The Inverell Saints have firmly established themselves as a top contender for the 2010 TAFL premiership with a commanding 107 point victory over the 3rd placed New England Nomads on Saturday. The result was a great outcome for the Saints as they aspire to hold on to top spot on the ladder heading into the finals and secure the all important home semi final.
Pre-match saw plenty of hype as both teams were coming into the contest on the back of successive wins and the first quarter lived up to the billing. Both teams went in after the ball hard and the only way to earn a possession to was get in and get it yourself. The Saints looked to get a small break leading into the siren, however 2 50m penalties directly lead to 2 Nomad goals and the margin was just 4 points at the first change of ends.
The start of the second quarter saw the Saints kicking into a 2 goal breeze, however a quick goal to start the quarter gave the Saints early confidence. An answering goal to the Nomads kept it close, however the Saints started to get on a roll and really made the game their own, kicking the next 4 goals of the quarter to open up a 30 point break. The Nomads were dealt a big blow when Weston Whitby went down with a serious knee injury on the stroke of half time.
The half time emphasis for the Saints was all about continuing to run and tackle hard and took a firm hold on the match when they kicked the first 7 goals of the quarter and essentially 11 in a row in the match. The Saints had control of the game through the middle as the forwards had a field day, working together for the greater good of the team. A questionable goal on the 3 quarter time siren for the Nomads brought the margin back to 69 points at the final change.
The last quarter was all about finishing the game off for the Saints and that they did, running through the midfield and remaining tight at the back. Stewart Walker and Jono Elphick had stellar matches across the half back line, repelling plenty of Nomad attacking entries. Mick Viney kicked his 10th goal during the last and 59th for the season. The final margin stood at 107 points, the third 100 point win for the Saints in Inverell this year.
The result means the Saints are still a win clear on top of the ladder, putting them in a good spot for the minor premiership in 2010. There is however another 4 games of football to be played and anything can happen in that time. Next week the Saints face the third of 3 games against the top 4 teams when they travel to Tamworth to take on the Swans in another crucial game that will shape the finals come season end.
Last Modified on 12/07/2010 14:12