NORTH'S CONVINCING DEFEAT OF GLENELG
Conducted by HARRY KNEEBONE
North Adelaide, playing faster, more confident football than it has since it won the league football premiership last year, at Prospect, on Saturday, inflicted on Glenelg the latter's first defeat this season.
|
|
|
| 1st
| 2nd
| 3rd
| Final
| Pts
|
| North
| 2.0
| 9.5
| 10.7
| 16.11
| 107
|
| Glenelg
| 3.4
| 5.7
| 9.11
| 9.16
| 70
|
|
|
Crowd: 6,600
North's Fine Football
The North Adelaide team, which inflicted the first defeat for the season on Glenelg at Prospect, bore a recognisable
resemblance to the side which won the 1949 premiership. It was fast — much too speedy for the surprised opposition — confident and clever. It had a clear idea of what it wanted to do when it gained possession and did it, neatly and expertly.
Maintenance or that form will invest the remainder of the season's programme with considerably increased interest.
As so often is the case when a team hits its straps, everything went right for North Adelaide and wrong for Glenelg.
North Adelaide scored 16 goals from 27 tries: Glenelg nine from 25.
North Adelaide got through without serious injuries: Glenelg, losing Robjent before the game began, took the field with Crabb, its leading ruckman, suffering from a leg injury sustained when seizing the opportunity for a practice run while on a flight to Perth this week.
Crabb lasted until half-time.
Then, with Laffin manfully struggling to carry the sadly weakened ruck on his shoulders, Glenelg lost its centre half-back, D. Taylor, in the last quarter.
These setbacks merely accentuated North Adelaide's superiority. It would have won in any event. It had victory well in its grasp when it held Glenelg to a miserable 10-point lead after the visiting team's use of the four-goal-a-quarter wind in the first term.
Nearly four goals ahead at half time. North Adelaide had a handy margin to offset Glenelg's desperate third quarter and then coasted home against dispirited opposition in the last.
Scores: —
NORTH ADELAIDE. 16 goals 11 behinds (107 pts)
GLENELG. 9 goals 16 behinds (70 pts)
Goalklckers : —
North Adelaide — Phillips 4.3; Tidswell 3.3; Gilbourne 3.O; Edwards 2.0; Coulls 2.0; Kennett 1.2; Cox 1.1.
Glenelg — Churchett 4.5; Rundle 2.0; Brooker 1.2; J. Taylor and McPherson each 1.0; Haussen 0.3; Window 0.2; Laffin, Boehm, Donaldson and Prior each 0.1. Churchett hit a goalpost.
MCKAY'S INFLUENCE
McKay, marking brilliantly, particularly in intercepting, dashing on the ground and kicking strongly, was North Adelaide's best.
Carroll, fulfilling better than could have been hoped, the flickering promise he showed last year, was repeatedly under notice for strong marking and general play.
J. Blunden (best half-back afield), Gilbourne and Aamodt (volatile forces at half -forward and in ruck), Arbon (embarking on another lease of football life as a back pocket player), Phillips (a little slower, but decidedly useful at centre half forward), Crouch (a good job in goal despite a back injury), Coulls (roving), Kennett and Tidswell (attack), were also prominent.
Laffin, physically and metaphorically stood head and shoulders above his Glenelg team-mates. With no support in the second half, he showed amazing determination and stamina in taking on all-comers single handed in the ruck.
Trenorden and McPherson made the centre-line battle interesting throughout, and others to play well in the losing side were Teagle (half forward), J. Taylor (ruck and defence), D. Taylor (third quarter at centre half-back), Crabb (until forced to retire), Churchett (forward) and Brooker (roving).
— HARRY KNEEBONE.
