Round 18 2006
From Snoutslouts
Round 18
GLENELG coach Mark Mickan is not getting carried away with his side's SANFL finals chances despite an impressive win - its fourth in a row - against Norwood at Coopers Stadium on Saturday.
The Tigers used the football with skill and efficiency and held a two-goal buffer over the Redlegs for most of the game before booting clear in the last 10 minutes to run out 43-point winners.
Rover Brett Backwell seemed to have the ball on a string, racking up 36 possessions and kicking two goals, while Justin McConnell and youngster Bryce Gibbs were also impressive, booting nine goals between them.
Mickan said he was pleased with his side's persistence and ability to run out the game.
“We didn't always have the momentum going our way but we kept at it and were able to wrest the momentum back with just our effort,” he said. “There was a lot riding on it and there's going to be a lot riding on the next few games as well.”
The win leaves Glenelg in fourth place on the ladder, a game clear of Norwood and Port Adelaide, and within striking distance of third-placed Central District and a double chance in the finals.
But Mickan said he had not even thought about the finals yet.
“We haven't won enough games to make the finals yet so we've got to do that first,” he said.
“If there's two seasons in a football season we are in the first one still and we've got to get past that before we start talking about the next season.”
The Bays will travel to Unley Oval this week to take on eighth-placed Sturt, a side that beat the Tigers by a point at Glenelg Oval at their last meeting in June.
“There's not one easy game in this competition and we've learnt that time and time again so we've got to front up and give it our best next week,” Mickan said.
SCORES: Norwood 4.4 6.7 9.13 10.16 76 defeated Glenelg 7.2 9.7 12.9 18.11 119.
BEST: Norwood - Jackman, Gallagher, Campbell, James, Lower, Bailey; Glenelg - Backwell, McConnell, Gibbs, Mitchell, Allen, Graham.
GOALS: Norwood - Vlatko 3, Pfeiffer 2, Brunoli, Cockshell, Bartemucci, Gallagher, Bown; Glenelg – McConnell 5, Gibbs 4, Backwell, Duldig, Graham, Kirkby 2, Allen.
