Double Blues conquer Eagles to climb SANFL ladder
STURT bounced back from the defeat to Norwood with a victory over Woodville-West Torrens, climbing the SANFL ladder on the back of an impressive three quarters.
STURT needed a response to the nightmare final quarter against Norwood last weekend.
And Double Blues coach Marty Mattner got it, for three quarters anyway when they conquered Woodville-West Torrens by 23 points at Woodville Oval on Saturday.
The Double Blues were superb until three-quarter time, dismantling top-placed Eagles with an impressive team-orientated brand of football to build a commanding 49-point advantage.
However, for the second successive week they were outplayed in the final quarter, failing to impact on the scoreboard.
The loss dropped the Eagles to second on the ladder behind the rampaging Redlegs, while the Double Blues have climbed to third.
Double Blues coach Marty Mattner shrugged off the final quarter, saying he was just satisfied to get the points.
“They were the top team and I’m just happy the boys won,” he said. “We have played the top three teams in the past three weeks and if you said we would win two, I’d take that.
“The last quarter was not great, but it has been a tough block.”
The Double Blues had the wind at their back for the first quarter and set the platform for the victory when they led by 32 points.
Their pressure was relentless and they took the game on with conviction, moving the ball with authority.
James Battersby, who had 37 possessions and 13 clearances, ignited much of the action for the visitors and they were proactive.
The hunger of the Double Blues and desperate desire to get the hands dirty had the Eagles on the backfoot as the lead blew out to 61 points midway through the third quarter.
The Eagles looked slow and their decision making and skills were sloppy.
They then bagged the final six goals, but the damage had been well and truly done.
“I’m dirty on the first quarter,” Eagles coach Michael Godden said.
“They were much more desperate than us. They had a lot more to play for and it looked like that.
“They were embarrassed having 13 goals scored against them in a quarter last week and proud clubs respond. Did we know it was going to happen, yes.
“Did we counter attack it, no. We sat on our heels and let it happen.”
STURT 6.3 8.8 12.11 12.11 (83)
EAGLES 1.1 3.3 5.4 9.6 (60)
BEST - Sturt: Battersby, Stephens, Kirkwood, Sumner, Dodd, Page. Eagles: von Bertouch, Sinor, Rowland, Boyd.
GOALS - Sturt: Battersby 3, Sutcliffe, M. Evans, Dodd 2, Kirkwood, Slimming, Read. Eagles: Johansen, Stewart, J. Hayes 2, von Bertouch, Sinor.
UMPIRES - Lewis, Crosby, Hundertmark.
CROWD - 1876 at Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval, Woodville.