Match One: New England Nomads 20.29.149 def Tamworth Swans 2.6.18
The 2012 TAFL Premiers have stamped their authority early in the 2013 season with a commanding 131 point victory on Saturday afternoon over the Swans. It was a clinical display from the Nomads, who lead at every change and dominated across the field against the young Swans outfit.
The Swans started the match positively, kicking the first goal of the contest through Shawn Dalby, and showed some enterprising play around the ground to keep the Nomads honest. However, as the term went on, the boys from Armidale started to assert their dominance through the middle of the ground and took control of the contest. They kicked the last 5 goals of the quarter and opened up a 24 point lead at the first break.
The Swans again started the second quarter well, and took the contest right up to Nomads. However key injuries to Dean Finlay and Gavin Knee severely hurt their depth from the bench, and despite a Paul Tapper goal early in the quarter, they could not control the twin towers up front of Simon Stubbs and James Boatfield who were near unstoppable in front of goals. Only wayward kicking was keeping the Swans in the contest, with the Nomads extending their lead to 44 points at the long break.
The second half was all one way traffic as the Nomads took total control of the contest. The Swans were again hit with injuries and played much of the second half with just the bare minimum of 18 players and ran out of legs completely. They were unable to register a single point after the long break whilst the Nomads continued to pile on the points at the other end. The final margin became a blow out 131 points, but the Swans were far from disgraced as they fought hard all the way to the final siren. The scariest thought for all the clubs in the TAFL is that the Nomads were far from full strength for this clash, and could well be impossible to stop this campaign.
For the victors, Boatfield and Stubbs each finished with 7 majors and were both amongst the best on the ground. For the Swans, just the two goals were kicked by Tapper and Dalby, with Sam Shelton very impressive in a losing side.
Match Two: Inverell Saints 21.14.140 def Muswellbrook Cats 9.2.56
The traditional neutral venue clash between the league’s most distant neighbours was brought forward from the last round to the first this season to accommodate for the Triple Header, but the result stayed the same from the last few years with the Saints registering a tough win over the Cats. The final scoreline does not reflect the intensity of this clash, with the Cats fighting hard all day, only to be pulled apart by Mike Gould who starred up front booting 13 goals. The 2012 Gerry Griffiths Medallist continued on from this form last season, playing a lone hand up front for the Saints.
The first quarter was a display of hard footy from both clubs, with neither able to assert themselves with any dominance around the ground. The Cats defense was already having all sorts of trouble containing Gould, with some good supply from the middle from new Saints recruit Hayden Chappel. However, the Cats were efficient up front, making the most of their forward forays to trail by just 8 points at the first change.
The second started with the Saints kicking a couple of quick goals and looking as though they could run away with the game, however they started becoming wasteful in front of goal whilst the Cats continued to be efficient in front of the big sticks. The boys from Muswellbrook were getting first use out of the middle from impressive ruckman Cameron Davis and a couple of nice goals late in the quarter saw them bring the margin back to 38 points at the long break and far from out of the contest.
The entire second half followed much of the same pattern as the first two quarters. The Saints continued to pile on the pressure up front, whilst the Cats refused to lie down and be pushed around. However in the end, the Saints leg speed was too much for the Cats to hold down, with some enterprising running out of defense from Jono Elphick and Simon Reid setting up many attacking forays for the Saints. The final margin blew out to 84 points, but the Cats were far from disgraced in the first round display.
For the Saints, Gould earned best on field with his 13 majors, while Russel Brien added 3 as well. Chappel and Elphick rounded out the best three for Inverell. For the Cats, their only multiple goal kicker was Nick Bottrill, with Davis, Nigel Smith and Mark Mclaughlin their best.
Match Three: Tamworth Kangaroos 13.15.93 def Gunnedah Bulldogs 10.12.72
The final match of the opening round started under lights on a cool night, but it was a hot footy early in the contest as both teams started 2013 at full bore. This was a see-sawing clash were the result was in doubt for much of the 100 minute clash, but the fitness and class of the Roos showed through late and saw them record a 21 point win.
The first 10 minutes of this clash set the scene of the rest of the match, with both clubs going hard at the footy and trading early majors. However, as the quarter went on, the Roos settled the better and slotted 4 consecutive majors to end the quarter and open up a handy lead at the first change.
Not to be outdone, the Dogs roared back into the contest in the second term, taking control out of the middle of the ground and taking full advantage of their forward entries. They totally dominated the quarter, with Scott Hardy and Andrew George showing their quality in the middle of the ground and Ben Middlebrook taking full advantage up front. The Gunnedah boys took a 4 point lead into the long break and could have been even further in front if not for some wayward kicking late in the quarter.
The Roos needed to lift in the third, and that they did. Matt Hodge came alive in the quarter and was too much of a handful for the Dogs defense. Dan Gimbert started to take control across the flanks, and all of a sudden the Roos were full of running. The Dogs managed to get a couple of majors for the quarter, but the Roos had opened up a two goal buffer at the final change.
The last quarter was almost a carbon copy of the third, with the Roos controlling much of the contest and the Dogs holding on as best they could. However, a short pre-season may have been the undoing of the Dogs, as they ran out of legs in this contest, and the Roos ran out 21 point winners.
Hodge finished with 5 majors for the Roos, with Col Daye, Gimbert and Chris Rankmore their best. For the Dogs, Middlebrook slotted 4 goals, with captain George, Jake Vigor and John Woolaston serving them best.
Next weekend sees a return to Sunday football in the TAFL, with Bulldogs and Cats clashing in Gunnedah on Sunday at 1pm. There are two other cracking matches on Saturday, with the first instalment of the 2013 Bill Holder Cup between the Swans and Roos, and a Grand Final replay between the Nomads and Saints.
Last Modified on 16/04/2013 09:26