The Northern Knights have recorded their first win of 2008 beating the Dandenong Stingrays by an impressive 43 points. Direct football was the order from Coach Paul Satterley and the playing group delivered in a strong four quarter performance.
The first quarter saw plenty of sharp shooting with Dandenong leading four goals to three before the first behind was kicked. The Stingrays then scored two more after that and were starting to assert some authority before Michael Hurley nailed a late goal from a strong contested mark to close the quarter time gap to 14 points.
Missed tackles were punishing the Knights and Satterley urged his troops to attack the contests harder and play more directly. The message was well received in the second quarter with the Knights displaying a higher intensity
and much improved foot skills.
In a season best quarter the Knights kicked ten goals, including four to Michael Still, who received a knock early in the game and two more to Hurley. Despite such remarkable attack from the Knights, Dandenong were able to keep their noses in the contest by kicking four of their own to trail by 22 at the main break.
The Knights continued to press in the third quarter by adding five more goals to the Stingrays two to put the margin out to 40 points at three quarter time. Hurley added two more to take his tally to six for the day. Captain David Zaharakis was continuing his great start to the season playing through the middle of the ground, while Luke Stanton lifted and was giving the forwards silver service with his precise delivery. In only his second game Kane Lambert was prominent, particularly in the third quarter.
Dandenong had a mini surge at the start of the last quarter, but it was all too late and when the Knights kicked two goals in the row half
way through the term the icing was well and truly on the cake.
Hurley was the star of the show at centre half forward with his six goals, however it was a very even team performance. Zaharakis, Lambert
and Michael Brunelli were solid throughout the whole game, while Stanton and Dean Smith-Whiting were good in patches. Ben Power was solid in the ruck, giving his midfielders first opportunity with some clever tap work, while continuing to show more poise with the ball every week. In the back line Dylan Grimes was the lynchpin in yet another top performance.
Northern Knights 23.8.147 def. Dandenong Stingrays 15.14.104
Best: Hurley, Lambert, Zaharakis, Power, Brunelli, Grimes
Goals: Hurley 6, Still 4, Smith-Whiting 3, Hood 2, Dornauf 2, Walsh, Brunelli, Power, Lambert, Wilson, Kelly
Last Modified on 19/05/2008 16:39
