North's Brilliant Goalkicking
By ROVER
Wonderful accuracy in kicking for goal with the wet ball, speed and cleverness on the sodden ground, and a thrilling recovery in the second half by North Adelaide, were features of the match with Glenelg at Adelaide Oval. In the kicking for goal Farmer stood out with a remarkable performance — one of his best in league football. He was the dominating force of the North Adelaide attack and scored 12 goals 7 behinds of his team's total of 18.11. From half-way through the second quarter until midway through the last North could not miss the goal, and scored 11 straight, the score being taken from 5.5 to 16.5. Of these 11 Farmer kicked seven. Glenelg was also in deadly accurate goalkicking form, and its half-time score of 9.2 to North's 6.5 from the same number of scoring shots showed the value of accuracy in kicking for goal.
The speed and cleverness with which, first Glenelg and then both teams, fairly revelled in the heavy going, were surprising to those who expected the heavy rain during the night and morning to produce nothing more attractive than a series of mud scrambles. Glenelg gave its officials and supporters reason for satisfaction with the personnel and disposition of the side. It played one of its best games for the year, and maintained a high standard of play from start to finish.
North Adelaide was shaded in nearly every part of the field during the first half of the game, although Farmer, with 4.5 in the first two quarters had given an indication that he would develop much greater power as the game progressed. Fifteen points down at half-time North Adelaide kicked five goals, without a behind to Glenelg's 3.4 in the third quarter to reduce the leeway to seven points. Even then Glenelg did not lose heart and seemed to have a good chance of winning.
North's last quarter, however, was in distinct contrast to its efforts against South Adelaide and Norwood in recent matches. It finished full of vigor to outscore Glenelg by 7.6 to three goals to win comfortably.
Glenelg's Early Lead
When Glenelg was making its bid for a match-winning lead in the early stages of the game great marking by Martin saved at least two goals. Generally, however, Glenelg was marking and handling the wet ball more surely and it went away to a lead of three goals before North Adelaide stiffened up at half-back and in the rucks. Glenelg. however, had felt its strength — and North's weaknesses — and it maintained a useful 10-point lead well into the second quarter.
Winkler, playing well in a forward pocket, came from behind with superb judgement to mark over Martin — a brilliant feat which he capped with a goal increasing Glenelg's lead to 16 points.
Then Farmer began one of his almost irresistible displays of position play, marking and goalkicking and in a few minutes, aided by dashing play by Drew at half-forward right, the difference was only four points.
Glenelg sent Boyle from half-forward right to full back to compete with Farmer in the air, but Mount, at centre, and Burton and Bottroff, at half-back, were now holding Glenelg in check, despite the fact that the latter team held sway in the ruck, where Johnston (following) and Halliday (roving) were playing brilliantly.
Chiefly as a result of their efforts in getting the ball away from the bounces and throws-in, Glenelg went away again, and shortly after half-time it held a lead of nearly five goals.
A spasmodic burst of brilliance by Martin stopped the threatened breakaway, and in an answering dash North Adelaide scored five goals while Glenelg had its only patch of inaccuracy for the match, scoring four behinds.
Farmer, with Curnow again as his opponent, kicked four of these five goals, and North Adelaide was only a point behind.
Winning Burst
Locked together, both teams fought hard for the lead, two goals by Halliday, one just before and the other immediately after three-quarter time, maintained Glenelg's spirit, but the turning point came when North Adelaide's half-forwards overpowered Glenelg's half-backs for a fateful few minutes in the last quarter. Desultory attacks by Glenelg yielded goals from Percy and Halliday, but they were swamped by the vigorous surges with which North Adelaide piled on 7 goals 6 behinds, to win running away. Farmer, in the last quarter, kicked four goals, one of them following a brilliant mark when sandwiched between two bustling opponents.
In the closing stages McIntosh (injured leg) was replaced by Dyson and Drew (injured leg) changed places with Farmer for the last few minutes of the game.
Scores:—
- North Adelaide, 18 goals 11 behinds (119 points).
- Glenelg, 15 goals 6 behinds (96 points).
Scores of goals and behinds:—
- North Adelaide — Farmer 12 goals 7 behinds; Alexander 1.2; Warhurst 1.1; Tuckey, Mclnnes, Hayden and Drew, each 1.0 and Foulls, a behind. One of Farmer's kicks hit a goalpost.
- Glenelg — Winkler, 6.0; Halliday, 4.0: Percy, 3.1; Link and Johnston, each 1.0: Boyle and Maple, each 0.2; V. Richter, a behind (hit post).
Best In State
Farmer showed by his match-winning play that he is still without peer as a full-forward in this State. He exhibited spirited but scrupulously fair aggression in countering vigorous opposition, and gripped the ball as with a vice from any position. He should have kicked 13 goals, for one miss was made when he played on after marking, and kicked over his shoulder, the ball just grazing the inside of the goalpost.
Mount worked untiringly in the mud at centre, and marked the greasy ball with remarkable certainty. Drew, at half-forward right, was the main avenue of attack after half-time, and he played the position well. Honniball was a fine player at centre wing, and Bottroff and Burton were the best of the half-backs. Martin, without reaching the great heights of previous matches, was brilliant in goal. The best of tbe others were Alexander (half-forward), O'Donnell (wing), Rix (roving), and Melvin (ruck).
Following his fine debut last week, Halliday reached even greater heights of brilliance on Saturday. As a rover he gave a remarkable exhibition of sustained speed, cleverness, and stamina. Johnston's effort was a rucking marathon. He seemed to be on the ball all the time, and his marking, knocking out and kicking were Glenelg's principal driving force throughout the match. Winkler's years of experience have burnished rather than dulled his brilliance, and his six goals from a forward pocket were the reward for good play against strong opposition. Link (roving) and Pike (wing) were dashing ground players, and Boyle and V. Richter marked well at half-forward. Hunt (centre), Brock (half-back), Percy and Maple (ruck) were the best of the others.
Field umpire, M. F. Armstrong.
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