Round 17 2010
From Snoutslouts
TODD Grima booted four final-quarter goals as Glenelg ripped the heart out of the Port Adelaide Magpies with a 35-point win at Alberton yesterday.
Grima celebrated his 50th league game in style, finishing with 6.4 - and if not for several wasted set shots in the last term could have finished with eight.
The Tigers forward's blistering closing quarter led a six-goal turnaround for Glenelg, who jump to second on the ladder a win behind Central District and two points clear of third-placed Norwood.
``From a scoreboard point of view it was a good win because Port haven't lost too many games by more than three goals, so that was pleasing, coach Mark Mickan said.
``But I thought our second quarter was just unacceptable, we dropped off in several key areas and got completely out-played. We had a good response from the whole group, we did what we had to do to keep the game under control.
Despite the difference in ladder positions and brandishing a young side clearly down on depth and confidence, Port Adelaide made this third-versus-eighth contest a gripping encounter for the opening three quarters.
Their ability to move the ball quickly and take risks against a Tigers side packed with superior class stunned Glenelg.
The midfield work of Kristian de Pasquale and fifth-gamer Sam Gray and the rebound of Luke Slattery was splashed with the brilliance of teenaged debutant Tim Milera.
The 18-year-old, overlooked for the SA under-18s side, finished with 3.3 from half-forward in a performance that will surely have AFL scouts second guessing his potential.
Port's highlight was its second quarter but a failure to kick on in the third with the breeze left it short of a lead that would withstand Glenelg's charge toward's its eighth successive win against the Maggies.
``We just didn't get the ball inside forward 50 enough today, it was well below where we normally are, Port coach Tony Bamford said.
``They didn't stop trying (in the last quarter), they just ran out of gas.
Their stunning six-goal second term, against a three-goal wind, gave the Magpies an unexpected five-point lead at the half.
Milera started the trend when he found space 20m out and Stanley capitalised on Port's quick ball movement to cut the Maggies' deficit to five points.
Two answering goals to Glenelg, through Todd Grima in his 50th game and an inspiring 50m bomb from James Sellar, gave the Tigers command.
Port hit back, but it was short-lived.
An impressive Danny Meyer slotted the opening goal of the final term for the Tigers in the opening minute, Grima found an impossible gap in a forest of legs to bank his third of the day and when Jarrod Kellock kicked his first in the 11th minute the writing was on the wall.
Mark Dolling gave the Magpies some hope with one against the tide, but a Grima palm-off gave him his fifth before Meyer capitalised on a deft Chad Cornes handball to snap his third of the day to seal the two competiton points.
Red time was party time for the Tigers and Grima cashed in with two goals and two more gettable misses.
GLENELG 4.3 6.7 8.10 15.15 (105)
PORT 1.5 7.6 9.10 10.10 (70)
Best: Glenelg: Tenace, B. Kane, Willoughby, Grima, Sellar, Ruwoldt, Murphy, Allen, Meyer. Magpies: Milera, De Pasquale, Gray, Dolling, McInerney, Wanganeen.
Goals: Glenelg: Grima 6, Willoughby, Meyer, Sellar 2, Murphy, Kirkby, Kellock. Magpies: Milera 3, Cloke, Dolling 2, Stanley, Slattery, Summerton.
Injuries/reports: Nil.
Crowd: 3420 at Alberton Oval.
See Also
1. 2010 - full season details
2. Video highlights of this match
