NEW England Nomads suffered a rare loss at home last Saturday.
The Inverell Saints could pay for that when the Nomads arrive in Inverell today to play a second-round Tamworth AFL game at Varley Oval.
The Saints have a new coach (Haydon Chappel) and a new -look side to the one beaten by the Nomads in last year’s grand final.
They walloped the Moree Suns by 212 points last weekend when Russell Brien kicked 11 goals and Kierin Te Velde eight.
It won’ be as easy this week, with the Nomads intent on rebounding from last Saturday’s 17.13 115 to 8.12 60 loss at the hands of the Roos with the return of at least half a dozen players who missed last week’s loss.
Nomads coach Zac Economou said the Nomads had no excuses last Saturday when beaten by a better side.
“They gave us a bit of a touch-up,” Economou said.
“But we did have a lot of players out.
“There were 24 players unavailable from the team that played in the Tablelands Cup.
“That did make it hard for us but the Roos played great football.”
Gunnedah’s Andrew George kicks as Tamworth Swans president Josh McKenzie grimaces in last week’s opening round clash in Tamworth. McKenzie and his Swans tackle Tamworth Kangaroos today at No 1 Oval in an annual local derby, the first game in the Billy Holder Cup series. Photo: Barry Smith 110415BSC16
The game did enable five Nomads to make their TAFL debuts.
“We unearthed a couple of gems,” Economou added.
“And we should have half a dozen players back for the Saints.
“They have been our biggest opposition over the last three years and the only team (other than the Roos last week) to have beaten us in the last two seasons.
“Inverell look like being a different team too, missing a few from last year’s grand final against us, but we will have have to play well – they always play well against us.”
He said the return of Jed-Ellis-Clough, the Nomads’ 2013 beat and fairest, was another bonus.
There will be two local derbies in Tamworth and Gunnedah.
Tamworth Kangaroos, fresh from their big win over the Nomads, tackle a Tamworth Swans who had been struggling for numbers and who succumbed to a second-half Gunnedah Bulldog surge.
The Dogs won 14.14 98 to 6.14 50 and set up their home clash with a Narrabri Eagles who had the first-round bye.
Source: Northern Daily Leader 18th April 2015