Portland got away to a flier, bagging the first two majors before Hamilton got one back. Some crunching tackles had the desired effect with the pressure created forcing the opposition into error on many occasions.
An open forward line led to numerous scoring chances with J. Bunge, D. Finnigan and J. Wilson all coming under strong notice. Hamilton came hard towards the end of the quarter but the Tigers stood firm and held a lead of 21 points at the first break. The 2nd term saw the Magpies run in numbers and gained the upper hand in terms of possession. Eventually, they sliced into Portland's lead and through sheer weight of possession in the scoring zone, they were able to wrestle the lead from the Tigers and had the comfort of a 1 point buffer at the long break.
Heavy rain at half time made conditions slippery and Hamilton seemed to adapt more readily having the better of the early exchanges. But the Tigers dug deep and a couple of classy conversions saw them edge to the lead. Reflecting the close nature of the game, Hamilton forged back and using their heavier bodies and slick link-up play, they had grabbed the lead at the last break by 5 points. Portland were forced to defend grimly early in the last term and on the few occasions, they pressed forward, inept kicking skills let them down. Suddenly, a couple of majors conjured out of pretty much nothing, had the Tigers back in the front. But the Black and White were not to be denied and their relentless attack on the ball saw them run eventual winners by 10 points. Portland were best served by Jayden Malseed (classy in tough conditions), Jake Wilson, Ethan Blacksell, Brad Finnigan, Jonathon Bunge (5 goals) and Peter Cook.
Final Scores: Portland 12. 5. 77 ~ Hamilton 11. 20. 86
Last Modified on 07/09/2009 12:17