Speed And Vigor By Torrens
By ROVER
Almost as if intimidated by the speed and determination with which West Torrens tore into the crushes or raced to the ball in the open. Glenelg half-heartedly opposed West Torrens's vigorous first half in the match at Glenelg. The nine goal leeway at half-time was too much for Glenelg to reduce, although it played greatly improved football in the second half.
By its display West Torrens indicated that it is one of the fastest teams in the competition. Two match-winning features most apparent on Saturday were firstly the splendid high marking ability of its taller players, who are stationed at strategic parts of the field — Mullins (forward and ruck), Roads (half back), Rigg (half-forward), Dinnison (goal), and Smith (ruck and forward): and. secondly, the fact that most of its smaller men, notably Holt and Filsell (wingmen), Scott (roving), Heath (forward), and Coulter (ruck), are physically admirably equipped for vigorous ground play.
Glenelg was staggered by the devastating manner in which West Torrens began. The visiting team's reach — Mullins outmarked the shorter Glenelg backs three times to score as many goals in the first few minutes of play — and dash (Drury and Foote also scored goals as the result of smart ground play) were altogether too much for Glenelg which faced a score of 5 goals 2 behinds before it scored its first goal from point-blank range by Pinnington from a free.
Hunt (hall-back at that stage) and Johnston, when in ruck, were the only Glenelg players to match the opposition in the air. There was no attempt at systematic play by either side, the principal reason for West Torrens's big lead being its vastly superior marking of the aimless high kicks which both sides adopted as their modes of attack,
Great Leaping And Dash
Glenelg made no appreciable improvement in its position in the second quarter. Play was still rabble-like with West Torrens dominating the position with its great leaping in the flying packs and the vigor of its exchange on the ground. During the second quarter Glenelg shifted Birrell from half-forward to forward with little apparent success. Greater determination by the Glenelg backs after half-time checked West Torrens, which contributed towards this by seeming to tire a little, but despite this slackening, the visiting team was still the faster and more vigorous. Still nine goals behind, Glenelg made further changes for the last quarter, the ruck men spelling at full-forward. Hunt taking his 1936 position of centre, and Goodwin going to half-forward right. Better marking and clever position play by Winkler (left forward pocket) enabled the home team to outscore West Torrens by five goals to two and with the margin whittled down to six goals, a break down by West Torrens would have made an exciting finish. But West Torrens answered the challenge convincingly and with Scott roving more dashingly than he had in the earlier stages of the game, Glenelg's hopes were dashed by a West Torrens finishing burst of three goals.
During the last quarter Pinnington (Glenelg) was carried off with a sprained ankle, and Schiphorst took his place.
Scores:—
- WEST TORBENS. 19 goals 10 behinds (134 points).
- GLENELG. 10 goals 9 behinds 1(19 points).
Scorers of Goals and Behinds.—
- West Torrens. Mullins 8 goals 1 behind; Drury. 4.2, Foote. 2.5: Scott. 2.1; Sangster. 2.0: Smith. 1.0; and one behind was rushed.
- Glenelg. Winkler 5.1; Pinnington 2.2: : Boyle and Link, each 1.2. Halliday 1.1: Pike 0.1. 1
Vigorous Wingman
Built like an exceedingly mobile heavy weight wrestler in miniature, Holt is an unusual type of a wingman, but he made an outstanding success of the position on Saturday. He brought speed and almost reckless, but quite fair, use of his weight to bear quickly to settle any argument in ground play and was going just as hard at the finish as at the start. He had almost his counterpart on the other wing, and these strong wingmen had much to do with West Torrens's irresistible dash during the first half. Individually, however, Mullins was the outstanding West Torrens player. He was the highest and safest mark on the ground - Johnston, of Glenelg, not excepted — and his work when "resting" at full forward was such that it seems unwise for West Torrens to use him in ruck at all. Smitb (ruck and forward) and Rigs (half-forward) were two other fine high marking men in a team of dashers. Others to do well in a side which carried no passengers were Heath and Foote (attack), Scott (roving), Dinnison and Quick (backs). Roads (half-back), Blight (centre), and Sangster (forward and roving).
Hunt, despite frequent changes necessitating play at half-back, centre, and half-forward, was one of the few Glenelg players who were able to match his opponent in the first half. He took more than one sensational mark, and carried on vigorously on the ground. Brock (centre half-back) played his best football in the second half when he was the leader of a much more solid defence than in the first two quarters. In Halliday Glenelg has a decidedly promising player. Short, but sturdily built, he does not lack speed or confidence, and his work in ruck was a feature of Glenelg's play. Winkler was the outstanding man in the Glenelg attack, although Boyle marked and kicked strongly at centre half-forward. Johnston began in thrilling style, marking brilliantly in the early stages, but worrying tactics by the opposition "shepherds" kept him too busy to allow him to maintain that spectacular play. He worked hard in the packs, nevertheless. The best of the others were Curnow (goal). Pike (wing), and Goodwin (centre and half-forward).
S.A.D.Hill was the field umpire.
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