Round 10 1932
From Snoutslouts
REMARKABLE FORM OF GLENELG AND TORRENS
Good Football And Great Finish At Glenelg
West Torrens snatched a desperate last quarter win of three points over Glenelg, in a game in which each team improved from mediocre to high class form.
The goalkicking in the first half was astonishing, 27 goals 11 behinds. Two of the behinds were rushed, and one was from a shot which hit a goal post. Had Torrens been able to keep up the pace, it must have won easily. In the third quarter, when Glenelg gained what seemed a winning lead of four goals, it suddenly lapsed forward, kicking five successive points.
Everything which makes good football was apparent in the first three quarters.
It was the best display Torrens has given this season, and it seemed largely due to Hosking's two weeks of coaching. Glenelg played with the crispness which won it its early games. The ball was whipped from end to end with a speed which frequently left the followers and the boundary umpires far behind, and there was rarely a bad kick. Glenelg won in the rucks, principally through a return to form by Johnston, and good work by Edwards, but Torrens held the centre and wings, and had the best half forward on the ground in Sincock.
Pace On From Start
Glenelg began the rapid scoring by getting two goals In the first minute and a half. Torrens held it temporarily in check, but was unable to counter the work of Edwards and Johnston in the ruck until it used Bridgman and McKenzie as followers at the same time. It then got three goals in succession, but Glenelg, changing its followers and rovers rapidly, and benefiting most when Link was roving, went ahead to finish the quarter 13 points in front. Link was the best man on the ground at this stage. It was significant that Torrens made its only successful drive when he was not roving.
In one burst the teams kicked eight goals without a behind.
After five minutes of the second quarter without either side gaining superiority, Torrens realised that Sincock was the man to be played to at half forward. Its backs also sent the ball either to Pontifex or Shepherd when forwarding, and in the next quarter of an hour it got eight goals three behinds, while Glenelg scored three goals. Bertram and Waite each kicked four goals in succession. By strenuous efforts In the ruck, Bridgman, and McKenzie had done much to lessen Glenelg's strength there, and the quarter finished with Torrens holding a well deserved five point lead.
Injuries Necessitate Changes
Glenelg lost Wundersitz through a knee injury, and Percy took his place after half time. McGuinness, who had been carried off with a bad hip injury, resumed, but lasted only five minutes, McLoughlin taking his place. Quinn, who had played at centre half back, went into goal, Simpson to half back left. It was the start of a bad run for Torrens. In the ruck Johnston revealed unbeatable marking and knocking-out ability, and the opposing backs were unable to hold the flying Glenelg forwards. Hale, who roved in place of Wundersitz, was almost as valuable as Link, and playing intelligently at half forward. The side kicked four goals in a 10 minutes burst immediately before three quarter time.
Torrens's Bad Lapse
Torrens had every chance of making up its leeway in the first 10 minutes of the last quarter, in which Glenelg did not get the ball past half forward, but it fell into its old habit of crowding the play and forcing the ball into the full forward pockets. The result was a lucky goal from Harris and four points. In the next three minutes Glenelg made two swift thrusts, each capped with a goal, and seemed to have won, but Torrens' advantage at centre proved match-winning. Glenelg could not force the ball past either Pontifex or Shepherd, and Torrens kicked four goals and two points, all from scrambles, in five minutes, and equalled the scores. Many men on both .sides were too fagged to kick the ball properly, and principally because of that it stayed in the Torrens' forward lines. The winning points were kicked in the last three minutes.
Scores:—
West Torrens, 19 goals 19 behinds.
Glenelg, 20 goals 10 behinds.
Goalkickers:—
West Torrens— Waite (7), Bertram (4), McKenzie, Harris, and Frogley (2), Sincock and Pontifex.
Glenelg— Owens (8), Link and L. Griffiths (4), Murphy (2), Hale and Percy.
No Weak Men
There was not a weak man in either team. Shepherd, with a great wing effort, was the best of Torrens. Pontifex was another to stand above the others a trifle, but there was no more effective man than Sincock. His clever work kept the half forward line open. He kicked accurately to Waite. who played brilliantly in the first half, but spoilt his work after that by bad kicking. McKenzie, Bridgman and Williamson (in the ruck), Read, McGuinness, Simpson, and Quinn (in defence), Frogley (at half forward, particularly in the last quarter), Bertram (who roved himself to a standstill), and Buckton, all did well.
Glenelg was not quite as even as Torrens, Johnston and Link standing out. Johnston made many astounding leaps, and marked the ball surely, his effort being his best this season, and a repetition of the form which made him an inter-State man. When not following he performed magnificently in a back pocket. Link's work was that of a champion. He was too fast for any of his opponents when he broke away from the ruck, and he dispatched the ball without error. Edwards again knocked from the ruck with fine direction, and marked well. King, in goal, was the best of a solid defence. L. Griffiths (roving), McKinnon (an excellent game for his first appearance), Curnow, Ellis, and Handby (in defence), Owens (who had to put up with plenty of bustling, but who kicked with all his usual accuracy), Hill, Coleman, Winkler, Murphy, and Hale, were all brilliant at times.
See also
- 1932 - full season details
