Gully" by Schwarze! At half-time we trailed 3-9-27 to 6-4-40.

In the 3^rd quarter we had to keep "plugging away" against a vastly improved West Adelaide outfit. "Plugging away" was the order of the day. "Aerial ping-pong" was played for 10 minutes. After going forwards, backwards, sidewards and in circles West finally scored a point. From the kick-in we displayed the benefits of direct footy, Ryswyk gathered it on the wing. He booted it to Alleway. On the loose, Allers booted it to the square. White marks, White goes BANG. ALL WHITE! Minutes later, Ackland, Thiele and Archard combined to send it down to Gill. He marked in front and goaled. West continued with their indirect approach. At a stoppage 20 metres out in time-on Ryswyk was taken high. He converted and we hit the front .YES! Lemon-Time scores, 6-9-45 to 6-5-41.

In the last term Allers missed an early chance from a set shot. After Wright missed one down our end, he was poleaxed a minute later down the other ( you could say he was all over the place!). West then scored to re-take the lead. After a ferocious period of tackling, Allan took possession and booted it to the pocket. Allers got the free and put us back in front with a lovely snap. Minutes later we moved it forward again. Schwarze got a wobbly kick in. white marked it, another diving catch in the gully! The Skipper drilled his 3^rd to give some wiggle room. West still had some petrol in the tank and desperately tried to stay in the contest. We were having none of it though. At a stoppage in the pocket Delvins got it to Millar, who snapped " the Killer blow". "THE MONEY SHOT"! Moments later, after West missed an absolute sitter, North took it " Coast to Coast" and Thiele delivered a " DOUBLE KILLER BLOW"! Back in the middle Allan got his "300^th" handball to Younie. The unit booted it to the pocket. Stewart took a superb grab and went BANG. When it was all but over West got 2 goals. Leaving us 16 point winners. The Final Scores, North Adelaide 11-12-78 to West Adelaide 9-8-62.

                                                                    K.Chaplain

                                                                    Match Reporter.

P.S. I hope you all enjoyed my first official " Armchair Analysis". It was proudly brought to you by my Recliner Armchair! All in all it was a pretty " Laid back Analysis".